What is Breast Reduction?
A breast reduction, or reduction mammoplasty, is a cosmetic procedure to reduce the size of women’s breasts. In addition to physical pain and other symptoms, large breasts may also draw unwanted attention. This can affect a woman’s self-esteem and make her uncomfortable with her appearance. This procedure removes fat and glandular tissue from the breast while tightening skin to produce smaller breasts that are more comfortable and in better proportion to the rest of the body.
Prior to your procedure, Dr. Walden will meet with you to discuss your goals and expectations for surgery. She will also inform you of the details of your chosen procedure. This discussion is important for helping you to achieve the precise results you desire. Each procedure is fully customized for the individual patient.
What Are the Benefits of Breast Reduction Surgery?
Women with large breasts who are unhappy with their appearance and/or want to treat symptoms such as back pain, breathing problems, and poor posture may benefit from breast reduction surgery. A breast reduction can help a patient regain confidence and enjoy a renewed self-image by creating a body contour she is proud of.
Who Are the Ideal Candidates for Breast Reduction Surgery?
Ideal candidates for breast reduction surgery are women whose oversized breasts are causing medical problems, low self-esteem, physical or social discomfort, or frustration in general. Women must not be pregnant or breastfeeding while undergoing this procedure. It is important for patients to understand the details and risks associated with this procedure. Patients should have realistic expectations in order to be satisfied with the results of their surgery.
Reducing Breast Implant Size
If you are unhappy with the large size of your breast implants, you may be a better candidate for a breast revision surgery. Dr. Jennifer Walden will make incisions to remove your current breast implants and replace them with a smaller, more comfortable size implant through breast augmentation. The pocket in the breast will be smaller. A breast lift, or mastopexy, may be necessary to lift the breast tissue and reduce sagging.
Breast Reduction Surgery With Dr. Jennifer Walden
The reduction mammoplasty procedure is performed under general anesthesia and takes about two to four hours. This depends on the techniques used and each patient’s individual case. There are several different types of incisions that Dr. Walden uses for this procedure. Dr. Walden will determine the best type for you after evaluating your breasts.
Sometimes, liposuction is used to reduce breast size. An advantage of this is little-to-no scarring. For liposuction to be an option for breast reduction, patients must have enough fatty tissue in their breasts. Liposuction is also used for male breast reduction.
Breast Reduction Incisions
- Traditional Breast Reduction Surgery – This technique involves an anchor-shaped incision, and is ideal for women with extremely large breasts, although scarring is usually more apparent. Skin, fat, and tissue can be removed from the lower breast; the nipples and areolas may be repositioned as well.
- Vertical-Incision Breast Reduction – Also known as short-scar, this technique involves incisions that extend around the areola and down to the breast crease in a lollipop shape. A vertical incision is ideal for women with moderately large breasts and creates shapelier results with less scarring for women who do not require extensive tissue removal.
- Scarless Breast Reduction – Scarless breast reduction uses liposuction techniques to reduce the size of the breast with little or no scarring. Because liposuction removes only fatty tissue, patients should have more fatty tissue than glandular tissue. This technique is commonly used on men with enlarged breasts.
After the breast reduction procedure, patients will likely experience soreness, swelling and bruising for several days. Dr. Walden will remove bandages after two days and replace them with a surgical bra. Physical activity should be minimal for one to two weeks. Patients should avoid exercise and other strenuous activity for at least four weeks. Patients will return to the office to have stitches removed after approximately two to three weeks, at which point most will be able to return to work and other regular activities.
It is important to see Dr. Walden for regular follow-up visits to ensure that your breasts are healing properly.
A breast reduction will leave permanent scars on your breasts. The size of the scar depends on the incision used for the procedure. The larger the incision, the larger and more noticeable the scar. Scars will appear lumpy and red for months after the surgery but will fade over time. Breast reduction with liposuction will leave the smallest scar.
The results of breast reduction are noticeable immediately after surgery. They will continue to improve as swelling and bruising subside. Scars will continue to fade with time, and you can conceal them with a bra, bathing suit or low-cut top. The smaller breasts that result from a breast reduction are permanent, but breasts are still subject to the effects of aging, gravity, changes in hormone levels, and weight gain/loss.
Although reduction mammoplasty is safe for most patients, there are certain risks with any surgical procedure. Some of these risks may include loss of sensation, scarring, and asymmetry, and well as general surgical risks such as infection, bleeding, and reaction to anesthesia. Most patients undergo this procedure with no serious complications.
Dr. Walden will discuss these and other risks with you prior to surgery, as well as answer any questions you may have to ensure that your procedure goes as smoothly as possible.
A breast reduction may have an effect on your ability to breastfeed. This depends on the type of incision used in the procedure. Traditional reduction mammoplasty uses larger incisions that remove some milk ducts. This could reduce your ability to breastfeed. In breast reduction cases using smaller incisions, there is less of a chance of the procedure affecting your breastfeeding ability.
Breast Reduction Patient Reviews
“The single best experience would be the results after my surgery. My self-esteem got a great big boost. Dr. Jennifer Walden is a wonderful person and surgeon. I had been wanting to have the type of surgery that I had for a long time but was nervous to proceed. After meeting Dr. Walden and her team, I knew she was the surgeon to help me. Surgery was planned and everything went according to schedule. I have continued to visit Dr. Walden for follow-ups, and I am extremely pleased with the results, with Dr. Walden’s expertise, with Dr. Walden’s team who are all extremely nice and helpful. I have continued to visit Dr. Walden’s office for other procedures and I would highly recommend Dr. Walden to family and friends.” Breast Reduction Patient of Jennifer Walden, MD.
“Dr. Walden & her staff do an exceptional job of making sure you are completely comfortable throughout the entire process. My procedure its self exceeded my expectations & has truly improved my life in so many ways. After my breast reduction, every single thing I do has been more enjoyable. Working, shopping, traveling you name it. It’s incredible the difference you feel when you feel better about yourself.” Breast Reduction Patient of Jennifer Walden, MD
Schedule a Consultation
To learn more about breast reduction surgery, contact the office of Dr. Jennifer Walden. Call 512-328-4100 to schedule a consultation and see if you are a good candidate.
