BREAST REDUCTION
Many women suffer from overly large breasts, causing daily discomfort with pain in their back, shoulders and neck and skin irritation from bra straps. Often patients complain that they are unable to join in normal activities such as exercise and sport, that it limits what clothes they can wear and often causes embarrassment.
A breast reduction or mammaplasty is a cosmetic breast surgery procedure that aims to reduce and reshape the breasts into a more comfortable and pleasing breast size.
Am I a suitable candidate for a breast reduction?
If you suffer from any of the complaints above as a result of overly-large breasts then you should be suitable for a breast reduction procedure. A breast reduction can involve more lengthy incisions, so if you suffer from keloid scarring, where scars can become red and swollen instead of flatten and fade, then you may wish to take this into account.
Age and the possibility of children in the future are also factors to consider. Although it is possible to have a breast reduction before children, it is impossible to predict how it will affect the shape of your breasts in the future. Your breast reduction results will also be affected if you put on excessive amounts of weight so it is important your weight is stable before you undergo the procedure.
If it is just a case of removing fat cells rather than glandular breast tissue and skin tone is good, then Mr Venus may recommend liposuction alone as it will just involve tiny incisions in the armpit which should be unnoticeable when healed.
What happens during a breast reduction procedure?
I perform breast reduction surgery with you under a general anaesthetic. It takes approximately three to four hours depending on the extent of the procedure. It will usually require an overnight hospital stay afterwards.
There are a number of incisions that can be made during a breast reduction and the choice of which technique to adopt, depends on their size and the amount of sagging. Typically, it involves an incision around the nipple area and then down the middle of the breast. Sometimes you also need an incision along the crease under the breast. Any excess fat, breast tissue and skin is removed and the nipple is repositioned if necessary. The remaining tissue and skin is then reshaped.
Are there any possible risks or complications associated with a breast reduction procedure?
There may be some discomfort after a breast reduction and most patients will find it takes a couple of weeks before they can resume normal daily activities or return to work. If the nature of your job is very physical then you can expect to need even more time off before returning. I will give you comprehensive instructions on how best to care for yourself and your breast reduction results during this recovery period.
Any surgical procedure entails risks such as infection, bleeding or fluid collection under the skin. If the patient’s nipples have been repositioned, then a breast reduction procedure can also result in loss of sensation in the nipples that may never return.
What results can I expect from my breast reduction procedure?
Scarring after a breast reduction procedure is an important factor to take into account, but I find that breast reduction patients are usually very happy with the results of surgery.
Please see my gallery page for examples of my patients who have had this procedure.