Gym Not Working? Sculpt Your Body with Implants

It’s incredibly disheartening to dedicate months to working out and not see any results. It’s an unfortunate fact that some people find it much harder to build muscle mass than others.

Fortunately there is a solution. Silicone implants, historically used for female breast enhancement, now come in a range of shapes and sizes suitable for augmenting different areas of the body - for both women and men.

Ocean Clinic Marbella now offers breast, gluteal, pectoral and calf implants, enabling you to create the physique you desire. Read on to discover how implants can give you the broad chest and strong legs you’ve always wanted.

Chest Implants (Pectoral Implants)

Many men wish to have larger, more defined pecs but find they are unable to achieve this through lifting weights. Pectoral implants are designed to change the contours of the chest and are made of a soft but solid silicone that mimics the look and feel of real muscle.

Pec implants can be inserted via a small incision in the armpit, meaning it is not necessary to create scars on the chest itself. The armpit, with its natural folds and hair growth, presents the ideal place to hide the incisions and ensures the procedure is highly discreet.

Just like with breast implants, pectoral implants come in a range of shapes and sizes to suit your body and create the look you desire. Your surgeon will take careful measurements of your chest to help you select the right implant and ensure the end result will be muscular and masculine.

A highly natural appearance is created by inserting the implants between the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles, which hides the outline of the implant. The surgeon will create a carefully sized “pocket” in which to put the implant, symmetrically placed on either side of the chest. This holds the implants firmly in place and ensures they remain above the inframammary fold; important for maintaining a manly appearance.

None of the muscle is damaged after pectoral augmentation, although it will be stretched initially. As the body heals, a “capsule” of collagen will be formed around the implants, which further prevents dislocation.

It is necessary to abstain from exercise for around six weeks post-op but after that light cardiovascular exercise can be resumed. After 12 weeks patients are able to return to body-building exercises. The chest can still be developed naturally through weightlifting, despite the implants being in place.

Pain post-op is well managed with painkillers but it is advisable to factor in a week of downtime. You will also be unable to drive for a week or lift your arms above your shoulders for around 10 days while the incisions are healing.

As well as enhancing underdeveloped muscles, chest implants can also be used to provide aesthetic correction in patients who have asymmetry (uneven chest) or other abnormalities of the chest wall, such as pectus excavatum or Poland Syndrome.

Calf Implants

Skinny legs can be the cause of much embarrassment for men. Often they will be too uncomfortable to wear shorts, preferring instead to suffer in Spain’s heat. Lack of calf development is especially noticeable for men who work out and have achieved upper body bulk, causing them to look top heavy and unbalanced.

Tall men, too, may feel extra conscious about thin, unshapely legs. Lack of calf muscle can be genetic (if your father has skinny legs, you may too) or may be caused by a health condition or injury. In some patients, calves are asymmetric, with one side bigger than the other.

Calf implants can be used to either create a more proportioned leg (single implant) or a leg that appears more muscular and defined (two differently sized implants in each leg). The implants are made of soft but solid silicone that replicates muscle and are available in a range of shapes and sizes.

Your surgeon will take measurements that will enable them to suggest an appropriate implant for your body and aesthetic goals. The style may be limited by the tightness of your muscle or amount of existing tissue. These factors will also influence the placement - either beneath the calf muscle (submuscular augmentation) or on top of the muscle but beneath the tough fibrous fascia that surrounds it (subfascial augmentation). The fascia is a very tight and strong layer covering the muscle and will both hold the implant in place and camouflage its edges.

For both methods the implants are inserted through a two inch incision in the crease at the back of the knee. While this will be visible at first, the scars should heal to be largely unnoticeable. The results achievable with calfplasty are highly satisfactory, while implants do not inhibit any form of sporting activity.

Patients must, however, wait eight weeks to return to running and 12 weeks before resuming any vigorous leg exercises (lifting weights). For the first couple of days of your recovery, your legs will feel as if they have run a marathon and you may need crutches to help you get around. It is therefore advisable to take a week off work.

Ready to shape your perfect physique? Contact Ocean Clinic Marbella for a free consultation.

New VR Tech That Lets You “Try On” Body Modifications Comes to Ocean Clinic

Deciding to have cosmetic surgery can be daunting. Wouldn’t it be great if you could “try on” that new nose or larger breasts before committing to surgery? Thanks to the latest developments in 4D virtual reality, you can.

Ocean Clinic Marbella is one of the first plastic surgery clinics on the Costa del Sol to offer this advanced service. It means that patients can finally have an answer to the question, “What will I look like after surgery?” - simply by popping on a VR headset and looking into a virtual mirror.

How does 4D virtual reality imaging work?

The 4D simulation technology can be used to visualise all sorts of face, breast and body procedures. To see what you would look like after a facelift, with fuller lips or a flatter tummy, all that is required is three normal photographs.

