Associate Professor Michelle Locke is a highly regarded Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon based in Auckland.
As one of New Zealand’s few female Plastic Surgeons, she is acutely aware of her patients’ needs and she is dedicated to helping them achieve the best possible outcome from their surgery. Assoc Prof Locke is thorough, conscientious and empathic in her assessment of patients. She will discuss your personal options to allow individualised decision making, tailored to your needs and desires, taking into account your personal situation.
Assoc Prof Locke has undertaken two years of additional Fellowship training in all forms of breast reconstruction, as well as microsurgery, oculoplastics and aesthetic surgery. She consults through St Marks Breast Centre and performs all forms of breast reconstruction in the private sector. She has credentialled status for operating at Kakariki, Southern Cross and Allevia (formerly MercyAscot) private hospitals.
Her clinical area of specialty is breast reconstruction. In the private sector she performs only breast surgery. She also performs a wide range of general plastic surgery including microsurgery and skin cancer surgery at Middlemore Hospital, where she is the Deputy Head of Department.
What is Plastic Surgery?
Plastic surgery covers a wide range of different surgical procedures that repair, reconstruct or replace structures in many different parts of the body including the skin, face and head, hands, breast and stomach. Plastic surgery does not involve the use of plastic materials.
Plastic surgery can generally be divided into two main types:
- Reconstructive surgery: is performed on parts of the body that are abnormal or have been affected by a birth defect, accident or disease. This includes cleft lip and palate repair, scar revision or reconstruction (including skin grafts) following burns. Surgery is usually performed to improve function, but may also be performed to bring the appearance of a part of the body as close as possible to normal.
- Aesthetic or cosmetic surgery: improves appearance or body image by reshaping features of the face or body e.g. breast enlargement, face lift, liposuction.
