Aesthetic Breast Surgery in Bern
The aim of aesthetic breast surgery is to positively alter the appearance of the breast in terms of size or shape in a natural looking way by making corrections that are not at all, or hardly visible. The demand for breast surgery is high worldwide, as in addition to the function of breastfeeding, the female breast is an important symbol of femininity. Breasts significantly shape the appearance of an adult woman and are a visible sign of fertility and sexual maturity. The ideal size and form of the female breast is shaped by numerous factors, such as culture, lifestyle, personal preferences, occupation and social class. Differences in breast development also create a wide variety of forms, including asymmetries or malformations that give each breast an individual appearance. Thus, demands regarding surgical breast corrections are correspondingly varied.
While physical symptoms associated with large and sagging breasts call for a breast reduction, in other cases, such as sagging breasts after pregnancy, the situation is far more complex. It is often unclear before consulting the plastic surgeon whether breast lifting, enlargement, or both are the most appropriate method to achieve an optimal functional and aesthetic result through breast surgery. Whether an implant or autologous adipose tissue is used in the case of breast enlargement depends in each case on a variety of factors, such as the presence of adequate fat deposits in other body regions or individual and familial risk factors. It may also be necessary to consider congenital malformations in the planning of operations, which, especially if the problem is minor, the client might not necessarily even be aware of.
The following points summarise the most common methods of aesthetic breast plastic surgery. For more detailed information on these breast surgeries, see the respective treatment procedures. If you are dissatisfied with the appearance of your breast, we recommend that you have a personal consultation with Dr Oliver Scheufler at the AARE KLINIK.
Breast Enlargement with implants (breast augmentation)
Today breast augmentation is by far the most commonly performed breast surgery. The aim of breast augmentation, as the term implies, is to enlarge the breast by adding volume. For this, implants that are filled with a medical grade silicone gel or saline are suitable. Enlargement of the female breast with implants remains the standard procedure used since the 1960s. Breast implants have been continually developed and improved to reduce the risk of unwanted reactions to the implant, such as the formation of a scarred capsule (capsular fibrosis), to increase the patency of the implants, improve their durability, and provide a greater variety through a range of implant shapes and sizes to best serve the needs of each client. Dr Scheufler therefore uses implants from various renowned and certified manufacturers at the AARE KLINIK, with a variety of shapes, sizes, silicone gels and implant envelopes to best meet specific demands. Just as the breasts of every woman have individual differences, so the choice of the most appropriate surgical procedure, as well as the implants are chosen specifically for each individual client. For more information please click here: breast augmentation with implants
Breast enlargement with fat tissue (lipo-augmentation)
As early as 1895, the German surgeon Vincenz Czerny performed a breast enlargement at the University of Heidelberg using the client’s own fatty tissue. At that time however, knowledge of blood circulation in tissue and technical possibilities were limited and the survival of the tissue was very unreliable, which is why the method was forgotten for so long. Only with the development of liposuction and the improvement of methods for the treatment of suctioned fat tissue did the injection of the client’s own fat cells become possible with the help of fine needles into the tissue (lipofilling). Lipofilling has become a reliable and increasingly popular technique for the enlargement or the shaping of breasts. The particular popularity of lipofilling for breast enlargement (lipo-augmentation) is based on the ability to avoid the introduction of a foreign body i.e. a breast implant into the body. As a result, possible implant complications can be avoided, such as implant defects or capsular fibrosis and the necessity for secondary interventions. However, the method is as yet not suitable for every woman and, above all, requires the availability of sufficient fat deposits in other areas of the body. For more information please click here: breast augmentation by autologous fat transfer
Breast enlargement with implants and fat tissue (composite breast enlargement)
In some situations for breast enlargements, it is advantageous to combine implants and fat tissue. Especially in slim women who do not have adequate fat deposits in other areas of their body, the use of fat tissue alone is insufficient to achieve the desired breast size. At the same time, the use of breast implants in slender women has the drawback of low soft tissue coverage of the implant, which may make them more palpable or even visible under the skin. The combination of both procedures in a breast surgery enables sufficient breast volume to be achieved through the use of implants as well as better soft tissue coverage of the implants through the use of lipofilling. This enables the creation of a more natural appearance and a more pleasant tactile sensation of the breast. For more information please click here:
Breast lift (mastopexy)
Especially after pregnancies or weight loss, the breast tissue often regresses again, while the overstretched skin remains stretched. The result are slack, sagging breasts. In these cases, a tightening of the breast skin and a reshaping of the breast tissue are usually necessary to achieve an appealing natural breast shape. In less severe cases, it may be possible to forego a skin tightening by replacing lost breast volume with the help of an implant (breast augmentation) or the injection of autologous adipose tissue (lipoaugmentation), thereby restoring a firmer breast shape. For more information please click here: breast lift
Breast lift and augmentation (augmentation mastopexy)
After pregnancy or weight loss, the breast tissue often contracts again and the breasts sag. There is not enough breast volume left to reshape the breast. In these cases, tightening of the breast skin is combined with the simultaneous replacement of the breast volume using a breast implant (augmentation mastopexy) or by using the body’s own tissue (auto-augmentation). Generally both measures, i.e. enlargement and tightening are performed in a single operation.
