Dr. Matthew Peters is a double board-certified specialist plastic surgeon and the cofounder of Valley Plastic Surgery in Brisbane, Queensland. Dr. Peters has expertise in a broad range of plastic and reconstructive surgical procedures, but he specializes in aesthetic and reconstructive breast and body contouring surgery, as well as skin cancer surgery and complex reconstructive procedures. Dr. Peters earned his MBBS medical degree from the University of Queensland in Brisbane. He was then accepted into the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons’ Basic Surgical Training program and went on to advanced training in General Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at several Queensland hospitals. “I was drawn to plastic surgery because it afforded me the opportunity to make a real difference not only in my patient’s physical wellbeing, but also their mental health,” says Dr. Peters. “It’s also exciting to be at the forefront of a young and evolving field.” Since obtaining his Fellowship, Dr Peters has worked in both public and private hospitals across Brisbane. He was made Director of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in 2014, a position that he still maintains to date. In the private sector he is the Co-director of Valley Plastic Surgery, with operating lists at the Brisbane Private Hospital, Northwest Hospital, Montsserrat Day Hospital North Lakes and Chermside Day Hospitals. Throughout his career Dr Peters has been actively involved in the training of medical students and surgical trainees. He was the first recipient of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons’ John Corboy Medal, awarded in 2010 for service to trainees. In 2014 he was made a Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland School of Medicine, in recognition of his involvement in surgical education and research. He maintains an active involvement in the training of the next generation of Plastic and Reconstructive surgeons, through his work at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospitals but also as a Council member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr Peters also contributes significantly in representative positions within medicine. During his surgical training he was a Board-member and Chair of the RACS Trainee’s Association. In 2014 he coordinated the RACS Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Examination in Brisbane and was a member of the Executive Planning Committee in 2016 for the RACS Annual Scientific Congress. In 2020 Dr Peters was elected as a Councillor of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, being awarded the position of Honorary Secretary in 2021. He is the current Australian representative of the International Young Plastic Surgeons committee. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and holds membership positions with the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He is also an academic advisor for multiple international surgical device companies. Locally, Dr Peters is the surgical representative on the Northwest Private Hospital Medical Advisory Committee and the Brisbane Private Hospital Perioperative Committee. Outside of work Dr Peters enjoys spending time with his wife, Dr Juanita Pappalardo, herself a Specialist Ophthalmologist, their four children and two dogs.
Dr Peters is an incredibly accomplished and compassionate gentleman & surgeon. Before meeting Dr Peters – I attempted to make an appointment with another surgeon from another clinic who had been recommended to me by a friend. I couldn’t get past that surgeon’s receptionist as she told me over the phone that I did not qualify for immediate reconstruction after mastectomy. I felt demoralized & despondent… Then, on the advice of my breast surgeon, I made an appointment with Dr Peters. Dr Peters was amazing at managing my expectations and then far exceeded them. His wonderful Administrative & Nursing staff are also a tribute to both Dr Peters and Dr Goh as I was made to feel both welcomed & valued as a person - not just a patient. I will always be grateful that Dr Peters has managed to make me feel better about myself than I did before my breast cancer diagnosis and I couldn't be happier with my results.
I highly recommend Dr Matthew Peters. Not only is he an amazing surgeon but his staff are just as wonderful. I saw several surgeons before him but as soon as I met him I knew he was the man for the job. His bedside manner is so warm and comfortable and no questions go unanswered. If anyone is wanting a mummy makeover please go and see him. The follow up post surgery but Dr Peters and his team is fantastic. All his staff are 5 star nurses and they all work as a great team.
To anyone looking for a wonderful plastic surgeon who’s work is perfection/great bedside manner and after care is amazing then Dr Matthew Peters and all the staff @valley plastic surgery is the place to go. I first met Dr Peters when I was looking for someone to replace my old breast implants and give these girls a lift. After leaving my first consultation with Dr Peters and his team, I knew I could trust him with the job. I will be forever grateful to Dr Peters and his team for making me feel so comfortable throughout this process, that much, I went back to have my tummy done.
