Breast Reduction

Breast reduction procedure has become very popular lately. From overdeveloped to big breasts, it causes some physical and psychological problems in women. In such a case, it is possible to perform breast reduction surgery.

During breast reduction surgery, the surgeon adjusts the size and shape of the breasts and even the outline of the nipples and areolas. Breast reduction thus solves the drooping shape and asymmetry of the breasts. The procedure is suitable for women with significant breast opening, for example, during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight loss. Breast aesthetics is also ideal for women whose large breasts interfere with their daily activities or sports and contribute to back and shoulder pain.

This acute treatment is suitable for any woman dissatisfied with an overdeveloped breast. The woman must be healthy. The surgery is especially ideal for women whose large breasts cause health problems such as headaches, back pain, cutting bra straps, poor posture, skin eczema, and infection under the breast. This procedure also provides a solution for women whose breasts make their social, business, and private life difficult. If a woman plans to breastfeed in the future, the woman should consider the possibility of breastfeeding disorders. If asymmetry requires reducing one breast and shaping the other to a similar shape, breast reduction surgery can also resolve significant breast asymmetry. The operation is unsuitable if the woman has a malignant disease in the breast.

Breast reduction specialists perform it under general anesthesia, which takes 2-3 hours. During surgery, the surgeon makes an incision vertically down, horizontally, mainly around the areola, then in the inframammary fold. Thus, the resulting scar is in the form of an anchor.

Then, the surgeon shrinks the mammary gland and brings the nipple and areola to an aesthetically pleasing position. Finally, the specialist removes the excess skin. After the final healing and maturation, the wound is closed with a thin suture to make the scar as inconspicuous as possible.

You need to observe a rest regimen in the first week after surgery. You can do your light office work after a week. However, you should still avoid straining the pectoral muscles, such as lifting heavy objects or small children. Total work is possible four weeks after surgery, but you should always consider the type of work done. We recommend that women who do heavy physical activity wait at least two more weeks.

Breast reduction is a surgical procedure; therefore, some complications may accompany it. Common complications include bleeding from the wound, infection, blood clots, or excessive scarring. A future lactation disorder may arise from specific complications associated with the shrinkage of the mammary gland and the inevitable interruption of a part of the milk ducts. Another complication may be changing in the sensitivity of the areola and nipple. These are usually temporary, but if it is an extensive procedure for huge and excessive breasts and the areola with the nipple needs to transplant as a transplant, the sensitivity disorder becomes permanent.

The breast reduction procedure is permanent and relieves health problems, improves one’s sense of satisfaction with one’s body, and helps to increase self-confidence. However, the process cannot prevent the effects of time and gravity, and the breasts may sag over the years. In this case, the surgeon can make the models.

What is Breast Reduction?

Breast reduction is an effective operation in which surgeons aesthetically reduce large and asymmetrical breasts. This procedure or the treatment of reduction of excess breasts isn’t only an aesthetic problem but also solves a health problem in many cases. Since ancient times, breasts in women have been a symbol of female beauty. Women often are unsatisfied with these, especially their size, and undergo breast augmentation surgery.

However, the opposite is true for women with severe ailments. The biggest reason for this is excessive weight loss, repeated births, and genetic predispositions. It can also cause by aging, loss of elasticity, and thus a significant reduction in the breasts. This procedure is also sought after by young women who struggle with large breasts due to overproduction of the mammary gland, which bothers them during sports or creates a disproportionate symmetry to the body.

The breast reduction process quickly reduces the excess skin and fatty tissues in the breasts. Modeling the remaining breast volume is part of the process. Sometimes, this reduction process is also preventative and eliminates many health problems.

