BREAST REDUCTION

A DISTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT PRACTICE

EXPERIENCE EXTRAORDINARY

What is a Breast Reduction?

Breasts that are too large can negatively affect one’s health. People with overly large breasts often state that their physical activity is restricted by the heaviness of their breasts. Other common symptoms include the neck, shoulder, and upper back pain, rash formation under the breasts, difficulty finding properly fitted bras and clothing, and shoulder strap grooving from the weight of the breasts in a bra.

Breast reduction, also known as reduction mammoplasty, is a procedure to remove excess breast fat, glandular tissue, and skin to help alleviate symptoms of overly large breasts and to form a breast size that is in proportion with your body. Breast reduction surgery has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates of all procedures performed by plastic surgeons. Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer use their expertise to create a beautifully shaped breast that matches each patient’s size ideal to improve each patient’s quality of life.

Breast reduction surgery is a good option for you if you are relatively healthy and are bothered by the large size of your breasts. When choosing a plastic surgeon for breast reduction surgery, remember that the surgeon’s experience and your comfort with him or her are just as important as the final cost of the surgery.

About the Procedure:

Breast reduction involves making incisions on the breast skin to remove the excess fat, breast tissue, and skin. In some cases, excess fat may be removed through liposuction in conjunction with direct excision of skin, fat, and breast tissue.  If breast size is largely due to fatty tissue and excess skin is not a factor, liposuction alone may be used for breast reduction. The technique used to reduce the size of your breasts will be determined by your breast size, shape, composition, and your size goals.

The results of your breast reduction surgery are immediately visible and will be long-lasting. Over time, post-surgical swelling will resolve and incision lines will fade. Satisfaction with your new image should continue to grow as you recover from surgery.

It is important to remember that breasts are dynamic and can change with fluctuations in weight, pregnancy, menopause, and with aging. Breast reduction surgery can be performed at any age but is best performed after the breasts have fully developed. Maintaining your weight and keeping a healthy lifestyle will help the longevity of your breast reduction.

FAQ’s

Breast reduction surgery can be safely performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility. Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer’s office ambulatory surgical facility is accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). Established in 1980, AAAASF holds outpatient and office-based facilities to hospital standards and assures the public that patient safety is the top priority in a facility.

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. Anesthesia choices for breast reduction surgery include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer will recommend which anesthesia option is best for you.

Incisions are either a keyhole (also called racquet-shaped) pattern, or an inverted T (also called anchor-shaped) pattern. Both types of incision patterns have an incision around the circumference of the areola, and down the vertical aspect of the breast. The inverted T or anchor-shaped pattern incision also has an incision in the breast crease, called the inframammary fold. Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer will discuss with you which incision pattern will give you the best result possible.

A keyhole or racquet-shaped incision pattern

An inverted T or anchor-shaped incision pattern

Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer preserve the nipple and areola on a bed of healthy breast tissue to preserve its blood supply. The nipple and areola are then repositioned to a more favorable position on the breast. Very rarely, in extremely large breasted women, the nipple and areola may need to be removed and repositioned to a higher position on the breast. This is very rarely performed in Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer’s hands.

Yes, the size of your areola can be reduced during breast reduction surgery if it is too large.

Your ability to breastfeed following reduction mammaplasty may be limited after surgery. Some women have successfully breastfed after reduction mammoplasty while others have not. Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer will discuss this in detail with you at your consultation.

Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer see all of their breast reduction patients the day after surgery. The Doctors and their exceptional team will take care of all dressings at this visit.

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