I had 265 cc textured round implants (15 years ago) with a phantom rupture in my right implant. I also had severe capsular contracture in my left breast. I hadn’t been happy for a long time with how my breasts looked (especially my sternum gap) but put off the prospect of surgery as I found it quite difficult the first time. After a great deal of research, I decided on Dr Matthew Peters as my surgeon. It is literally the best decision I could have made. From the first consult, I knew he was professional, honest, easy to communicate with and the right surgeon for me. I explained my fears & hopes with regards to my revision & so far it would seem he’s achieved what I wanted. I was not only impressed with Dr Peter’s but also all his staff in his consulting rooms, his anesthetist & nurses. Again, it’s early days but I believe Dr Peter’s made the perfect choice in implant for me as they are already looking so much more natural. He ended up on the day deciding on the Motiva 300cc Ergonomic Silk textured. So no more fake ballooning top boob for me. I’m not going to load pictures but if it helps to know I’m athletic build,160cm, 51kg. I still can’t believe how little pain I’ve experienced post op (my first procedure I felt like I’d been hit by a truck in the chest when I woke up) & that I’ve only been taking Panadol since the operation. I’m thinking it’s because of my surgeons skills, the professional anesthetist & the advancement in techniques being used. And that’s my story thus far....
I’ve wanted to write a detailed review on my BA experience, but have been struggling a little with my recovery so it has taken me a while to get started! So many of the reviews I read on RS helped me in my journey that i decided it was worth doing - even late. I am actually 3 weeks post op so I’ll do the first couple of updates in stages to cover the early parts of the process. About me - I’m 34, mum of two, 56kg (123pounds) and 173cm (5’9”) tall. Breastfed my 2 babies for 4 years in total so even tho they did me proud my boobs were looking very sad and flat. It took me about a year of research to decide what I wanted and who I wanted to do it, and I was saving the whole time too because I didn’t want to take money away from my family for something that was purely for me (mum guilt!). I was unsure if I needed a lift too, but was hopeful I could get away with just implants. I have a really bad back with chronic pain issues and an autoimmune disease (thyroid) and so I also had to research and discuss with my specialists if they thought i would be ok to go ahead with a BA. All the advice was positive as long as I didn’t go too big with the size potentially making my back pain worse. I decided I would only see a plastic surgeon and not a cosmetic surgeon so I knew I would pay more but considering all my health issues I didn’t want to risk someone without the appropriate qualifications. I made my list of potential drs, and essentially stalked them on RS and their websites to get a feel for their work and their ethics. One of them had some terrible ratings on google which one day suddenly disappeared and turned into all 5 star ratings and that set alarm bells off for me! In the end I decided on Dr Matthew Peters from Valley Plastic Surgery. He is head of reconstructive surgery at the RBWH public hospital, trains surgeons and also sits on lots of plastic surgery advisory boards, and of course, his work is beautiful. When I met with him he was lovely to speak with, very calm and confident, listened to all of my concerns and never made me feel silly for asking a million questions, and of course understood straight away the look that I wanted while working around the concerns for my health. Thankfully after measuring me up he said I definitely didn’t need a lift and would get a lovely result with implants alone. We discussed the type and while he initially suggested anatomical shaped implants in the end I decided I preferred the look of round and he was more than happy to accommodate that. I’ll go into the details of the surgery in the next update with some pics. For now I’ve loaded the wish pics I used to decide what I wanted! Updated on 6 Jun 2019: The morning of my surgery went really smoothly, the only thing was it was a much colder day than expected and the zip up hoodie I had bought to wear home wasn’t nearly warm enough! The hospital is a small day hospital so the check in process was really quick and easy, the only thing was it was freezing (as most hospitals and operating theaters are)! After getting into my gown etc Dr Peters came in and drew me up. I wish I had gotten a pic of all the drawings because it was so technical! He explained