Breast Reduction

Breast reduction, also called reduction mammaplasty, enhances your overall appearance by making breasts more proportional to the rest of your body.

Large, sagging breast often interfere with normal physical activities. They can cause back pain, postural problems, deformities of the back and shoulders, skin rashes and breast pain. For these reasons, breast reduction generally is considered a reconstructive plastic surgery procedure. In addition to alleviating physical problems, however, it improves the shape of your breast and nipple areas.

The operation usually is performed under general anesthesia and may be done on an outpatient basis or during a brief hospital stay. During the procedure, excess breast tissue and skin is removed, your nipples and areolas (the pigmented skin surrounding your nipple) are repositioned, and your remaining breast tissue is reshaped.

A commonly performed breast reduction technique uses incision that encircle the areola and then extend vertically down the breast and horizontally along the crease underneath the breast. There are other breast reduction techniques that may eliminate the horizontal incision, the vertical incision, or both. The use of any particular pattern of incisions depends on individual patient factors and your surgeon's recommendation. In some cases, lipoplasty alone, which leaves only small scars may provide a sufficient amount of reduction.

After surgery, you breasts will be wrapped in a gauze dressing or placed in a surgical bra. You may be instructed to wear a supportive bra for several weeks. Loss of breast or nipple sensation is possible, but usually is not permanent. You should avoid strenuous exercise and overhead lifting for a least a few weeks. You should be able to return to work within two weeks.