Combination Breast Procedures Gaining Popularity, Surgeon Says

VANCOUVER, BC, August 02, 2012 (Press-News.org) Women seeking plastic surgery in Vancouver to enhance their breasts are increasingly opting to have a breast lift in addition to implants, says Dr. Peter Lennox, a Vancouver plastic surgeon.

"There are a number of situations where combining the two procedures can be beneficial," Dr. Lennox says. "Many times, a woman will seek breast augmentation because she has experienced a loss of volume in her breasts, either as a natural part of the aging process or as a result of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

"Breast implants have received so much attention in recent years that people often assume implants can fix anything. However, if there is too much sagging in the breast tissue, simply adding an implant is not going to create a natural-looking shape. The tissue needs to be lifted so that it can support the weight of the implant and achieve a more attractive, youthful-looking profile."

Dr. Lennox says that as a plastic surgeon in Vancouver, he often sees the opposite situation as well. Women will come to him seeking a breast lift alone, but their breasts may not have enough volume for a breast lift to create a full, rounded shape without the addition of an implant.

"I find that women who fall into this category are much happier with the outcome of their breast lift surgery if I give them the added boost that implants provide," he says. "The implants don't necessarily have to be large. My goal is to return a woman's breasts to the full, rounded shape they had when they were younger. And, if they decide they want a bit more volume than they had before, well, we can do that, too."

Dr. Lennox notes that many woman who seek breast augmentation in Vancouver are mothers who want to reverse some of the changes to their bodies caused by pregnancy. In many cases, a breast lift with implants may be part of a more comprehensive procedure known as a Mommy Makeover.

"An increasing number of my patients are deciding to schedule complementary procedures at the same time as their breast augmentation," Dr. Lennox says. "In addition to the breast work, we might do a tummy tuck to flatten the abdomen or liposuction to contour the midsection. This way, they can get it all taken care of at one time.

"It makes a lot of sense, because it prevents them from having to go through a separate recuperation period following each surgery. While they're recuperating from one, they're also recuperating from the other."

Dr. Peter Lennox (www.drpeterlennox.com) is a Vancouver, B.C., plastic surgeon certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. After earning his medical degree from University of British Columbia (UBC), Dr. Lennox interned at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A residency in plastic surgery at UBC was followed by a fellowship in breast reconstruction at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and a clinical fellowship at University of North Carolina. His special areas of expertise include breast reconstruction and microsurgery as well as cosmetic surgery. Dr. Lennox has been honored for his superior teaching skills and is often called upon by fellow plastic surgeons for training and education. Articulate, well-educated and extensively trained, Dr. Lennox has earned the trust of his peers, his patients and his students.