what all the lines meant and how he would use them to make his final decision on size during surgery. So prior to surgery we had decided on a dual plane sub muscular approach, and as my breast width is 11.5cm we had chosen ‘ideally’ the motiva progressive gel high profile 355cc implant. He has advised against the ergonomix implant (which was initially my preference) because post breastfeeding my skin was quite stretched and thin and he said the ergonomix implant is so soft it could potentially stretch out my soft stretched skin more with a waterhammering effect, so we went with the slightly firmer progressive gel. Anyway, surgery was all over and done with pretty quick, I woke up shivering and once I was a bit more with it I asked what size I had gotten and was told 400cc. My husband came to pick me up and I didn’t stop shivering until we got home and he tucked me up in bed! Not a reaction to the GA, just don’t tolerate the cold very well! Pain wise was better and worse than I expected all at the same time. I expected to not be able to raise my arms to eat or drink (had prepared with bendy straws and stuff) but I had no problems with that, but the pain under my arms and in the middle of my chest was far more painful than I expected. Day 3 I started to get a bad headache and by day 4 I woke up vomiting with a full blown migraine. Vomiting post BA is painful and best avoided. I took migraine meds and was knocked out for basically the next two days. Finally saw the surgeon one week post op and told him about the migraines. I get headaches and migraines easily due to muscle tension but they are controlled with regular Botox treatment and he assured me that the migraines were most likely triggered by the trauma to chest muscles putting extra strain on my shoulder and neck muscles, and should resolve as the swelling goes down and settles. Decided on a regime of small regular doses of muscle relaxant to help manage the migraines and that seems to be helping. Other than the migraines the worst thing has been sleeping - getting comfortable and rolling over. Having a bad back I tend to toss and turn a lot at night and that is really difficult post BA. I usually side sleep but that’s not really an option at the moment. I asked about sleeping elevated and how long I had to and he said you don’t, it’s a comfort thing usually, so I have tried both up and flat and it’s still uncomfortable so I just do my best at night, which is a half on my side position that doesn’t hurt the chest too much but doesn’t really do many favours for my back. When I asked about why he decided on 400cc he said that the 355 just fell to the sides and left the middle too empty and the 400 just looked perfect for my frame. At first I was a bit worried they were too big, but now that I’ve gotten use to them (I went from completely empty to huge!) I see they are actually very proportionate to my frame and even manage to give me a bit of a waist! Feeling positive about the boobs and how they look and are settling but really hoping the headaches settle soon. Updated on 15 Jun 2019: So my last review with my surgeon at 3 and a half weeks went well; he was so pleased with how they are progressing that both he and his nurse commented how surprised they were at how good they looked at only 3 weeks! The left still needs to drop a bit more to fill the lower pole, but they are coming along nicely. I have almost all the sensation in my right breast but my left breast has still large patches of numbness, which will hopefully come back but could be permanent. Reported to the dr that I was still suffering headaches but that the small doses of muscle relaxants seemed to be keeping it under control, so he agreed we should continue that. I was cleared to go back to doing some exercises, most stuff I do with a rehabilitation program for my back pain, with obvious adjustments for my upper body limitations, but the outlook was that things would really start to improve from now on, and by 12 weeks I’d basically be ‘fully healed’. So week 4 I returned to my gym program, and after only doing two sessions on the Monday and Wednesday I developed a bad migraine Wednesday afternoon and haven’t been able to get rid of it since (it’s now Sunday). I don’t know if it was the exercises that bought it on or something else, but the surgeon has suggested I go to see my neurologist for help, which is a 3 week wait for an appointment. Have to be honest, being stuck with these migraines has triggered some depression and I’m not feeling like I made the best decision at the moment - happy with how they look but no point having nice looking boobs if I’m stuck in bed vomiting from a migraine all day