When people hear about plastic surgery, they immediately assume that everything is solely for cosmetic purposes. While it is generally correct, there is also a reconstructive side of the practice.
Breast reduction is one procedure that improves a person’s quality of life. Patients with big and heavy breasts often strain their neck, shoulder, and back muscles, experience breathing problems, and even develop skeletal deformities. The skin beneath their breasts gets rashes caused by moisture, and some get migraines when their nerves get compressed due to the pressure to their necks and shoulders applied by their large breasts. Worse, some patients are forced to stand or walk differently to compensate for their weight.
For these kinds of problems, breast reduction can be an excellent solution to explore. If you are looking into this procedure, this article will tell you the basics you need to know about it.
Breast Reduction Surgery: What To Expect
Breast reduction, or reduction mammaplasty, consists in removing tissues, excess fat, and skin from the breasts. Its objective is to achieve a breast size proportional to the person’s body to ease discomfort to the patient eventually. There are many ways to perform the procedure, depending on the patient’s body type and breast size. Among them there are:- The Lollipop Incision: This method involves repositioning the nipples. It is a short-scar method that produces less visible scars and a faster recovery time.
- The Wise Pattern Lift: This method involves creating a cut in the shape of inverted ‘T’ along the inframammary fold or where the underwire of bras is positioned.
How the Process Goes
Here is how the process typically works:- The Referral: Usually, breast reduction is a procedure recommended by specialists to patients. Expect your primary care physician, physical therapist, or spine specialist to recommend this as the last resort if you have a long experience of chronic neck and back pain.
- Review of the Case: Before the patient is accepted for the procedure, the plastic surgeon reviews the patient’s health history. They may also conduct a physical check on the patient to see any abnormalities in their breasts, such as lumps and bumps.
- Setting the Target: Once everything is clear, the next step is to estimate how much mass or weight should be reduced from the breast based on the patient’s current body type, body mass, and breast structure. The process involves getting anatomic measurements, taking documentary photos, and planning the breast’s after-surgery appearance.
Some Important Details To Know
Before going through the procedure, here are some critical factors that you should be aware of.- On Breastfeeding: If the patient is a nursing mom, the surgeon would usually recommend postponing the procedure until after the parent is done with their breastfeeding. Most women can breastfeed again after the procedure, but for some patients the ability to produce milk may be limited.
- On Diagnostics: Breast reduction surgery could interfere with certain diagnostic procedures.
- On Smokers: To ensure a safer and quicker recovery, you are encouraged to quit smoking if you are a smoker or a vape user. This habit can compress blood vessels and also negatively affect one’s skin. That could prolong and impact the skin’s proper healing.