Breast Reduction
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- If your breasts are too large for your body frame and create back, shoulder or neck pain.
- If you have heavy breasts with nipples and areolas (pigmented skin surrounding the nipples) that point downward
- If one breast is much larger than the other.
- If you are unhappy and self-conscious about the large appearance of your breasts.
Breast reduction patients can usually return home the day of their procedure. Patients often feel discomfort for 3 to 5 days after surgery. Some women will require drains for a few days.
Breast reduction patients should initiate walking and stretching on the day of the procedure, avoid exercise for 4 weeks and avoid upper chest exercises for 6 weeks. Most women can return to desk work after 7 to 14 days.
Patients generally wear a compression garment for 2 days, followed by a comfortable sports bra. Breast reduction patients should avoid push-up and underwire bras for 6 to 8 weeks.
Liposuction : For mild to moderately enlarged breasts with fatty components and minimal skin excess or sagging, liposuction may sometimes be sufficient.
- Post-menopausal, breast tissue is gradually replaced by fat, so postmenopausal women are among the best candidates for liposuction-only breast reduction.
- Patients with fibrous tissue and minimal fat in their breasts are not good candidates.
- Ptosis (sagging), poor skin condition with little tissue elasticity, and low nipple position are also contraindications.
- Liposuction alone may be used to treat asymmetry up to one cup size.
- Following liposuction of the breast, the elastic qualities of the skin cause it to contract, and subsequent uplifting of the breast contour should occur to some extent.
Reduction mammoplasty : For moderate to large breasts, there is invariably a lot of excess skin which also needs to be dealt with.
- Breast reduction surgery, which usually takes from three to five hours & is performed in a hospital. General anesthesia is preferred.
- Your incision pattern will depend on the size of your breasts, how much your breasts sag and where your nipple-areola complex is positioned.
- After marking areas of excess breast tissue., your plastic surgeon will remove excess breast tissue, fat and skin.
- The nipple and areola are shifted to a higher position. The areolas may be reduced in size if it is larger.
- Liposuction may be used to improve the contour under the arm.
- You may end up with a lollipop shaped, inverted T shaped or similar scar depending on the amount of reduction needed.
- In most cases, drains will be placed in the breasts to collect excess fluid.
For large to severe gigantomastia :
- This is a condition with massive breast enlargement.
- It requires drastic excision (breast amputation) followed by free nipple areola grafting.
- In most such cases, there is drastic improvement of symptoms and high satisfaction levels.
The goal of your aesthetic plastic surgeon and the entire staff is to help you achieve the most beautiful and natural-looking results, as well as to make your surgical experience as easy and comfortable as possible.
Your surgeon will provide thorough preoperative instructions, answer any questions you may have, take a detailed medical history and perform a physical exam to determine your fitness for surgery.
You may be asked to have a mammogram (if you're over forty years of age), electrocardiogram (ECG) or chest x-ray. If your surgeon recommends weight benchmarks or lifestyle changes, do your best to achieve them to ensure the best results and minimize the chance of complications.
In advance of your procedure, your surgeon will ask you to:
- Avoid taking aspirin, certain anti-inflammatory drugs and some herbal medications that can cause increased bleeding.
- Stop smoking at least six weeks before undergoing surgery to promote better healing.
- Regardless of the type of surgery to be performed, hydration is very important before and after surgery for safe recovery and critical outcomes.
- Keep alcohol consumption at less than two to three drinks per week.
- You must not lift, drive or do laundry and cleaning for the first two weeks.
- Rest and sleep on your back continuously in an inclined position (25 to 45 degree angle) for the initial postoperative days or while significant swelling remains. You can achieve elevation with wedge pillows with an incline design or by sleeping in a recliner chair.
- Avoid hot showers, hot tubs and saunas for two to three weeks.
- Decide what you will wear for the first few days; pick items that open in front. Wear slip-on shoes so you don't have to bend.
- You may be asked to wash your body with antibacterial soap prior to surgery.
- Make sure not to wear cosmetics (including nail polish), lotions, perfumes or other substances.
- Dress in or bring soft, comfortable clothes that you'll be able to wear after the surgery, including a top that opens in the front and shoes that slip on.
- Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure.
- General anaesthesia is commonly used during your breast reduction procedure, although local anaesthesia or intravenous sedation may be desirable in some instances.
- For your safety during the surgery, various monitors will be used to check your heart, blood pressure, pulse and the amount of oxygen circulating in your blood.
- Your plastic surgeon will follow the surgical plan discussed with you before surgery. Once the operation has begun, the surgeon may decide to combine various techniques or change a technique to ensure the best result. It is important that you feel comfortable and trust your doctor to make these decisions.
- After your procedure is completed, you will be taken into a recovery area where you will continue to be closely monitored.
- Following the surgery, a bulky gauze dressing (bandage) will be wrapped around your breasts and chest or you might wear a surgical bra. Drainage tubes may be attached to your breasts.
Recovery will be smoother if you follow all patient care instructions provided by your surgeon. Your surgeon will also provide detailed instructions about the normal symptoms you will experience and any potential signs of complications.
- Incision care: Keep your incisions/suture line dry. Your surgeon may have placed Steri-Strips on top of your incision line and sutures, or you may have sutures internally and tissue glue externally to bind your incision edges.
- Suture removal: Your incision sites will be checked, and your stitches removed in approximately 10-14 days.
- Monitoring your temperature:An elevated temperature could mean an infection and hence it should be monitored for 2 weeks.
- Soreness and pain:You will feel tender, stiff and sore for a few days and will more than likely not want to move too much. This will subside. Be sure to take your required medications and follow the precise instructions provided by your surgeon.
- Swelling: Post surgical swelling is always present though the breasts will be noticeably smaller than pre operative size. Most of the swelling will disappear by 2-3 weeks. This can be hastened by increasing your fluid intake (preferably water), having normal to low sodium intake, and movement, such as light walking.
- Bruising may be seen especially if liposuction has also been done. Other common side effects during recovery include numbness or changes in nipple sensitivity, itching around incision sites, and increased firmness or fullness in the breast tissue. These side effects should subside over the next few weeks, with some residual effects lasting up to three months after surgery.
- Sleeping and good bed rest contributes greatly to pain relief and reducing swelling. The propped up position is recommended. This helps relieve pressure on your treatment area, reducing swelling and pain.
- Bathing: You may be asked to take sponge baths until your incisions are completely closed and your sutures are no longer in place. You may not be able to wash your hair for a while, because you will not be allowed to raise your hands over your head.
- Activity: Even though you may not feel like it, your surgeon will probably advise you to walk and move around as soon as you can to prevent blood clots and swelling. You will be instructed not to exercise or engage in strenuous activities for at least 4-6 weeks. Your full range of motion should return between six to ten weeks, depending on how well you have healed. Within six months, you should be able to do all those things you wanted to do but couldn't because of your oversized chest
Every procedure involves inherent risks. Although serious complications are extremely rare, Dr. Date educates every about potential risks.
Those risks can include scarring, the opening of the wound, discomfort for several days, bruising around the surgical sites, loss of sensation over the chest skin, infection, bleeding, nerve and vessel injury, skin necrosis, deep venous thrombosis (clotting), and general anaesthesia-related issues.