long. I researched this procedure for over a year and didn’t read about another single person suffering migraines after surgery so I had no idea it was an even a risk. I expected a few weeks of recovery but the prospect of weeks of migraines while healing is not a pleasant prospect. Updated on 15 Jun 2019: For the girl who asked for a pic while I was breastfeeding...even then they weren’t particularly big. Updated on 16 Jun 2019: 5 weeks of headaches, a solid migraine for now 6 days, and no sign of relief for weeks to come. Definitely the worst thing I’ve ever done to myself. Thought I was going to get a confidence boost and feel good about my post baby body and instead I’m stuck in a never ending hell of migraines. I wish someone had told me this was a risk because I wouldn’t have done it if I had known. Updated on 18 Jun 2019: Still suffering debilitating headaches, waiting for an appointment with my neurologist to see if another Botox treatment will help ease the migraines. My skin has broken out in an awful rash of pimples on my chest and my back, which I suspect is a skin reaction from wearing the compression bra 24/7 for 5 weeks, and the tapes on my scars have really become irritated so my PS said I could leave them both off for a little while and give my skin a break. Photos show the scars should heal great but the tapes have really left the skin irritated and flaky. I’m glad I have a good surgeon, this experience would be a lot worse with a surgeon who didn’t care about his patients Updated on 26 Jun 2019: Finally getting some relief from the migraines and headaches after receiving some Botox therapy from my specialist. Has not yet fully taken effect yet as it has been less than a week but every day the headaches get less and less. My skin broke out badly in week 4 and 5 after wearing the compression bra constantly so I have been cleared to wear the bra only at night and wear something lighter or more breathable during the day. This has helped and now that I have left the tapes off my scars they have cleared up a lot too. Taking a nice shape now and definitely settling, but they don’t really feel like mine yet. Possibly because I have been struggling just to get through the days with these migraines, but also because it has been so cold and I’ve been rugged up in jumpers and jackets all the time and they aren’t so noticeable under all those layers. Hopefully things overall will improve from here and I’ll start to feel like they are really mine. Not sure if anyone is reading this but hopefully sharing my story with my migraine complication helps someone else cos I certainly had never seen anyone mention it before. Updated on 20 Jul 2019: It’s been a rough few weeks in my recovery but I’m starting to see improvement with my migraine/headache situation. I had Botox therapy from my specialist to help control my migraines, and while it helped really quickly I still had to go back for an extra ‘top up’ this week because the tension in my shoulders was still causing headaches and a couple of bad migraines. He told me that it will probably take a few months for the body to fully heal and adjust to all the changes, so even tho things look normal on the outside he reminded me that my body is still fighting this foreign object and will for quite a while and it can cause all sorts of reactions, like an over protective response from shoulder/neck muscles. Anyway, results wise, I can see they are starting to drop and get a more natural shaped slope to them. The left one still is quite numb, and I feel like they still have a little more settling to do because there’s still some looseish skin on the lower pole, although it doesn’t look it in photos, just something I notice I guess! Because it’s been such a cold winter I have been wearing jumpers and scarves non stop so they have been pretty covered up...looking forward to summer when I can show them off a bit! I finally went to get fitted for a new bra - my measurements came in at 10E (32E). My jaw almost hit the floor I was so surprised - it’s crazy to think I went from (barely) an A to an E cup. I bought a bra but it turns out it’s not particularly comfortable after a few hours so I’ll be on the hunt for some comfy bras...I think 10E is a tricky size tho...most of the styles I looked at only went as high as 10D. It’s nice to finally have big boob problems instead of no boob problems though!! Updated on 19 Aug 2019: So it’s a little past 3 months but here’s my update on how things have been. Everything is healing nicely, and they look great but still don’t quite feel like ‘me’ yet. The left side has a big numb patch still, which I hope isn’t permanent but quite possibly