Breast Reduction
Patients with overly large, heavy breasts often suffer from physical discomfort, unwanted attention, and embarrassment that can diminish their quality of life. Breast reduction surgery, also known as reduction mammaplasty, is a surgical procedure that can provide women with relief by reducing the size of their breasts for a more attractive, youthful, and balanced body shape. Many of Dr. Patronella’s breast reduction patients report that they are able to engage in a wider variety of activities and wear more styles thanks to the welcome benefits of this procedure.
Breast Reduction Candidates
Ideal candidates must be in good overall health and have realistic expectations about their results. Those who struggle with one or more of the following concerns as a result of their oversized breasts can benefit from breast reduction surgery. These include:
Chronic back, shoulder, and neck pain
Breast asymmetry
Unwanted attention
Stress and anxiety caused by your breasts
Difficulty finding fitted clothing
Grooves in the shoulders
Skin rashes between the breasts
Breast Reduction Procedure
Breast reduction surgery is performed using general anesthesia and may take several hours, depending on the patient’s needs. During your procedure, an anchor-shaped incision will be made. This extends around the areola, down the underside of the breast and along the crease where the breast meets the chest wall. After the incision has been made, excess fat, skin, and tissue will be removed. The nipples and areolas will also be reduced and repositioned. The incisions are then closed using surgical sutures. Breast reduction surgery can also be combined with breast lift surgery to address sagging skin and excess fat.
Recovery
Following your procedure, you will wear a compression sports bra for about 4 to 6 weeks to protect your new breasts and help minimize swelling. Strenuous activities are to be avoided for at least four weeks, though brisk walking may be allowed two weeks after the procedure. Most patients are able to return to work 5 to 7 days after surgery.
Results
Breast reduction surgery can provide you with long-lasting results and a more proportionate look. This, along with the improvement of the physical and emotional discomfort associated with large breasts, typically leads to greater self-confidence.
