Breast Reduction Dallas - Reduction Mammoplasty Plano TX
Enhancing your Appearance with a Breast Reduction
Sometimes, that which was once thought to be a blessing, can become a curse. Women who have very large breasts that are disproportionate to the rest of their body oftentimes complain of back and neck pain, breathing problems and slumped posture. When one considers quality of life issues, it is no wonder why so many women opt for breast reduction surgery to alleviate the physical problems associated with overly large breasts.
Cosmetic surgeons have developed an amazing technique of breast reduction that alleviates many or all of the physical problems associated with very large breasts by removing excess fat, skin and tissues from the breasts, which makes them smaller, firmer and ultimately, lighter. During residency at Duke University I was trained in the most common technique in breast reduction in the world known as the inferior pedicle technique. This implies that the blood supply to the nipple comes from the fold of the breast where some nice blood vessels are present. In my first few years in practice I started to pay much closer attention to the options and have since developed my own system in breast reduction that seems to work very consistently and reproducibly. There’s no single technique that works perfectly in everyone. Everyone’s anatomy is different so certain people have better results from lollipop incisions on their skin than others and some need the blood supply to come from above (not below .. especially since we’re trying to lift!). The goal is to create breasts that are proportionate to the body type and scale of the woman, thus relieving some of the issues associated with very large breasts, including the physical inactivity caused by the pain and discomfort of having overly large breasts.
What Breast Reduction Surgery Won’t Do
There are specific breast surgeries that target specific issues with the breasts. The reduction mammaplasty specifically addresses the issues that can be brought on by breasts that are too large for the woman’s body frame. The procedure will reduce the physical size of your breasts, but it will not make them fuller and rounder at the top of the breast and it does not guarantee the removal of stretch marks. Many times, I will suggest a breast lift in conjunction with the breast reduction in order to achieve the results you are looking for.
Is it Right for Me?
As with any cosmetic enhancement surgery, you should first consider your motivations for surgery to be sure that you’re choosing surgery for yourself and not to fulfill someone else’s’ desires or expectations of you or your body. It is a very personal matter and any decision for surgery should come after careful consideration of all the facts and emotions involved.
The Breast Reduction procedure may help you if you:
- Suffer chronic back and neck pain
- Suffer from kyphosis, or the rounding of the upper back and cervical spine because of over-compensation due to breast weight
- Have breathing problems such as heaviness or shortness of breath
- Maintain good physical health and weight
- Don’t smoke
- Have realistic expectations
What to Expect During your Consultation
In order to create the best possible results from your breast reduction surgery, it is important that we meet to discuss your desires and expectations, as well as how breast reduction surgery will impact your health, lifestyle and general well-being. It is a good idea to prepare by considering the following before your consultation:
- General medical history, including any genetic propensity for breast cancer, results of previous mammogram’s and any previous surgeries (I’ll ask for a recent mammogram if you’re 35 or older)
- A detailed account of current prescription medications, supplements (vitamins or others) that you take
- Any use of tobacco or other drugs
- What are your motivations for surgery? What are your expectations?
At the consultation, I will also want to talk to you about: - Your current health
- The condition of your pre-operative breasts for size, shape and irregularities and photograph your breasts
- Based on the information gathered, I will:
- Discuss your surgical options and recommend a course of treatment
- Disclose the risk of common complications associated with breast reduction surgery and the use of anesthesia
- Cover what to do the day of surgery
- Cover post-operative care and recovery
Here are some important questions to consider asking me during our consultation:
- Where will I recover directly after surgery?
- Will I be prescribed any post-surgery medications?
- How often do my bandages need to be changed and when will they be removed permanently?
- When will the stitches be removed?
- How soon will I need to return for a follow-up visit?
Preparing for surgery
In the weeks before surgery, I may request:
- Further laboratory testing or medical evaluations
- Adjusting current prescriptions
- That you get a mammogram pre and post surgery (like I said, 35 is my cut off) to document any changes in breast tissues
- That you avoid the consumption of alcohol, drugs and abstain from smoking for a certain period surrounding surgery
What Does the Breast Reduction Procedure Look Like?
There are many options available today to produce the best possible results of your breast reduction surgery. I’ve figured out the best applications for each of these techniques and will decide which to apply to your anatomy.
I’ll determine the techniques used for your procedure based on:
- Your height, average weight and body type
- The current size, shape, direction and location of your breasts relative to your chest
- The condition of the skin and breast tissue including elasticity
- The anatomy of your nipples and areolas
Anesthesia
Depending on your individual circumstances, I typically perform this surgery in about 3 hours or so under general anesthesia. It is directly related to how much tissue is needed to be removed.
The Incision
I generally choose to make my incisions around the circumference of the areola and straight down from the bottom of the areola to the breast crease, which allows most of the incisions to be hidden in the natural creases of the breast. Excess fat and breast tissues are then removed and the excess skin is trimmed. Finally, the nipple and areola area is trimmed and repositioned to match the proportion and scale of the newly reduced breast.
On occasion I’ll perform a technique in breast reduction that involves liposuction only. For you to be a candidate you must have fairly fatty tissues in your breasts and not have much sagging. This is a very cutting edge technique that is only applicable in a small margin of patients, but that could be you! Again, I’ll help you decide on the very best technique that will get you to where you want.