Large breasts often cause poor posture and, overloading the body, problems with the spine, including curvature. That is why frequent headaches sometimes affect breathing and cause swelling of the legs. This, in turn, not only affects health but also lowers a woman’s self-esteem. The area under the big breasts (grooves under the breasts) is also susceptible to inflammation, infection, or eczema. However, you can eliminate all these problems after breast reduction, and your quality of life increases. Surgeons perform breast reduction in adult patients; exceptionally, they can do this in younger patients if there is a risk of severe health problems.

This procedure significantly affects health, improves the spirit, perfects the bust, removes sagging, and helps to resolve unaesthetic deviations. This procedure is an invasive surgical procedure that only a healthy patient needs to go through. The pre-operative examination is also necessary for treatment, and mammography or ultrasound examination of the breast is also appropriate in elderly patients. We recommend discontinuing drugs that may increase bleeding 2-3 weeks before the procedure. It is also desirable to limit smoking before and after the procedure. This procedure is usually done on breastfeeding women about 6 months after giving birth.

Who Should Have a Breast Reduction Procedure?

Breast reduction or reduction mammoplasty is a surgery in which surgeons remove excess breast tissue. Breast reduction surgery may include other procedures such as breast lift. You must be physically healthy and mentally stable and have a clear idea of what you can expect from the reduction process and, above all, what the final size of your breasts should be. Women of all ages request a reduction procedure. Treatment isn’t recommended in girls under 20, as the breasts expect to grow further, and re-operation will be required. Girls who suffer from increased sensitivity to normal estrogen levels from a young age have significant breast sizes in their 20s and get surgery even at an early age. These women expect to have surgery again in the future.

Most of the time, excessive breast size is the hidden cause of headaches, neck, chest, and lumbar spine pains, or causes swelling of the lower limbs. Fungal infections and eczema are also not uncommon in bra creases or painful or bloody bra creases. Most often, middle-aged women who have given birth and weaned undergo a reduction process. However, women over 50 who experience increased breast weight with age frequently prefer the operation. A condition for performing the procedure is the patient’s relatively good health.

Less frequently, young girls also undergo reduction surgery because the excessive weight of their breasts bothers them, preventing them from active life and sports or making them psychologically distressed. The condition for the operation in children under 18 is parental consent. All women must undergo mammalogical, sonographic, and, if necessary, mammographic examinations before surgery.

What are the Risks of the Breast Reduction Process?

There are also risks of breast reduction, albeit rare. We can divide complications into non-specific ones that can occur after any operation. The major bleeding and inflammatory complications are. In the post-operative period, blood clots may occur in the veins. Certain risks include the risk of death or change in nipple and areola pigmentation. Post-operative asymmetry problems may occur. Often, patients are disturbed by a change in skin sensation. This is an entirely natural condition after breast reduction and will improve within 3 months. The scars should also soften during this period. Check out the risks of breast reduction in general:

• Infection: This problem may occur at the incision site or breast tissue.
• Poor wound healing: Some patients may experience delayed wound healing or scar development.
• Change in nipple or breast sensation: Some patients may experience loss of success in the nipples or breasts after surgery.
• Dissatisfaction with the final appearance: Some patients may not be satisfied with the last appearance of their breasts after surgery.
• Blood clots: Life-threatening blood clots can form in the legs or lungs.
• Deep vein thrombosis: This is a condition in which blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs.
• Anesthesia complications: Some patients may experience complications from the anesthesia used during surgery.
• Asymmetry: There is a risk of asymmetry in the breasts’ final appearance, and additional surgery may require to correct this risk.
• Loss of milk production or difficulty breastfeeding: Some patients may experience loss or difficulty breastfeeding after breast reduction surgery.
• Visible scars: Scars from the procedure may be more visible than expected. Discussing these risks with your surgeon before the process would be best.

What Will You Encounter During a Breast Reduction Consultation?

Breast reduction consultation is essential. The decision to operate begins with a consultation with the doctor. In this phase, you will discuss the problems caused by your oversized breasts, evaluate the skin’s elasticity and discuss your ideas about the resulting breast size. Afterward, you will receive all information about the operation’s preparation, the procedure’s course, and the recovery process.

