Exceptionally large breasts can cause a variety of problems, both medical and personal. The weight of overly large breasts can cause back, shoulder and neck pain, skin irritation, and even skeletal deformities. Bra straps may leave deep impressions in a woman’s shoulders. Unusually large breasts may also cause a woman or teenage girl to feel uneasy and self-conscious.
The surgeons at The Plastic Surgery Group of Rochester offer reduction mammaplasty surgery to patients in Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, and surrounding areas.
About Breast Reduction In Rochester
Breast reduction, or reduction mammaplasty, is performed to remove excess tissue from the breasts in order to create a more proportionate shape. The removal of tissue decreases the weight of the breasts and can make a woman more physically comfortable.
Breast reduction surgery removes glandular tissue, skin, and fat from breasts. It can make them smaller, lighter, and firmer. The goal of breast reduction is to bring a woman’s breasts into better proportion with the rest of her body. Some women combine breast reduction surgery with a breast lift or breast augmentation surgery.
Breast Reduction Before And After Photos
Suitable Candidates For Mammaplasty
Women who are physically or emotionally impacted by the size of their breasts may be good candidates for breast reduction surgery. Some of the complaints that may lead a woman to seek this procedure include:
- Chronic pain in the neck, shoulders, and back
- Pain and indentations caused by bra straps
- Persistent skin irritation beneath the breasts
- Activity or clothing restrictions due to breast size
- Poor self-image
Breast reduction surgery may be performed at any age, however, many insurance companies require the patient to be 18 years old. Teen patients may choose to have this surgery in order to relieve social pressure as well as physical discomfort.
Breast Reduction Surgery Benefits
The main goal of breast reduction is obvious: to reduce the size of the breasts. However, there are more, less discussed, benefits of reduction mammaplasty. Benefits include:
- Increased confidence
- Back pain relief
- Improved posture
- Ability to participate in physical activities
- Clothes that fit better
- Reduced stretch marks
Think you may benefit from breast reduction surgery? Don’t hesitate to schedule your consultation with one of our Rochester plastic surgeons.
How Is Breast Reduction Surgery Performed?
Breast reduction is performed under general anesthesia. To excise excess tissue, incisions are made around the areola, the dark circle of skin that surrounds the nipple. A vertical incision may extend down the center of the breast, meeting a final, horizontal incision along the lower curve. The areola and nipple remain attached to the tissue beneath it in order to retain blood flow. Excess skin will be excised, tightening and lifting the breast.
When we perform breast reduction, we use an anchor-shaped or vertical limited incision that circles the areola. The physician then removes fat, skin, and excess glandular tissue. After moving the nipple to its new position, the plastic surgeon shapes the new contour of the breast by bringing the remaining skin down and around the areola. The doctor may also use liposuction to remove any excess fat that remains under the armpit area.
How Long Does Breast Reduction Surgery Take?
Breast reduction can take from 2 to 4 hours. The length of the procedure correlates with the size of the breast and the desired amount of reduction. This surgery does not simply remove tissue, it does so in a way that reshapes the breast to look natural in its smaller structure.
What Is Mammaplasty Recovery Like?
Common sensations that patients have after breast reduction include:
- Pain. We will provide prescription pain medication
- Numbness around the nipples.
- Itching, as incisions heal.
- Bruising.
- A feeling of fullness due to skin tightening
All post-surgical sensations should progressively improve during the first two weeks after surgery. Stitches are placed under the skin and will dissolve into the skin. A compression garment is worn for the first several weeks after breast reduction in order to support recovering tissues and minimize swelling.
Many patients return to work one to two weeks after breast reduction. More strenuous activities may take longer. Fatigue may occur more easily during recovery
Risks Of Reduction Mammaplasty
In addition to the risks associated with any surgery, risks related to reduction mammaplasty, depending on the technique used, include the following:
- Scarring
- Loss of sensation
- Asymmetry
- Inability to breast-feed
- Excessive firmness
- Partial or total loss of areola and nipple
- Loss of skin/tissue where incisions meet
Although reduction mammaplasty provides long-lasting results, breasts are still subject to the effects of aging and gravity.
Is Breast Reduction Surgery Painful?
Patients are asleep under general anesthesia for the surgery. After the anesthesia wears off, you will be given prescription pain medication. Pain for most patients resolves in about a week though for some may last longer.
Schedule A Consultation
To learn more about Breast reduction or to schedule a consultation, contact us today at (585) 922-5840. Our practice serves Rochester, New York, and the surrounding areas.