might be, and both sides still need to drop into position a little more. My PS said it takes a bit of time for the motiva implants to do that, so I just have to wait for the d&f. The size is perfect, I wouldn’t have wanted to go any larger, but any smaller and they would have been a bit small for my frame. Like so many other girls have said in their reviews I like that I can dress them up or down, and i love that my hubby loves them a lot too. I’ve talked to some other people who have said it really takes a good year or so for them to feel like a natural part of you and to stop noticing them all the time so I’m hoping I won’t feel like they are foreign forever. I didn’t have much tissue to start with so everything there is all the implants! Hope everyone else is going well :) Updated on 9 Feb 2020: So I had my last check in with my surgeon and all is going well. The implants are settling in well...the asymmetry that i had prior to the BA and was expecting to be an issue hardly shows and they hold their shape beautifully! No need to wear a bra at all other than some nip covers! Full sensation has returned to both nipples and no patches of numbness at all - thank goodness! I am very happy with how they have turned out and I think I picked one of the best surgeons out there to do the job properly. A couple of things tho that I really had no idea about prior to my BA despite doing hours and hours of research - the surgery and muscle trauma triggered bad migraines in me (someone pre disposed to migraines) and I had no idea that was a possibility. Due to my very thin skin and absolute lack of natural breast tissue we went with motiva progressive gel over the ergonomix which was my preference and while the shape looks amazing the feel is a touch firmer than I had hoped for, but I would rather the result be long lasting than having the softer implants stretching my skin out more than it already was. Also I had no idea how cold the implants would be. I have a thyroid issue (yes...i am that person that has a million different medical issues) so that could be part of it but I find that my boobs now are quite cold to the touch compared to the rest of my body. I’ve been told by quite a few people that after the 12 month mark they are really unnoticeable and really feel like a natural part of you but so far I can still tell what is me and what is implant but even so I am overall I am very happy with the result. If you are in Brisbane I would encourage you to speak to Dr Peters. I probably wasn’t the easiest case for my surgeon to deal with, particularly the migraine complications post surgery, but he has been absolutely amazing, and is just an all around lovely doctor to deal with. Also I have seen many adverts for “cheap” boob jobs all around Brisbane and the Gold Coast and they are literally only about $2k less than what I paid so I think that extra money to get an accredited plastic surgeon who really cares about his patients and is going to make sure you get an amazing result is worth it. Thank you Dr Peters for you amazing care and thank you for my beautiful boobs I have dreamed of my whole life!! Happy to answer questions if anyone has any :) xo
The essence of a healer should encompass honesty and integrity, humility and commitment to excellence. Dr Peters impressed me as a true model of a Physician, comprising of all these qualities. He consistently made me his top priority no matter the circumstance. The sensitivity, support, and understanding I received was integral to my care. Dr Peters and his team provided support and a sense of ease for me as a patient, and my family. I am more than happy with the result of a multifaceted surgery.
I had asymmetrical breasts from the age of 13, following lots of weight loss in my mid 20’s the asymmetry got much worse, and my breasts were sagging. After a year of searching I finally found Dr Matthew Peters, at Valley Plastic Surgery in Brisbane (literally 1 hour from me, I was prepared to travel Australia wide!) I wanted to share my results, I’m 1 week post op as I write this, but I am already overwhelmed with what an incredible job he has done, he’s an absolute miracle worker!
I was referred to Dr Peters via a mutual acquaintance and from about half way through my initial consultation I knew he was the right choice for me. Dr Peters is a genuinely lovely individual and his gentle nature put me at ease immediately. I cannot fault a single moment right from the consultation through to the after care, Dr Peters was thorough and is a perfectionist! I am currently five months post op and anytime someone asks for a Brisbane surgeon I don’t hesitate to share my results. Thank you Dr Peters!
