Carmon

Women with very large breasts may experience a variety of problems caused by the excessive weight from the breasts including back and neck pain, skin irritations, skeletal problems and even breathing problems. Extremely large breasts often make women and young girls feel very self-conscious and embarrassed. Some women may be good candidates for breast reduction surgery but some may not.

Aesthetic Vs. Medical Reasons For Surgery

Breast reduction surgery (reduction mammaplasty) is designed for women who want to reduce the size of their breasts for medical and/or aesthetic reasons. Breast reduction surgery removes fat, glandular tissue and skin from the breasts making them firmer, smaller and tighter. Breast reduction surgery can also reduce the size of the areola (the darker skin around the nipple). The goal of this surgery is to provide women with smaller, better-shaped breasts that are more in proportion with the rest of their bodies.

Breast reduction is one of the cosmetic surgery procedures that is most often done for medical reasons rather than aesthetic reasons. Most women having the surgery have suffered one or more medical problems due to their large breasts and are desperately seeking some relief from years, perhaps decades, of discomfort and pain. Some women's breasts are so large that they restrict their activities greatly and interfere with their ability to lead active, normal lives.

The best candidates for breast reduction surgery are women whose breasts are fully developed and who are mature enough to fully understand the procedure and have realistic expectations about the results. If you intend to breast feed in the future, breast reduction surgery is not recommended for you.

Possible Complications

As with any surgery, there is a chance for complications afterwards including bleeding, infection and reaction to the anesthesia. Some patients have developed small sores around the nipple area; these sores can be treated easily with antibiotic cream. Following your surgeon's orders to the letter both before and after surgery will greatly reduce your chance of developing any serious complications.

Breast reduction surgery does leave noticeable permanent scars, although they will be covered by clothing usually. If you are a smoker, your chances for wider scars and poor healing are significantly increased. Breast reduction surgery may also leave you with mismatched breast sizes and/or unevenly positioned nipples. Some patients have reported a permanent loss of sensation in their nipples following the surgery due to loss of blood supply.

During your consultation with your surgeon, he/she will examine your breasts and photograph them for reference during surgery and afterwards. You and your surgeon will discuss surgery options and possible results. The risks and costs involved with the surgery will also be discussed. To prepare for surgery, you may be required to have a mammogram performed, and pre-surgery, detailed directions will be provided that you must following exactly as directed.

Breast reduction surgery typically takes 2-4 hours but may take longer in some cases.

After surgery, you will be wrapped in elastic bandage or a surgical bra over gauze dressings, and a small tube will be placed in each breast to drain off blood and fluids for the first day or two. Your physician will prescribe pain medication, and the bandages will be removed after a couple of days. Your stitches will be removed in approximately three weeks. You may experience random shooting pains for a few months; some patients may experience this for a longer period of time.

You may be up and around a day or two following the surgery, but your breasts may still ache for a couple of weeks. You should avoid lifting or pushing or pulling of any kind for at least four weeks.

Like all surgeries, breast reduction surgery is a serious procedure that should be well thought out before committing to it. Your cosmetic surgeon can explain your options to you and help you decide if the procedure is right for you.

If you would like to learn more about the options available to you regarding breast reduction surgery in the Los Angeles area or anywhere in California, please visit the website of the father-son team of Drs. Bray at the Bray Plastic Surgery Medical Center, Inc.