Breast reduction
What is breast reduction?
Who is a good candidate?
Risks
Preparing for breast reduction
Recovery
What is breast reduction?
Many women live with pain and discomfort caused
by large breasts. Their symptoms can include
intense back pain, severe neck pain, rash under
the breast and shoulder grooves caused by bra
straps.
During a breast reduction procedure, the doctor
designs incisions on the breast to remove the
excess tissue and then closes the incisions.
The operation takes three to four hours. One
procedure is usually all that is needed to address
the patient’s concerns.
After the surgery, the typical patient has
a permanent “lollipop” shaped scar
around the nipple with a straight line down
toward the crease under the breast. There will
also be a scar under the breast, though for
most women this is naturally hidden by the breast.
For women who need small reductions, techniques
to make fewer incisions are used.
Your doctor will be working to reduce your
breasts proportionally. In other words, if you
are a size DDD, you may be a size D after the
surgery. Your doctor must work carefully to
not remove too much tissue in order to keep
the nipple alive and preserve nipple sensitivity.
Who is a good candidate?
Most doctors prefer to wait until after a woman’s
breasts have stopped growing – around
18 or 19 years of age - before performing this
procedure.
For some women a cosmetic breast
lift, not a breast reduction, is all that
is needed to improve their breast shape and
appearance.
Men with excess skin in their breasts have
a condition called gynecomastia.
The surgery to correct the condition is considered
a cosmetic procedure.
Risks
Every type of surgery has risks, but you can
help prevent complications by carefully following
the physician's instructions before and after
your procedure. Talk with your plastic surgeon
to be sure you understand the potential risks
and complications. If you don't understand something,
ask!
Women who have breast reduction risk losing
nipple sensitivity. Your doctor will try to
preserve enough tissue during the procedure
to keep this from happening.
Women who plan to breastfeed after breast reduction
surgery may produce less milk. Though most women
are able to breastfeed after a breast reduction,
ask your doctor about the associated risks.
A woman’s breasts typically grow during
pregnancy. Women who have children after a breast
reduction can need a second surgery to re-reduce
their breasts.
Preparing for a breast
reduction
If you are interested in breast reduction, make
an appointment with a Penn doctor. The physician
will discuss your symptoms and ask what you
need or want. Your surgeon will also talk about
what to expect after the surgery and how you
might look.
The dramatic physical change of a breast reduction
impacts women in different ways. The majority
of patients are happy with their new bodies,
but they must be prepared to accept the scars
from the reduction. Think carefully about why
you want to have the procedure before making
the commitment.
It is important to know that not all breast
reductions are covered by medical insurance.
Some women who have been turned down by their
insurance carrier elect to pay for the procedure
out of their own pocket.
Recovery
Expect to spend the night in the hospital or
visit your doctor the day after a breast reduction
surgery.
You can also expect to have some pain or discomfort
for one to two weeks afterward. Carefully following
your doctor’s postoperative orders will
help speed your recovery.
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