Closing the Incisions
Once the procedure has been completed, the incisions are closed with layered sutures and surgical tape or skin glue.
The breast reduction procedure is unique in that scarring from incisions are, indeed, noticeable on the surface of the breast due to the nature of the procedure. Even though these scar lines will not fade completely, they will become flush and fade significantly over time. Be patient and look at photos before surgery, you’ll be relieved to see how well the incisions heal up.
Important Facts about the Safety and Risks of Breast Reduction Surgery
Ultimately, the decision to undergo the breast reduction procedure is yours alone. After careful consideration of both the risks and benefits of surgery, you’ll have to weigh the risks against the potential benefits to make an informed decision that you can live with. I will go over all potential risks of surgery and will make myself available to answer any and all of your questions.
Here is a listing of some of the risks associated with reduction mammaplasty:
- Adverse scarring
- Excessive bleeding (hematoma)
- Infection
- Complications associated with scar healing, including pain associated with surgery
- Potential loss of breast sensation, which can be either permanent or temporary
- Potential risks of anesthesia use
- Blood clots
- Possibility of loss of sensation in part or all of nipple and/or areola
In addition, if you plan on becoming pregnant after your surgery, it is important to know that pregnancy and childbirth may have adverse effects on the results of your breast reduction. The effects of breast reduction on breast feeding have been studied over and over again. Although most studies have pretty conclusively determined that it is not related and the incisions are not going through the main ducts that carry milk to the nipple; it is still a consideration that no mother can ignore. I’ve found that many are so disabled by their large breasts that most just want the reduction and will live with the improved quality of life and apply that towards carrying their children will less carrying ‘load’ in front of them. The science that is out there supports NO ADVERSE EFFECTS on breast feeding. If you aren’t able to breast feed after a breast reduction it not necessarily due to the breast surgery you’ve had. Even if you were able to breast feed for a previous child.
Where Will My Surgery be Performed?
Typically, breast reduction procedures are done on an outpatient basis, which means that the surgery can be performed in an accredited office-based surgical center, outpatient ambulatory surgical center or a hospital.
I’ll go over the options you may have regarding the location of your surgery. Typically, the breast reduction procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, which means that the surgery can be performed at Dallas Day Surgery Center of Texas (this is our facility at the DALLAS PLASTIC SURGERY INSTITUTE) or a hospital (I’m privileged at Presbyterian Dallas- Margot Perot Women’s Surgery Center, Baylor University Medical Center Dallas, Medical City Dallas, Baylor Regional Medical Center of Plano and The Medical Center of Plano).
Be Careful
After any surgery, it is important to closely monitor how you feel, especially directly after surgery. Varying degrees of pain are certainly to be expected, however, if you experience any kind of tightness or shortness of breath, pains deep in your chest or an irregular heart beat you should go to the doctor and call immediately. To avoid complications, it is of paramount importance that you strictly follow your doctor’s post-surgical instructions and be cautious! There is never any reason to hesitate to call me. I’d much rather you call me and have me in the loop rather than discover a problem once it could’ve been managed differently earlier on.
My Recovery
Recovery from reduction mammaplasty surgery is a very individualized process, but there are some common effects one can expect. Bruising and swelling are, of course, normal but pretty uncommon. Recovery time is different for everyone, but a minimum of 3-5 days of resting with very little physical activity is recommended. Typically, my patients are so pleased with their recovery that they don’t even finish a bottle of 30 pain pills. When I was doing the techniques I learned in residency there were more complaints of pain than now. At this point, using variations in techniques and merging concepts from several techniques, not only are my results better but my patients are healing incredibly quickly. Because I’m pretty exclusively doing breast surgeries in my reconstructive practice, I’m focusing on both of these goals so naturally I get closer every time I make a change.
In addition, observance of 10 -14 days without strenuous physical exercise is essential, in order for the incisions to heal and swelling to reduce. Limiting your fluid intake to only drinking for thirst and mild exercise such as easy walking is recommended. Finally, it is important that no heavy lifting and no lifting above the head be performed from 4-6 weeks after surgery.
See the Results
Although you will notice immediate results, your tissues will continue to recover even further as swelling subsides and scars begin to fade, and you will find that your results will continue to unfold over time. It’s like your seeing the tissues settling in, they look more and more natural (not saggy, just more natural) as time passes. The results of your breast lift surgery will be long-lasting, in fact, it’s like you’re living on daylight savings once I do the operation. You get to start with a more youthful breast and then start aging from there. Not a bad deal huh? You will once again find it easier to wear certain styles of clothing and swim wear, especially as the first few months pass and the swelling reduces and scarring begins to fade.
How Much will My Breast Reduction Cost?
Cost depends on many varying factors, including the experience of the surgeon with this procedure and the geographic location of the procedure. Oftentimes, higher cost is not indicative of higher quality; but, it can also be said that you get what you pay for. I try to keep our prices reasonable, not too low, nor too high. Come on in for a free consultation and we’d be glad to quote you.
Costs you can expect to incur:
- Surgeon’s fee
- Facility fee
- Anesthesiologist
- Medications
- Laboratory tests
In addition, our practice offers patient financing options to consider, so please feel free to ask!
