Surgery to increase breast size involves inserting silicone implants under the chest muscle and skin or grafting fat taken from other parts of the body. The procedure involves making a cut (incision) under the breast from where the implant is inserted. The surgery is usually performed under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and it will probably take 1–2 hours. You will probably be able to go home the day after the operation, but you will need to arrange for someone else to drive you. You will need to take some medication for pain relief for 2-3 days and you should rest for a few days after the surgery. Depending on your job you will probably be able to return to work after 7-10 days. It will take several months for the scars to fade.

Surgery to reduce breast size involves making a cut (incision) around the areola (the dark area around the nipple), then downwards to the fold under the breast, and sometimes along the fold beneath the breast. Glandular tissue, fat and skin are removed and the breast reshaped. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and will take 2-4 hours. You will probably stay in hospital 1 night and will need to arrange for someone else to drive you home. You may need to take some medication for pain relief for several days and you may need to wear a special support bra after surgery. You will probably be able to return to work after about 1 week depending on your job. It will take several months for the scars to fade.

When a breast has been removed (mastectomy) because of cancer or other disease, it is possible in most cases to reconstruct a breast similar to a natural breast. A breast reconstruction can be performed as part of the breast removal operation or can be performed months or years later. There are two methods of breast reconstruction: one involves using an implant; the other uses tissue taken from another part of your body. There may be medical reasons why one of these methods is more suitable for you or, in other cases, you may be given a choice. Implants A silicone implant is inserted underneath the chest muscle and skin. Before being inserted, the skin will sometimes need to be expanded to the required breast size. This is done by placing an empty expander where the implant will finally go, and gradually filling it with saline over weeks or months. The expander is then replaced by the implant in an operation at a later date. These operations will probably take 2-3 hours under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it). You will probably stay in hospital for 3 days. Flap Reconstruction A skin flap is taken from another part of the body such as your back or stomach and is transferred to the chest to reconstruct the breast. This is a more complicated operation than having an implant and may last up to 6 hours and require a 5- to 7-day stay in hospital.

This is an operation that can lift and reshape sagging breasts. The procedure usually involves removing skin from an area below the nipple and reshaping the breast. Sometimes a breast lift can be combined with an augmentation to lift and enlarge breasts. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and will take about 2-3 hours. You will probably stay in hospital overnight and will need to arrange for someone else to drive you home the next day. Your breasts may be bruised and swollen for several days and you may need to take some medication for pain relief. You may need to wear a special support bra after surgery. You will probably be able to return to work after about 1 week. It will take several months for the scars to fade.

Female to male gender reassignment breast surgery involves making a cut (incision) across the breast to remove all the glandular tissue, fat and skin. The nipples are reduced in size and reapplied in a masculine position as grafts. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and will take 2-4 hours. Male to female gender reassignment breast surgery involves a breast augmentation using a silicone implant. An incision is made in the breast fold for implant access. The implant is inserted under chest skin and muscle. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and will take 2 hours. You will probably stay in hospital 1 night and will need to arrange for someone else to drive you home. You may need to take some medication for pain relief for several days. You will probably be able to return to work after about 1 week depending on your job. It will take several months for the scars to fade.

This procedure involves removing excess skin and fat from the stomach and tightening the muscles of the stomach wall. Cuts (incisions) are made across the lower stomach and around the tummy button and the muscles underneath are pulled together and stitched. The skin flap is stretched down and the excess skin removed. A new hole is made and the tummy button replaced. The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia (you will sleep through it) and will take 3-4 hours. You will probably have to stay in hospital for 2 days and will need to arrange for someone else to drive you home. Your stomach will be swollen and painful at first and you may need to take medication for pain relief for several days. You will probably be able to return to work after about 2 weeks. It will take several months for the scar to lighten.

Excess skin and/or fat can be surgically removed from your upper and/or lower eyelids to give your skin a less wrinkled and puffy appearance. The procedure typically involves making a small cut (incision) in the fold of the eyelid (for the upper lid) or just below the eyelashes (for the lower lid) and removing any excess skin and/or fat. The surgery will take 1-3 hours and can be performed under local anaesthetic (the area being treated is numb) or general anaesthetic. You will be able to go home the same day. It is recommended that you rest for a couple of days after surgery. You should be able to return to work within 1 week.

