Breast Reduction

Breast Reduction

Breast Reduction or Reduction mammoplasty is a surgical procedure aimed at reducing the size of breasts. Women with heavy breasts not just seek a reduction in the size of breasts but are most satisfied when the reduction is combined with reshaping of the breasts as well with minimal scarring.

What is breast reduction ?

Every patient merits a procedure that will be customized as per her body type in order to achieve the best possible result. There are many techniques described for reducing the size of breasts, what ever the technique may be.The nipple areolar complex is safely transported while still being attached to a strip of tissue called pedicle to a higher and a more aesthetically pleasing position.
Breast tissue is then strategically removed from different areas of the breast to reduce and reshape the remaining breast, not only does the size of the breast gets reduced, the breasts also get lifted to achieve a perkier look. Liposuction is used in most breast reduction surgeries to achieve a better contour of the lateral chest area in order to achieve an overall better looking breasts, only very rarely is liposuction performed as a stand-alone procedure.
As the expectations may vary from patient to patient, it is imperative that the patient discusses her expectations with her team of surgeons regarding her expectations. This would entail that the surgeons understand the patient's priorities.

How is breast reduction surgery performed?

1. Assessment

Your team of plastic surgeons will take clinical photographs of your breasts with your consent and make a thorough assessment for any asymmetries and the size, shape and nipple position.

2. marking

The most important step is the next step and this is called 'marking' on the day of surgery or a day prior to the surgery. Your team of surgeons will carefully take measurements and mark the breast and plan the surgery. . This is as important as the surgery itself as these markings guide your surgeons during the operation to make the necessary cuts to establish symmetry.

3. surgery

This is performed under general anaesthesia after an informed consent is taken. The technique will be explained to you in detail before the operation by your treating team of surgeons. The surgery usually takes between 3-4 hours, drains may be placed to drain off unnecessary fluid or blood from collecting and removed after 24-48 hours. A supportive breast garment will be given after the end of the procedure.

Post Operative Care for breast reduction

Immediately after the surgery

  • Patients will be made to walk on the same day of the surgery to ensure that blood clots do not form in the legs.

  • Drinking plenty of fluids and eating a healthy diet is recommended.
The weeks that follow

  • Supportive bra may be advised for a period of 4 weeks. Refrain from raising arms beyond 30 degrees for a week.

  • It may be necessary to visit the outpatient clinic for dressing changes till the suture lines heal or dry up.
Full recovery timeline

  • You may resume work in 2-3 weeks time from your surgery. Scar modulation creams may be recommended for softening the scars.

  • Lymphatic massages once the suture line is dry which improves the breast contours.  It may take 3 months for one to appreciate the final results.

You ask, we answer.

Women who had breast reduction surgery commonly benefit from reduced symptoms of heavy breasts (neck pain, back pain, skin rashes on the underside of breasts etc). The experience psychological well being (boost in the self esteem, body image), sexual well being and overall improved quality of life.

Breast reduction surgery should only be performed when the breasts are fully developed.  After that, it can be performed on women of any age.

Normally, in young girls with virginal hypertrophy of the breasts, breast reduction surgery is performed at the age of 18 years.

Breasts often undergo changes in size and shape during and after pregnancy, so it’s wise  to discuss with your surgeon about the possibility of becoming pregnant after breast reduction surgery.

50% of our breast reduction patients are able to breastfeed successfully.  If you plan to become pregnant in the near future, breast reduction surgery may be postponed till breastfeeding is completed.

If you have heavy breasts that are severely compromising your quality of life, any time  at the earliest is the best time. 

Yes. In some of the women with fat deposits on the lateral chest wall and in some women with heavy breasts, liposuction may be performed before the actual procedure to improve the contour of the new breast and the chest wall. 

As with any other surgery, breast reduction may be associated with some risks like bleeding, infection, wound healing problems, seroma (collection of fluid), haematoma (collection of blood). One  may observe  temporary blunting of sensations, but all these settle down with lymphatic massages.

We, at Luxe Cosmetique, take utmost care not to breach the chest fascia, so that the nipple areolar sensations are well preserved. Wound healing complications are observed more in smokers and obese women with  giant breasts.

We follow a special technique called incisional VAC (vaccum assisted closure)  to reduce the risk of healing complications. Rarely, slight asymmetry can be a problem.

Yes. You may find a circular scar around the areola which is barely visible and an inverted J shaped scar on the underside of the breast which will fade with strict adherence to scar modulation protocol (scar reduction creams, scar massages, silicone gel sheets and lasers if required)

Wait for the swelling to completely subside. This can take up to 2-3 months. At that time, you may shop for new bras that fit your new breast size and shape. Avoid wearing underwired bra for the first 6 months post surgery. 

There are numerous factors that go into determining how much breast tissue can be removed and how many cup sizes you can go down, including the current size of your breasts, your breast composition, your body shape, and your goals.

It’s a general rule that  for every 300 gms of breast tissue removed, the cup size  of the bra comes down by a size.

For example, if a patient with giant breasts has undergone a reduction of 900 gms of tissue, and her preoperative bra cup size was D++, she would now fit into a C cup.

After breast reduction, you may expect to enjoy smaller and perkier breasts for a lifetime, so long as you maintain a stable weight and do not conceive again . However,with aging process your breasts sag slowly, although  not as severely as they might have before breast reduction.