These days it may seem odd when a woman wants to have her breast size reduced. After all, in the U.S. breast augmentation has become the first or second most popular cosmetic surgery every year of late. But the reality is that for women with overly large breasts, life is negatively impacted on a daily basis by their breasts.

In these cases, breast reduction with Dr. Smith is the answer.

Smaller can be better

While many women wish they had larger breasts, for those with very large natural breasts, they can be a curse. The excess weight can cause back and neck pain and damage. Bra straps dig into the shoulders. The size can preclude women from participating in certain sports and exercise routines. Some women can become so self-conscious about their breasts that they avoid social interaction.

Breast reduction surgery is known clinically as reduction mammaplasty. The procedure involves the removal of excess skin, fat, and tissue from the breasts. The end goal is to have breasts that are smaller, lighter, and proportional to the body.

The procedure

Reduction surgery is performed with the patient under general anesthesia. For patients with extremely large breasts, Dr. Smith usually opts to make an “anchor” incision around the nipple-areolar complex. The incision extends vertically below the nipple and then horizontally along the bottom crease of the breast. The nipple-areolar complex is moved upward to the desired position, and excess tissue and fat are removed.

For women with moderately large breasts, Dr. Smith may use a vertical incision method, where the incision circles the areola and extends downward to the breast crease. This is also known as the lollipop incision. This works well to create somewhat less scarring for women who don’t require extensive tissue removal.

For women with lots of fatty tissue in their breasts, Dr. Smith may be able to use the only liposuction to reduce the size. This will create virtually no scarring but doesn’t allow excision of any excess tissue.

Recovery

Patients usually return home the same day of the surgery. A surgical bra will need to be worn for a couple of weeks to provide support and decrease swelling, and a bra must be worn 24 hours a day for four to six weeks. Most patients can return to work in a couple of days, but strenuous exercise needs to be avoided for four to six weeks.

There’s no reason to continue to bear the burden of overly large breasts. Call Dr. Smith at (843) 705-8940 and schedule a consultation for breast reduction.