Custom Body Implant Surgery

Silicone breast implants have come a long way.  The implants are no longer filled with low viscosity silicone which was more fluid but are now filled with a highly viscous grade of silicone get that is similar in texture to Turkish delight. This substance is more easily contained and removed should the implant rupture and leak.  Because no implant will last forever and because small defects in implants may be undetectable for an unspecified period of time, it is recommended that women have regular annual check-ups.  Any hardening, suspicions or irregular ultrasounds should be followed by an MRI for a definitive diagnosis.  The average life span of all implants averages approximately 10 years and this need for reaugmentation and further surgery should be factored into the decisions to have breast implants: personal, physical & financial. Although the newer generation of Silicone Gel breast implants have been deemed safe by Therapeutic Goods Administration, it is still good to find out if you are a candidate for saline breast implants.  Dr Hodgkinson prefers to use saline (salt water) implants, when appropriate.  In addition to their safety, they move more naturally and require a smaller incision site for insertion than gel implants, which of course means less scarring. Furthermore, if a rupture does occur, it is much easier to detect with a saline implant as it causes an almost immediate deflation of the affected side.

Everyone has a bottom of course but some people have a flat bottom with no shape or a very small bottom. A fuller bottom can give a woman a more feminine shape. We also do implants on men—in men, a “flat butt” is an ageing butt. Implants can make the male buttocks look more in proportion with the rest of the body, especially if they have been exercising and building up the upper body. The three main groups of patients I do are South American women with flat bottoms, Chinese women with small bottoms and gay male patients. Some doctors have used injections of fat but the results can be quite unpredictable. I use implants made from solid silicone or cohesive gel. They come in either round or lozenge shape and in various sizes. The implant is inserted deep underneath the main muscle—the gluteus muscle (glute) via a small incision between the cheeks and the muscle. The number of women seeking buttock implants is definitely increasing, particularly since the popularity of the American Latino singer, Jennifer Lopez. The pioneers of buttock implants were actually the South Americans, particularly the Brazilians and the Mexicans, where culturally generous buttocks are more popular than breast enhancement.

Before and After Buttock Implants by Dr Hodgkinson

Pectoral implants can be used to give your chest a more masculine look. The implants are made from firm silicone and are trimmed or customised to fit your individual chest wall. The implant is placed underneath the pectoralis muscle, not under the skin, and is inserted via an incision under the armpit. You will need to wear a compression garment day and night for four weeks and not undertake any strenuous activity for six weeks. Pectoral implants are becoming more popular, not only with body builders but they are also used in conjunction with “ man boob” operations.

Before and After Pectoral Implants

 

Calf implants continue to be popular, especially in summer. Usually, women choose to have one implant on the inside of their leg to produce a nice curve below their knee, while men choose four implants - two implants in each leg - one on the inside and one on the out-side, to provide a much more bulked up appearance. A small incision is made at the back of the knee area in a crease in order to insert the implant. Careful planning is necessary and often patients undergo liposculpture at the same time. In the twenty years I have been performing this procedure, there have been very minimal complications and problems in these patients. Women who have had calf implantation are delighted to be able to wear a short skirts and men are much more comfortable about wearing shorts!

Before and After Calf Implants by Dr Hodgkinson

 

Breast implants should not shift in position once they are inserted if the implants are responsibly chosen to fit the patient’s build and the surgery is performed properly. The surgeon’s challenge is to make the pocket the exact size of the implant if not a little firm to avoid movement or rotation.  The problem with the tear drop shaped implants is that in the hands of the less experience surgeon is if the pocket is not perfect and they rotate, resulting in an unnatural shape to the chest... In placing any implant—whether it is a breast, cheek, chin or calf implant—the aim of the procedure is to make the pocket the correct size and shape for the proposed implant. A pocket which is proportional to the chest wall diameter will allow the implant to sit nicely and protects the implant from displacement.

Before and After Breast Augmentation: D cup 400 cc Round Smooth Saline Breast Implants by Dr Hodgkinson