I had a belt lipectomy, brachioplasty and thoracoplasty with Dr Peters in June of 2018. The experience has been wonderful from start to finish. Dr Peters and his staff are professional and accommodating and I highly recommend them to anyone who is contemplating reconstructive surgery after massive weight loss. My story - I have always been overweight but in the past 5 years, I got up to an all-time high of 140kg. Through calorie counting and exercise (using MyFitnessPal), I lost 40kg of the 60kg I needed to lose, which took 2 years. I hit a major plateau and from there, starting to regain weight. I reached 118kg before I had a gastric sleeve in December 2015. I managed to lose 40kg in the past 2 years, reaching my goal of 80kg (I am 174cm tall). All up, I lost 80kg. My skin, as you can see from my before photos, was trashed. I had a phone consultation with Dr Peters in October 2017, after having sent him photos via email. He recommended a belt lipectomy and brachioplasty to address the areas I was most concerned about. I then had a face-to-face consultation with him in March of 2018, where he also assessed the side boob skin I was left with. He recommended a thoracoplasty for this area (removal of skin extending from the middle of my under-breast crease to the back). This is a very tough area to correct but I think you'll agree, he did a marvelous job. In June of this year, I went and had my procedures done. Dr Peters removed 3.2kg of skin and the operation took 8 hours. Huge surgery! My recovery was uneventful, I was allowed home on the fifth post-operative day (we stayed in an AirBnB for the duration). A few days later I returned to his surgery for a wound review and removal of the surgical drains. Freedom! I was allowed to fly home several days after that. My recovery was unremarkable (except for a very small opening on my left hip which closed easily within a couple of weeks), mostly pain free and well supervised by Dr Peters. I felt very supported and had access to him at any time I needed via facetime or mobile. I am now 4 months post op and am thrilled with my results. I returned for a 3 month check up in September and discussed a thigh lift as my next procedure, after which I will be done with surgery. I cannot recommend Dr Peters highly enough! I felt listened to, supported and respected during the entire process. My results speak to Dr Peters' surgical skills, everyone I've showed them to have been amazed. You will be with your results, also :) Updated on 22 Feb 2019:
Dr Peters is very sincere and professional. I found him to be easy to talk to and thorough in his explanation of what the procedure entailed and the expected outcome. I had to have more than one procedure to get the entire melanoma but the possibility of this happening was explained from the first time I presented to his rooms. I am very pleased with the outcome and have healed very nicely. I am an 80 year old women and the results are amazing for the age of my skin in my books. I would highly recommend Dr Peters
Hello, and thank you for your question. Skin overhang is a concern to many patients in your situation. As a surgeon, I counsel my patients to reach a stable and maintainable weight, often in unison with a nutritionist's input before undertaking surgery. We want you to safely obtain a long-term result, without complication, and these efforts before surgery make that more likely. Best of luck moving forward. Kind regards, Dr Matthew Peters
Hello, and thank you for your question. Without seeing you in person, I would suggest that non-surgical procedures will not address the combination of loose skin, muscle separation and infra-umbilical fat deposits as suitably as surgical intervention in your scenario. Please consult with an appropriately-qualified plastic surgeon though for a thorough assessment, so that you can make an informed decision regarding your available options. Kind regards, Dr Matthew Peters
Hello, and thank you for your question and photo. This is a difficult region as we need enough skin laxity to move our upper limb, yet too much can pose issues with our clothing options. You do need to be assessed in person by an appropriately-qualified plastic surgeon to determine what option(s) might suit you best. Non-surgical skin tightening could be beneficial, as could various modalities of liposuction or even surgical excision of the skin excess with placement of a scar in one of your transverse axillary skin lines. Work through your specific concern with the practitioner, and don't be afraid to seek a second opinion if you think it is necessary. Kind regards, Dr Matthew Peters
Hello, and thank you for your question and photos. It is always best to be assessed by an appropriately-qualified plastic surgeon when it comes to situations like this however, given the appearance the 380cc has given, and the look that you are wanting to achieve, it is likely that you are going to require an implant approaching 500-550cc. Volume is a product of width, height and projection though - take the photos to your consultation and discuss your specific requirements with the plastic surgeon. An informed decision should be attainable. Best of luck. Dr Matthew Peters
Hello, and thank you for your question and photos. Given the degree of laxity present I would think it worth consulting with a suitably-qualified plastic surgeon to determine if a mini- or full-abdominoplasty would be best for your situation. The scar can be positioned quite low, often beneath your clothing line. Non-surgical options can be useful but a considered review will help you determine the best path forward. Kind regards, Dr Matthew Peters
