Dato Dr Lim Lay Hooi is a well-known cosmetic surgeon who works at Gleneagles Penang Hospital in Malaysia. She specialises in cosmetic plastic surgery and breast reconstruction. She has worked in the medical sector for more than 30 years. Dato Dr Lim Lay Hooi speaks English, Bahasa Melayu, and Hokkien fluently.
She completed her MBBS from the University of Malaya in 1984. She received her FRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1988 and her FRACS from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) in 1993. Dato Dr Lim Lay Hooi is the author of numerous publications, journals, and essays, one of which is "We Need to Be Careful About Cosmetic Surgery". She has worked as a consultant in George Town's Hospital Pulau Pinang.
List of some of the treatments provided by Dato Dr Lim Lay Hooi
- Body Lift Surgery
- Arm Lift
- Cryolipolysis - Non-Surgical Fat Reduction
- Tummy Tuck
- Liposuction Surgery
- Hair Transplantation
- Breast Augmentation
- Breast Reduction
- Breast Implants
- Male Breast Reduction
- Skin Grafting
- Laser Hair Removal
Know about Breast reconstruction
Many women who have a mastectomy (surgical to remove an entire breast to cure or prevent breast cancer) might have the form of the breast that was removed reconstructed.
Women who want to have their breasts reconstructed can select from a variety of procedures. Implants can be used to reconstruct the breasts (saline or silicone). Autologous tissue can also be used to rebuild them (that is, tissue from elsewhere in the body). When it comes to breast reconstruction, both implants and autologous tissue are sometimes used.
Breast reconstruction surgery can be done (or begun) at the time of the mastectomy (known as immediate reconstruction) or after the mastectomy incisions have healed and breast cancer treatment has been completed (known as post-mastectomy reconstruction) (which is called delayed reconstruction). Reconstruction might be delayed for months or even years following a mastectomy.
Before process
Your doctor may suggest that you consult with a plastic surgeon before undergoing a mastectomy. Consult a board-certified plastic surgeon who specialises in breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Your plastic surgeon will go through your surgical choices with you and explain the benefits and drawbacks of implant-based restoration. He or she may also show you photographs of women who have undergone various forms of breast reconstruction. Your body type, health state, and cancer therapy all play a role in determining which form of reconstruction is ideal for you.
During process
The insertion of a breast implant or tissue expander, either at the time of your mastectomy (immediate reconstruction) or at a later time, is the first step in breast reconstruction (delayed reconstruction). Even if you select rapid repair, breast surgery generally necessitates numerous procedures.
Breast implants
A breast implant is a silicone shell that is filled with either saltwater (saline) or silicone gel and is spherical or teardrop-shaped. Silicone gel implants, which were formerly prohibited due to safety concerns, are now deemed to be safe. The implant is placed beneath or in front of your chest muscle by a plastic surgeon (pectoral muscle). A unique tissue termed acellular dermal matrix is used to keep implants in front of the muscle in place. Collagen is gradually replaced by your body. Some women may be able to get a permanent breast implant at the same time as their mastectomy (direct-to-implant reconstruction). Many women, however, require a two-stage procedure that includes the use of a tissue expander before the permanent implant is put.
Tissue expanders
Tissue expansion is a procedure in which the remaining skin and soft tissues of your chest are stretched to make place for the breast implant. During your mastectomy, your surgeon will insert a balloon-like tissue expander beneath or over your pectoral muscle. Your doctor or nurse will use a needle to pump saline into a tiny valve beneath your skin over the following few months, gradually inflating the balloon.
The skin might stretch over time as a result of this slow process. Every week or two, you'll see your doctor have the saline-injected. As the implant grows, you may feel some discomfort or pressure.
Carbon dioxide is a newer form of the tissue expander. The gas is released from an internal reservoir by this remote-controlled expander. When compared to saline expansion, the progressive expansion with carbon dioxide may reduce the amount of pain you experience. After the tissue has been sufficiently enlarged, your surgeon will remove the tissue expander and replace it with a permanent implant that will be put in the same location as the tissue expander.
Recovery
For the first several days thereafter, you may experience some discomfort. As needed, you'll be given pain medicine. The staff will keep a careful eye on you during your stay in the hospital. You'll be advised to move your arms soon after surgery, but not for any strenuous activities such as pulling yourself up, getting out of bed, or lifting heavy things. Nurses will assist you in getting in and out of bed. You may be allowed to sit in a chair by the bed the day following surgery. On the second day, the majority of patients can walk without assistance.
For a day or two, you'll most likely need IV fluids. A urinary catheter may be used overnight or until you can walk to the restroom. You'll also have drains where the surgeon made cuts (the incision sites). If you take these drains home with you, you'll be given instructions on how to care for them.
Follow-Up Care
For the next 2 to 3 weeks after you return home, you should expect some discomfort, swelling, and bruising. You may be instructed to apply medicines to the suture area or change bandages at home. Showering, bathing, and wound care will be discussed with your plastic surgeon.
Within 6 to 8 weeks of surgery, most women are back to their normal routine. You may need to wait several weeks before engaging in intense activity.
The mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery will result in numbness in the regions where the operation was performed. You may have numbness and tightness instead of pain where the tissue was removed. Some sensationsto in your breasts may return over time. The majority of scars will disappear with time.
How do surgeons reconstruct the nipple and areola?
A surgeon can rebuild the nipple and areola once the chest has healed after reconstruction surgery and the location of the breast mound on the chest wall has stabilised. Cutting and transferring tiny pieces of skin from the reconstructed breast to the nipple location and moulding them into a new nipple is usually how the new nipple is made. The surgeon can re-create the areola a few months following nipple restoration. Tattoo ink is commonly used for this. Skin grafts from the groyne or belly may be removed and joined to the breast to form an areola during nipple reconstruction in rare circumstances.
Result
When expecting the result of your operation, keep your expectations reasonable. Although breast reconstruction surgery has numerous advantages, it will not return you to your pre-mastectomy appearance or feel.
The following are some of the things that breast reconstruction may accomplish:
- Make your breasts more symmetrical so they seem the same beneath clothing or in a swimming suit.
- Ensure that you don't require an external prosthesis (shape) within your bra.
- Give you a breast contour
- improve your self-esteem and body image
- Partially erase the physical reminders of your disease Sensations too
Some side effects
- An infection has developed at the surgical site. Infection is a possibility with every operation. In most cases, an antibiotic will clear the illness.
- Discomfort and pain. Your doctor will prescribe a pain reliever for you. Some ladies experience greater discomfort than others.
- Itching. As the wound heals, it will itch. But, no matter how strong the desire is, resist it. To relieve itching, your doctor may prescribe an ointment or lotion.
- Underneath the wound, there is an accumulation of fluid. Even when your drainage tubes are removed several days after the procedure, fluid may accumulate under the wound. It may go gone on its own if there isn't much fluid. If there's a lot of it, your surgeon may have to use a needle and syringe to drain the area.
- Tingling or numbness. Because the nerves have been damaged, you may experience these symptoms. They can last for up to a year following surgery.
Dr Lim Lay Hooi is the best cosmetic surgeon in Malaysia. Plastic surgery and breast reconstruction are two of her specialities. She has helped thousands of patients and made a significant difference in their lives. His commitment and knowledge aided the patients in making the best decision possible. She works at Gleneagles Hospital in Penang, one of Malaysia's top hospitals.
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