Breast reduction (mammary reduction)
Reduction is the most common functional breast surgery and is not just undertaken for visual reasons. Clients often suffer from pain in the shoulder and neck area, backache and headache, bruising from bras or irritation of the skin and infections in the lower breast folds in the case of large and heavy breasts. These functional complaints are reasons for the desire for a breast reduction. If breast reduction is predominantly used to treat functional complaints, the costs should be covered by health insurance on a case-by-case basis, provided that body weight is within a normal range, weight reduction per breast is at least 500 grams, and conservative treatment attempts, such as physiotherapy, has proven ineffective in lasting improvement or in alleviating physical discomfort. Of course, there are also optical reasons for breast reduction. In the case of a predominantly aesthetically-motivated breast surgery, however, the costs are in principle not covered by health insurance. Unfortunately, even if there is clear proof of physical discomfort and the fulfilment of all medical requirements for breast surgery due to large breast size, many health insurance companies in Switzerland still argue that breast reduction primarily serves to improve the appearance and thus does not constitute a medically indicated treatment and, therefore, deny coverage of the costs. For more information please click here: breast reduction
Outpatient breast surgery
Most aesthetic surgeries on the female breast, such as augmentation with implants or lipofilling, can be offered on an outpatient basis through the use of tissue-sparing surgical techniques and advanced anaesthetic procedures. The same applies to the treatment of gynecomastia or pseudogynaecomastia in men (male breasts).
Breast reconstruction agter breast cancer
For many women, the treatment of breast cancer not only represents a considerable intervention in their health, but also an undesirable strong and visible change in their own femininity. Therefore, it is important for affected women to consult an expert with extensive experience in the field of breast reconstruction at an early stage, so that the reconstruction can already be planned during the initial breast cancer therapy. This is particularly important because, although most breast carcinomas can be operated on in a breast-conserving manner, not all surgeons have the same priorities or pursue the same aesthetic goals. For more information please click here: breast reconstruction
PD Dr. med. Oliver Scheufler
Since 2009, Dr Scheufler has routinely carried out all the above-mentioned interventions on an outpatient or short inpatient basis at the AARE KLINIK. Thanks to Dr Scheufler’s extensive experience in reconstructive breast plastic surgery, as well as the latest equipment at the AARE KLINIK, outpatient surgery is not associated with any increased risk for the patient compared to inpatient surgery. In addition, all outpatient anaesthesia is performed exclusively by specialists in anaesthetics who have many years of professional experience. Risks, such as wound infections with problematic germs, i.e. antibiotic-resistant bacteria that often occur in large hospitals due to the overuse of antibiotics can be avoided in outpatient operations in private clinics such as the AARE KLINIK. This also increases the safety of the clients.
Your safety in all aspects of aesthetic breast plastic surgery is always a top priority at the AARE KLINIK.
Appointments for breast-surgery with Dr. Scheufler in Bern
Before any breast surgery you should have a comprehensive consultation and additional examination. Only in this way can you be sure whether the type of surgery will lead to the result you expect. In addition, your consultation will give you a good impression of our experience in the field of breast surgery. Feel free to ask for before and after photos to get an idea of what the results look like.
PD Dr. Oliver Scheufler, board certified plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon and author of this website, is pleased to be at your service for a personal consultation. Besides his main occupation at the AARE KLINIK, Dr. Scheufler is also scientifically active and lectures at the University of Basel. He also was a visiting professor at Duke University (USA). Please do not hesitate to contact him if you wish a professional consultation!