BREAST REDUCTION (REDUCTION MAMMOPLASTY)

Breast reduction is indicated in patients who have excessively large and heavy breasts. In addition to the aesthetic issues of size and a saggy appearance, the weight of the breasts often causes symptoms of backache and shoulder pain.

A breast reduction is basically a breast lift with the additional step of removing excess breast tissue in order to reduce the size of the breasts. Overly large breasts invariably need a lift in addition to a reduction in size because the large breasts are heavy and gravity makes them sag. It is a bigger operation than a lift, but is still safely completed as a day surgery procedure without the need for hospitalization.

In common with a breast lift, a breast reduction involves reducing the size of the areola, relocating the nipple areolar complex to a higher position, and removing excess skin. In addition, excess glandular breast is removed so that the breasts will become lifted and reduced in size.

A breast reduction results in a smaller, youthful and pert breast. The scars associated with the procedure are similar to the scars of a breast lift, i.e. one that encircles the newly relocated areola, a vertical scar that runs from the lower margin of the areola down the middle of the breast, and which joins a horizontal scar along the crease at the bottom of the breast (the inframammary fold). The horizontal scar along the inframammary fold tends to be longer in the case of a breast reduction because of the need to remove more skin in that area. These scars tend to fade well and become inconspicuous with time. Most patients who undergo a breast reduction have a high level of satisfaction because in addition to their breasts looking good, they also feel good from the relief of having the weight of their breasts reduced. These benefits are therefore well worth the resulting scars.