The consultant takes the photos from three different angles (left, centre and right) and then uploads them to the Crisalix software. Within minutes the system generates realistic 3D views, which show how the patient would look post-surgery from various perspectives.

But to really get an idea of what to expect, patients need to “try on” on the body modifications. To enable them to do this, the 3D images can be viewed wearing a virtual reality headset, creating a 4D environment you can interact with.

It appears to the viewer as if they are looking at themselves in a three-way mirror. They are also able to look down at their own virtual body. This means breast augmentation patients can actually “see” the new breasts on their chest. It’s so realistic, most patients reach out to touch them!

What procedures can be visualised in 3D/4D?

Nearly all cosmetic procedures can be simulated, including minimally invasive treatments such as cosmetic injections and fillers. Being able to visualise changes to the face is especially valuable for patients, since procedures such as rhinoplasties and chin implants can dramatically alter appearance.

When it comes to breast augmentation planning, the Crisalix system really comes into its own with the ability to simulate almost every implant available on the market (more than 5,000 models). It also lets patients try on a virtual wardrobe of clothes to see how their breasts would look in different outfits.

Here are just a few of the procedures that can be simulated:

• Buttock implants
• Tummy tuck
• Pectoral implants
• Breast implant revision
• Eye lift
• Brow lift
• Neck lift
• Thigh lift

How accurate are the results?

It will never be possible to give patients an exact picture of how they will appear after surgery, this is because of all the variables that can affect your outcome, such as the way your body heals. Despite this, it can give you a very good idea.  

Head surgeon at Ocean Clinic Dr. Kai Kaye says the new technology is a useful tool to add to existing consultation techniques: “For patients to achieve realistic expectations prior to surgery it is still necessary, first and foremost, to have good verbal communication with the surgeon. However, this is a wonderful tool for helping patients visualise how they will look after surgery.

“The Crisalix system has been developed in consultation with hundreds of surgeons and is now used at leading clinics around the world. Patients who have viewed 3D simulations prior to surgery have reported higher levels of satisfaction, so we are delighted to be able to offer this service here on the Costa del Sol.”

Interested in a virtual reality consultation? Contact Ocean Clinic Marbella on 951 775 518 or email info@oceanclinic.net  

Patient Case Study: Breast Implants

What’s it like to undergo breast enlargement surgery? If you’re thinking about having this procedure but unsure about what to expect, read our patient’s first hand account…

Deciding to have breast implants

I became unhappy with my breasts after having my son. Before pregnancy, my bra size was a full 32D and I’d always considered my breasts one of my best assets. However, post-baby they shrank to a small C cup. I’d lost volume from the top of my breasts; they were no longer full and I had to start wearing padded bras to fill out my tops. I just didn’t quite feel like me anymore.

I deliberated long and hard about the surgery - my son was five by the time I finally decided to take the plunge. I was worried about my boobs looking fake or too top heavy. I also feared losing sensitivity and complications. What persuaded me was looking at the before and after photos from Ocean Clinic and seeing how amazingly natural implants could look. I also researched the risks and was reassured that - with an experienced surgeon - these would be minimal.

I discussed my aesthetic goals with Dr. Kaye, telling him that I simply wished to restore my breasts to the size and shape they were previously and that I hoped they would appear as natural as possible.

Initially, I had thought about having anatomical “teardrop” shaped implants or saline implants that are not completely full so that they act like a natural breast when you lie down, rather than staying static on the chest.

However, after examining me, Dr. Kaye advised that these would not be the best option, since it was upper pole fullness that I wanted to restore - both of these implant types would place more fullness in the lower pole. Instead, he suggested round, silicone implants. He measured my chest to ascertain the correct size for my torso and suggested 300 cc. I tried sizers on under my top to get an idea.

Marked up for surgery 

Another important decision was which implantation method I should have. There are three types - inframammary incision (under the breast crease), periareolar incision (around the nipple) and transaxillary incision (in the armpit). I was interested in the transaxillary approach as I didn’t like the idea of scars on my breasts, since I have very pale skin. Dr. Kaye said this would be a good choice for me because I also have small nipples, so a periareolar incision wouldn’t be the best option.

The incisions made in a transaxillary breast augmentation are made in the natural creases of the armpits, so are as good as hidden. I had heard that the implants could be harder to place via the armpit as the surgeon does not have direct access to the breast like they do with an inframammary incision and therefore the risk of malposition is higher. However, I learned that by inserting the implants endoscopically, the surgeon gets a clear picture of the entire pocket on a TV monitor making it easy to place the implants correctly.

Meanwhile, using round implants eradicates the risk of breasts becoming misshapen should implant rotation occurs (if a round implant rotates the shape of the breast stays the same, unlike with a teardrop shaped implant).