A face lift can include several different procedures such as a neck lift and/or a brow lift, all designed to reduce lines and wrinkles and lift sagging skin. In a typical face lift, cuts (incisions) are made within the hairline in front of and around behind the ears. Tissue lying deep below the skin is repositioned, then the skin replaced and any excess is removed. The surgery varies in duration, but can take up to 4 or 6 hours if it is combined with other procedures. General anaesthesia (you sleep through the operation) is usually required, but in some cases you may be given a local anaesthetic and a sedative so the area being treated is numb and you feel drowsy but not asleep. In most cases, you will stay in hospital overnight following the procedure. It may take 2-3 weeks for the worst of the swelling to disappear and up to 1 year for the scars to fade.

The appearance of ears that are misshaped or protruding (‘bat ears’) can be improved surgically. This type of operation is often carried out in children. Cuts (incisions) are made behind the ears through which the cartilage in the ear can be reshaped or removed. The surgery lasts 1-2 hours and can be performed under local anaesthetic (the area treated is numb but you are awake), allowing you to go home the same day. For children, the procedure would be performed under general anaesthetic (they sleep through it) as a day procedure. You will need to wear head bandages for about 1 week and will probably be able to return to normal daily routines after that.

Skin lesions can be divided into two groups: benign (non-cancerous): e.g. moles, cysts, warts, tags. These may be removed to prevent spreading (warts), stop discomfort if the lesion is being irritated by clothing/jewellery or to improve appearance. malignant (cancerous): basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are generally slow growing and unlikely to spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma is a serious skin cancer that can spread to other parts of the body. Urgent removal is recommended. Surgery to remove skin lesions usually involves an office or outpatient visit, local anaesthesia (the area around the scar is numbed by injecting a local anaesthetic) and stitches. Stitches may be removed in 1-2 weeks.

A naevus is a common skin growth composed of special pigment-producing cells. Naevi can vary in size, with small naevi requiring only simple surgery for removal, while the removal of larger naevi may require more than one operation and may involve skin grafts.

Scar appearance can be improved by various methods including a surgical procedure known as scar revision. This usually involves cutting out the old scar, closing the wound with stitches and, in some cases, moving the scar so that it is hidden by natural features of the body. Scar revision is usually performed under local anaesthesia (the area around the scar is numbed by injecting a local anaesthetic). Sometimes you may also be given steroid injections at the time of surgery. You may or may not have a dressing put on the wound and it is important to keep the area dry for 24 hours. Stitches may be removed in 1-2 weeks.

If the scar to be revised or skin lesion being removed is particularly large, a skin graft may be performed. This involves transferring skin from another, healthy part of the body (donor site) to the injured site (recipient site). While skin grafting can improve the function of a damaged area, some scarring will be left at both the donor and recipient sites. Skin grafting can be performed under either local anaesthesia at the rooms or general anaesthesia (you will be asleep during the procedure) in a hospital. The wound may take weeks or months to heal and you may need to wear a support bandage for a similar period.

Problems with the appearance or function of the hand can be the result of injury, birth defects or degenerative conditions. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome A pinched nerve in the wrist that causes tingling, numbness and pain in your hand may require surgery to make more room for the nerve. This operation is usually performed under local anaesthetic (the area being treated is numb but you are awake). Ganglions Lumps that occur on wrists or fingers can be uncomfortable, they can be removed under local or general anaesthesia. Dupuytren's Contracture Can cause disability by bending the digits. Surgery releases the tight cords allowing the digits to straighten and restores hand function. Trigger Digits Digits that lock in a jammed position when they are bent can be released through a local anaesthetic surgical procedure. Injuries Damage to tendons, nerves, joints and bones in the hand may require surgical repair. In some cases, tissue may be transferred from a healthy part of your body to the injured site (grafting).