Cosmetic Surgery Q&A: Mr Siva Kumar

Q1. Why should you have unsightly moles, cysts and lipomas removed by a plastic surgeon? 

A. It's quite common to get a number of lumps and bumps that grow on your skin over time, these can include unsightly, moles, warts, lipomas, and cysts. There are three common reasons why people may consider having these skin lesions removed. The first is for cosmetic reasons. Secondly, they can irritate, so, they can get caught on clothes and jewellery, for example. And finally, they can cause a lot of discomfort, especially if they start to grow quite rapidly.  

If it's a skin lesion that's on the skin surface, then I use a tool known as a dermatoscope to examine it further, and using this with great accuracy, I can tell whether it's actually something that's completely benign or if it's potentially harmful and it's going to need a biopsy.  

Your procedure is usually undertaken under local anaesthetic, these uses injections to numb the areas similar to what you may have had with the dentist. The procedure lasts usually between 20 and 60 minutes. 

Q2. What are the benefits of having a breast reduction? 

A. A breast reduction is a really effective way of reducing heavy and large breasts. The most common reason for having a breast reduction is when the breasts are out of proportion with the rest of the frame. Commonly patients complain of back pain, neck pain, difficulty finding clothes that fit, difficulty sleeping, sometimes difficulty at work, working on computers for a long time, rashes and infections under the breast, and problems with activities such as exercise.  

The exact type of breast reduction you need depends on many factors. This includes the amount of tissue that needs to be removed, your age, your medical history, and also, your lifestyle factors. Not only does breast reduction remove excess skin and excess breast tissue to reduce the amount of weight on your breast but also improves the shape and contour of your breast.  

The procedure is done under general anaesthetic, it takes about two to three hours to perform, and there's usually a one-night stay. It takes about six weeks to recover from the procedure, by which point most of the scars should have healed and you should be able to get back to most of your normal activities. 

Q3. How do I choose the best size and shape breast implant to give a natural look?

A. The vast majority of women that come to see me are after a natural looking breast augmentation, and I think the best way to achieve this is to try and match the size and shape along with your body frame. Now during the consultation, there are three factors that I look at to try and help you choose the right implant. Firstly, it's your body proportions, so it's your height, it's your weight, and it's your chest width as well as your chest length. Secondly, it's your breast proportions, so how much breast tissue have you already got? Where is the breast actually on your chest? Looking at the footprint of your breast. Thirdly, it's important to consider your lifestyle factors. So, if you are a keen sports woman and have a lot of active pursuits, then maybe choosing a moderate size implant will help you to continue to pursue all these other activities.  

So whilst the size of the implant is important, another really critical decision is the type and shape of implant that you're going to choose. For example, a round implant is more full bodied and will give you a lot more fullness in the upper pole, whereas a teardrop shape implant is actually sloped and will give you a far more natural look. I also use computer imaging technology called Crisalix to help visualize what women would look like with different types of implants. And finally, you can try breast implant sizes in clinic also.