I told Dr. Kaye that I would like placement under the muscle (submuscular), as opposed to subglandular so that there was no chance the implant could be seen beneath the skin (also there’s a lower risk of capsular contracture with this placement). He agreed this would be suitable for me.

With all the details decided I just had to wait a month for my surgery!

The day of surgery

During the wait for my surgery I started to have second thoughts about how big I wanted to go. I am a keen horse rider and started to worry that implants might be uncomfortable when riding. I also didn’t want my boobs to be the first thing people noticed about me, so I decided to discuss the possibility of having smaller implants.

The doctor carrying out my surgery was Dr. Benito Ruiz and he came to meet with me in the morning. I shared my worries with him and he took various measurements before agreeing I could have 270 cc. This would fill out the empty bit of my breasts at the top, while not making them overly large - I would go up by roughly one cup size. I was happy and reassured by this and stopped worrying about waking up to find a huge pair of knockers on my chest!

The surgery was over in a flash. All I remember is lying down on the bed in the operating theatre, feeling a small scrape on my hand and then nothing. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the recovery room. I was taken by wheelchair to my room and helped into bed. I had bandages wrapped around my chest and two drains (plastic tubes with a container on the end) coming out of each armpit to drain away any blood from around the implants.

I learned that Dr. Ruiz used a “Keller funnel” to insert the implants. This advanced technique means the implants do not get touched, which decreases the chance of skin bacteria being drawn into the breast implant pocket. This is something which can lead to a capsular contracture.

In terms of pain, the meds coming through the IV line were doing a good job but I did have great difficulty in trying to sit up. You don’t realise how much you use your chest muscles until they’re out of action. Getting out of bed to go to the loo, bringing the drip and drains with me, was quite a challenge. The worst thing about the recovery immediately after surgery was the nausea I felt. I felt very sick and wasn’t able to enjoy the lovely meal that was ordered for me. I let the nurse know and she explained it was probably the anti inflammatories that were making me feel ill. She gave me some anti-sickness medicine which really helped.

I slept overnight at the clinic and in the morning Dr. Kaye’s resident Dr. Paprottka came to check me so I could be discharged. He had to remove the drains which was pretty painful but over very quickly. He helped squeeze me into a special surgical support bra, which he told me I should wear constantly for a month. I was then able to go home.

The recovery

My pain levels were easily manageable at home with the painkillers I had been instructed to get (I had a course of antibiotics to take too), I just found myself a bit tired. It didn’t help that the weather was extremely hot and the big surgical bra was making me extra warm. At least I was free to take a shower. Although I had dressings under my armpits, I could get these wet and then dry them with the hairdryer.

I had a peek at my new boobs when I took the bra off to shower. They felt full and sore, similar to after I’d given birth and my milk came in, but I couldn’t believe how good they looked already! Although they were still swollen and sitting a little high (it takes a while for the muscle to stretch and for them to drop), there was next to no bruising and the placement looked great. I showed my husband and he was suitably impressed!

One month post-surgery

The first night, I realised I’d have to get used to sleeping on my back for a while (something I hadn’t thought about), but I was able to get comfortable enough by propping myself up on cushions. I also had to ask my husband for help taking my top off and reaching up for things in the kitchen cupboards. I’d been told I couldn’t drive for a week, so he had to do that too. Plus he had to take responsibility for walking the dogs because they pull on the lead. Luckily my son understood that I couldn’t pick him up.

I had my surgery on a Friday and because I have a desk job working from home, I was able to return to work on Monday. Downtime was pretty minimal - I even had a night out on the tiles for my friend’s birthday just one week later. I’d been a bit worried that it was too much too soon, but I was fine.

I did end up swapping the surgical bra for a maternity bra after a few days because it was simply too hot and uncomfortable. Dr. Kaye approved the bra when I attended the clinic for a dressing change but gave me a elastic strap to wear over the top to keep the implants pushed downwards.

My stitches were removed after 10 days and I could already see the scars were healing really well. I returned to the clinic once a week to have ultrasound therapy and lymphatic drainage, which helped to speed up healing and reduce swelling. After four weeks, swelling was almost gone, the implants had dropped a little and my breasts were starting to feel softer. My scars were already fading to white and I was able to swap to normal non-underwired bras and sleeveless tops (I could get back on my horse again too).

It’s now been five weeks and my new boobs no longer feel alien, they just feel like part of me. I know it could be up to a year until they have totally bedded in and softened up, but I’m already thrilled with them. I now fill out all my old tops, dresses and bikinis again and feel more confident. Despite all my fears and reservations, having the surgery was definitely the right choice for me.

Considering a breast enlargement? Book a free consultation at Ocean Clinic Marbella to discuss your options. Contact us today.