Breast Reduction Surgery

A breast reduction is also known technically as reduction mammoplasty, this is a surgical procedure that brings the breasts into better proportion with the rest of the body by removing fat, excess breast tissue and skin. The areola, or darker skin around the nipple, may be reduced and repositioned as well.

Large breasts can dominate a woman’s appearance and give an unbalanced physical profile and make exercise difficult or even impossible to do. Breast reduction surgery is a procedure for reshaping exceptionally large breasts surgically to increase comfort and satisfaction. Overly large breasts frequently have a considerable affect on self-confidence and can even affect personal relationships. The aim of surgery is to give you smaller, shapelier breasts that are in proportion to the rest of your body.

For numerous women, it’s not just the aesthetic issues they want to address in considering a surgical breast reduction, for many it is also about feeling physically better, as many women (and men) experience problems associated with overly large breasts such as back pain, neck pain, and skin irritations, to even more serious issues like skeletal deformations and breathing problems. One of the most common problems comes from bra straps. They’re pushed to the limit and that means indents in your skin. All of these lead to being self-conscious about your body.

Some breast reduction procedures are carried out in tandem with a breast lift procedure. A breast reduction and lift is an ideal choice for women who wish to improve the shape and the position of their breasts. Some women also desire an increase in volume and size, and so breast implants may be inserted in conjunction with a breast lift.

Breast lift procedures are also appropriate for younger women as well who wish to address asymmetrical breast correction.

Breast reduction surgery procedure steps

Breast reduction operations are usually performed through incisions made on your breasts with the surgical removal of the excess fat, glandular tissue and skin.

In some cases, excess fat may be removed through liposuction in conjunction with the excision techniques described below. Breast size is largely due to fatty tissue and excess skin is not a factor, liposuction alone is not used for breast reduction.

The technique used to reduce the size of your breasts will be determined by your individual condition, breast composition, amount of reduction desired, your personal preferences and the individual plastic surgeon’s advice.

Step 1 – Anaesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anaesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Step 2 – The incision

Incision options include:

A circular pattern around the areola.

A keyhole or racquet-shaped pattern with an incision around the areola and vertically down to the breast crease.

An inverted T or anchor-shaped incision pattern.

Step 3 – Removing tissue and repositioning

After the incision is made, the nipple – which remains tethered to its original blood and nerve supply – is then repositioned. The areola is reduced by excising skin at the perimeter, if necessary.

Underlying breast tissue is reduced, lifted and shaped. Occasionally, for extremely large pendulous (sagging) breasts, the nipple and areola may need to be removed and transplanted to a higher position on the breast (free nipple graft).

Step 4 – Closing the incisions

The incisions are brought together to reshape the now smaller breast. Sutures are layered deep within the breast tissue to create and support the newly shaped breasts; sutures, skin adhesives and/or surgical tape close the skin. Incision lines are permanent, but in most cases will fade and significantly improve over time.

Step 5 – See the results

The results of your breast reduction surgery are immediately visible. Over time, post-surgical swelling will resolve and incision lines will fade. The incision lines that remain are visible and permanent scars, although usually well concealed beneath a swimsuit or bra. Satisfaction with your new image should continue to grow as you recover.