As part of the consultation, the doctor may take photographs for medical documents. Before the operation, it will be necessary to undergo routine pre-operative and mammologist examinations. You should inform the doctor if you get sick in the last three weeks before the process, even with a common infectious disease (cold, influenza).

Likewise, giving the doctor all about drugs and food supplements. In huge breasts, a skin disease such as fungus or eczema may occur under the breasts. It would be best to remember that even before the operation, you cannot lift heavy objects for a while after the procedure, and you cannot do activities that force the pectoral muscle. Therefore, as part of preparing for the operation, we recommend you seek help at home, especially if you have small children.

How Should You Prepare for Breast Reduction Procedure?

Surgeons may recommend breast reduction if your breasts are so large that they are entirely out of proportion to your body, and their weight is a source of health problems for you, such as back pain or headaches. In your first consultation, the doctor will already talk to you about your ideas and reasons for the reduction process.

First, the doctor needs to understand the concept of your future breast size. Surgeons will assess the condition and elasticity of your skin and check your overall health to prevent possible complications during and after surgery. During the pre-operative examination, the doctor will also evaluate your height, weight, breast shape, and position of the breasts (ptosis, height below the pectoral folds, and folds between the breasts). If you have reached a certain age, you will probably need to have your breasts mammography. Sometimes two more mammograms are taken during the recovery period.

The surgeon works with your gynecologist and also sends you for a comprehensive pre-operative internal examination. Arrange a car home from the hospital as you prepare for surgery and get help for a day or two if you need it. The doctor will probably ask you about using some drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid, such as aspirin. These drugs can increase bleeding and cause increased bleeding during and after surgery.

The surgeon marks the displacement of the nipple and areola complex. This place determines by the intersection of the inframammary groove and the line running through the middle of the collarbone. This is approximately mid-arm height and slightly higher for younger women. The areola is about 10-12 cm from the center of the chest and about 20-22 cm from the jugular vein. The average size of the areola is 40 x 40 mm.

This reduction surgery performs under general anesthesia so that you will sleep during the entire operation. You should avoid eating, smoking, and drinking at least 6 hours before the surgery. You will also likely stay overnight in the care facility where you had your surgery.

How is Breast Reduction Procedure Performed?

The most suitable date for surgery is the first week after menstruation when breast blood flow is relatively less, tissues are minimally affected by hormones, and don’t retain water. Patients using hormonal contraception advise to stop taking the pill after at least 1-3 months and plan the procedure. If the patient is breastfeeding, it recommends taking a break of at least half a year to a year after the last breastfeeding. The operation takes 2 to 3 hours. Check out the overall breast reduction procedure steps:

Anesthesia

You will take general anesthesia for the procedure, and the process will go great.

Process

This process involves removing excess breast tissue. Surgeons make the traditional incision around the areola, vertically into the inframammary groove, and continue in this groove. The incision resembles an inverted anchor shape. They specialize, remove excess tissue and seal the breast. The most crucial step in differentiating individual techniques is transferring the areola and nipple complex to the right place.

Techniques

There are different techniques:

• Vertical bipedal transfer: The surgeon makes an incision to create a band with the areola from the area marked for the areola. The strip ends in the submammary groove, and the surgeon separates it from the deep structures of the gland. It shrinks the breast tissue from the sides and then transfers the areola by collecting the upper part of the handle.
• Transfer from the upper peduncle: From the site marked as the future areola-nipple complex to the areola, the surgeon makes two parallel incisions. A circular incision separates the areola from the lower breast. At this stage, the areola is attached only to the upper stem, which the surgeon separates from the glandular body. The breast is also cut vertically in the inframammary fold and this fold.
• Transfer to the lower pyramidal peduncle: The peduncle is attached with a broad base in the inframammary fold and tapers towards the nipple. The root forms a pyramid. The wide sole provides excellent blood circulation and nerve supply. This method is suitable for young women, as it doesn’t restrict breastfeeding function. The surgeon will remove excess tissue and skin over the stem.
• New method: Breast reduction with the new single scar method has also become popular. This is a surgical procedure with more respect for body anatomy. Specialists don’t bother the mammary gland; they operate on its surface and partially under it. Therefore, you can breastfeed without any problems after the operation. Another advantage of this technique is the slight reduction in areola sensitivity after surgery. However, the main advantage is that the amount of scars left by the operation is less. In any case, we should expect a scar around the areola and under the breast.

