Breast Reduction
Reduction Mammoplasty
Breast reduction is designed to reduce the size of a woman’s breasts. It may also improve the overall appearance or shape of the breast and help balance breast asymmetries. It helps in treatment of physical complaints such as neck, shoulder, and back pain experienced by many women with large breasts.
Skin, along with breast tissue and fat, are removed to create smaller, youthful breasts. An added benefit where ptosis (droop) exists is a simultaneous uplift of the nipple areolar complex to a more normal position. The areolae (darker skin which surrounds the nipple) is also reduced in size and made more symmetric.
Who is a Candidate for a Breast Reduction?
- Patients who want smaller breasts
- Patients with extensive breast asymmetry
- Healthy patients without breast cancer
- Patients who have realistic expectations about the procedure
- Patients who will tolerate breast scars
- Patients who complain of chronic neck, shoulder, and back pain from excessive breast size
- Patients with large breasts who experience chronic skin irritation along their bra straps and under the breast folds
Intended Results of a Breast Reduction
- Smaller breast size
- Improved breast shape
Procedure Description for Breast Reduction
- Dr Tran performs Breast reduction surgery under general anaesthesia in a licensed and accredited hospital.
- Depending on several factors, breast reductions are performed using surgical techniques that preserve breast tissue and maintain a healthy blood supply to the nipple-areola complex.
- Various external skin envelope closures exist, which will determine the placement and size of your postoperative scars. For large reductions, Dr Tran uses the Anchor scar closure.
- Breast tissue is always submitted to pathology for examination after it has been removed, even if pre-operative mammography and ultrasound are normal.
Recuperation and Healing for Breast Reduction
- Postoperative discomfort is controlled with oral medications.
- In certain circumstances such as revision surgery, drains may be placed for 24hrs.
- A special postoperative support bra may be worn after surgery for a 4-6 weeks.
- Patients usually stay in hospital for 1 night and discharged home the following day.
- Most sutures are internal and do not need to be removed.
- Light activity may usually resume in less than 7-10 days. Sports activities may be resumed in 4-6 weeks.
Other Options for Breast Reduction
- Breast volume reduction by breast fat liposuction-liposculpture
- Breast contouring using breast skin resection with or without liposculpture
Notes
- The specific risks and suitability of this procedure for a given individual can only be determined at the time of consultation with Dr Tran. All surgical procedures have some degree of risk. Minor complications that do not affect the outcome occur occasionally. Major complications are rare.