Finally, surgeons place drains on the operated area for 24-48 hours, which perform the function of better drainage of blood and tissue secretions, a supportive tool for faster healing, and eliminating inflammatory processes. Specialists disinfect the problem area and cover it with sterile absorbent gauze. After the procedure, wear an elastic bandage or compression garment around the chest for 1-2 days as needed.

What to Consider After Breast Reduction Procedure?

After the breast reduction procedure, the problem areas can be painful, with swelling and bruising that disappear within a few days. This reduction process requires 1-2 days of hospitalization, after which the specialists take the drains. At this stage, you will go home with compression underwear and make a bandage in agreement with the doctor. Post-operative care for reduction is essential. Check out the things to consider after breast reduction:

• When you cannot work, you need a 2-week rest regimen. You should also wear elastic underwear for about 2 months. This bra relieves your puffiness and helps shape and heal your breasts.
• In general, experts use absorbable sutures for all your stitches. Therefore, specialists don’t need to remove the stitches. However, if there are non-absorbable stitches, your doctor will remove the stitches for 1-2 weeks.
• To eliminate the scars, we recommend supporting the care with light-pressure massages after about 14 days and lubricating with high-quality moisturizing creams.
• If traces remain, they will disappear within 6 months. We don’t recommend excessive physical exertion for 2 months after the procedure; taking a shower is more appropriate in terms of hygiene.
• The effect is long-lasting. But everything also depends on the quality and elasticity of the skin, individual healing ability, and correct adherence to post-operative care. If you maintain a stable weight, you don’t need to repeat the procedure.
• We recommend regular preventive mammography check-ups for women aged 35 and over. Women’s breasts will be under the supervision of doctors.
• Reduction surgery doesn’t require any special preparation. As with other plastic surgeries, you should stop taking blood thinners like aspirin and others 3 weeks before and after the procedure.
• Despite following the pre-operative recommendations, some complications may occur. These include, for example, the formation of a blood pool or partial loss of the areola. But this is truly an exceptional case. As in other plastic surgeries, the infection may develop in the wound; sometimes, the scars in the breast fold are more challenging to heal. But problems usually go away in 2 to 3 weeks.
• Skin and areola sensitivity disorders are infrequent and usually resolve within a year, but they may exceptionally persist permanently.
• Undesirable post-operative results are caused mainly by the mistakes of an inexperienced operator. Inexperienced surgeons take an excessive amount of tissue or remove breast tissue asymmetrically. For this reason, extreme reduction or breast asymmetry occurs in the breasts you don’t want. The disproportionate upward protrusion of the nipple, which you cannot cover even with a bra, is also a defect.

What is the Recovery Process After Breast Reduction?

In the first hours after breast reduction, you may feel the pain that can be relieved very well with painkillers. The specialists will cover your breasts with a sterile bandage, and you will need to remain motionless for the first few days after surgery. After a few days, the specialists will remove the application and replace it with a surgical bra. You should wear this precisely as per the doctor’s advice. Check out the recovery process after breast reduction in general:

• After 14 days, you can start changing the surgical bra with a regular fixed bra. You will likely stay in the hospital the day after surgery. Healing is a gradual and highly individual process. It is possible, for example, to supplement with a biostimulation laser, or we recommend various creams and gels.
• For the first few days, your breasts will be swollen and bruised, beginning to fade quickly.
• You can return to work after a week, but if you are doing a physically demanding job, it is better to delay your return to work for a few more days.
• It is necessary to wait at least a month for sports and similar activities. Your nipples will be more sensitive for a while after the surgery.
• Avoid physical contact until you are entirely comfortable. You should protect the scars from sunlight for 6 months. At first, they will be fluffy and will turn distinctly red. But over time, they will begin to fade and flatten. Remember that scars never disappear entirely. You can apply the methods the doctor recommends to accelerate the disappearance of unwanted spots. The resulting size of scars depends on your body’s ability to heal itself. Skin folds may remain in the lower part of the breast for about 2 months and gradually disappear.
• We recommend starting pressure massages a few weeks after the surgery. For this, you press the scar point by point with your finger for about thirty seconds. You can repeat this massage several times a day. Pressure massage will help soften scars that mature in about a year. During this period, we also recommend treating the spots with wound gels recommended by the doctor and using silicone plasters.

How Long After Breast Reduction Will You See the Final Result?

It may take several months for the final results of breast reduction surgery to appear in full. Initially, your breasts will swell a little, and you may see your breasts as uneven or asymmetrical. Over time, these swellings will decrease, and your breasts will begin to take their final shape. It may take 6-7 months for your breasts to settle fully and for the incision lines to disappear.

During recovery, you should wear a supportive bra and avoid any activity that may pressure your breasts. It would be best to avoid strenuous activities such as exercise for a certain period.

You will not see the results of breast reduction surgery immediately, and it is imperative to keep in mind that it may take several months for your breasts to settle into their new shape fully. Your surgeon will give you detailed information on what to expect during recovery and when you will see the final results.

How Much Does Breast Reduction Cost?

Breast reduction costs may vary depending on many factors, such as the facility where the surgery will perform, the surgeon’s experience and qualifications, and the facilities where the procedure will perform. The average cost of breast reduction surgery in the United States ranges from $5000 to $10000. However, the price may differ depending on the individual case, location, and additional costs such as anesthesia, facility fee, and post-operative costs.

It is important to note that most insurance plans consider reduction surgery medically necessary and will cover the cost of the procedure. However, you will need to check with your insurance provider to verify coverage and understand the types of expenses.

Many surgeons or clinics also offer financing options. So you can pay in installments. It’s best to check with your surgeon and insurance company to get a clear idea of the overall costs of the procedure.

In Which Countries is the Cheapest Breast Reduction Procedure Performed?

Breast reduction prices can vary greatly depending on your chosen country. Medical procedures will generally be cheaper in developing countries with lower health care costs. For example, in some countries such as Venezuela, Mexico, Venezuela, Turkey, Egypt, Taiwan, and India, it is possible to have breast reduction surgery at lower costs compared to the United States, China, Japan, and Western European countries. However, it is essential to note that cost should not be the only consideration when choosing to have surgery abroad, as the quality of care and the surgeons’ qualifications may not be the same as in your home country.

Additionally, it would be best to consider other factors such as travel costs, accommodation, language barriers, and quality of care and facilities. While it’s best to research and compare different options before deciding, you should also consider consulting a board-certified plastic surgeon in your country for more information and alternative options. Here are the breast reduction costs by country:

Attention: For Information Purposes Only

Please note that the content of this website is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always consult a specialist surgeon for personal guidance.

References

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007122654800464

https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/FullText/2012/05000/Breast_Reduction.26.aspx

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118655412.ch41

https://www.plasticsurgery.theclinics.com/article/S0094-1298(02)00008-1/abstract

https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Abstract/1999/05000/A_Cohort_Study_of_Breast_Cancer_Risk_in_Breast.15.aspx

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/074880689601300110

https://europepmc.org/article/med/10696037

https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/Abstract/1999/09010/Current_Trends_in_Breast_Reduction.31.aspx

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28723003/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441974/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22856260/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2825129/