What Is Breast Reduction?
Breast reduction surgery, also referred as reduction mammoplasty, is a procedure done to remove extra fat, glandular tissue, and skin from your breasts to gain a breast size more in proportion with your body and to alleviate the discomfort associated with excessively large breasts (macromastia).
Disproportionately large breasts can make both physical and emotional distress. Patients with macromastia may feel physical discomfort resulting from the over weight of their breasts.
If you feel such like issues with large breasts that are out of proportion to the rest of your body and causing neck pain, back pain, or other symptoms, you might consider having breast reduction surgery.
Men with diseases like gynecomastia (male breasts are abnormally enlarged) may also have this.
Breast reduction surgery might help also to improve your self-image and body shape.
Why it’s done?
Breast reduction surgery is recommended for women who want to resolve following issues:
- Chronic back, neck and shoulder pain that requires pain medications
- Chronic rash or skin irritation under the breasts
- Nerve pain
- Restricted activity
- Worst self-image related to large breasts
- Difficulty fitting into bras and clothing
When it’s done?
Breast reduction surgery is possible at any age of your life — sometimes even as a teenager, but, if your breasts didn’t reach it’s complete growth, you might have a second surgery later in life.
You might need to postpone breast reduction surgery if you have certain plans, like:
- Childbirth: If you haven't started a family or your family isn't yet complete, you might wait until pregnancy isn't an issue. Breast-feeding might be challenging after breast reduction surgery — although certain surgical treatments can help to strengthen your ability to breast-feed.
- Weight loss: If you are intending in losing weight by changing your diet and starting an exercise program, you might wait to decide if reduction mammoplasty is needed for you. Losing weight can often effect in changes to your breast size.
How to prepare for Breast Reduction Surgery?
Firstly, you need to meet with your plastic surgeon to discuss about your intention to have breast reduction surgery. In this meet, open communication is important matter to get the best possible outcome. Be sure to ask questions and mention any concerns you may have about the breast reduction procedure, and be prepared to discuss your goals for the surgery.
In first meet, your plastic surgeon may do:
- Examine your medical history and overall health: including whether you've had a lump removed from your breast or have any other medical conditions that affect your breasts. He may ask your family’s medical history also.
- Discuss your expectations for breast size and body shape after the surgery
- Share a detailed narration of the surgery and its risks and benefits, including likely scarring and possible loss of sensation.
- Evaluate and measure your breasts.
- Take photos of your breasts for medical record purpose.
- Clarify the type of anaesthesia used during surgery.
After completing the discussion with surgeon, you will be asked to complete various lab tests related to breast reduction, get a baseline mammogram, stop smoking for a certain period before and after surgery, and avoid using aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and herbal supplements, to control bleeding during surgery.
Before the surgery procedure, keep these things on hand:
- Plenty of ice
- Gauze and clean washcloths and towels
- Loose and comfortable cloths.
- Certain ointments or creams recommended by your surgeon for the incision sites.
What is in breast reduction surgery?
Breast reduction surgery is commonly processed under general anaesthesia, either in a hospital or outpatient surgical places. Usually, the procedure takes about two or three hours.
Various techniques are used to reduce the size of your breasts. The procedure might consists of incisions and liposuction to remove the extra fat in your breasts.
The surgeon typically:
- Makes an incision around the areola and down each breast
- Removes extra breast tissue, fat and skin to reduce the size of each breast
- Reshapes the breast and repositions the nipple and areola
- Will try to gain symmetry between your breasts, but there is chance to occur some variation in breast size and shape.
The nipple and areola:
- Usually remain attached to the breast
- Might need to be removed and then reattached at a higher position as a skin graft if your breasts are very large
- The size of the areola also may be reduced.
Surgery incision scars might fade after a period, but will never completely disappear.
After the surgery:
Immediate procedures after the surgery:
- Your breasts will be dressed with a gauze dressing or bandages
- A tube might be fixed under each arm to drain any extra blood or fluid
- You likely will have medication for pain and antibiotics, to decrease your difficulty of infection
In the first days or week after surgery:
- Your breasts will probably experience tender and sensitive
- Your breasts might be swollen and bruised
- Your doctor might advise to use an elastic compression bra to protect the breasts.
After that period:
- You'll be compelled to limit physical activity for two to four weeks while the breasts heal
- Your surgeon might recommend avoiding underwire bras for a few months after surgery
Incisions usually fades over time. You will need a continues visit with your surgeon to remove stitches and check your recovery.
After effects of the surgery:
Successful breast reduction surgery can heal the pain in your upper back, neck and shoulders. It might also empower your ability to engage in physical activities and having a more positive self-image.
Even though you can experience the results quickly, don’t forget that it can take months for the swelling completely go down and the surgical scars to fade. The final result is usually permanent — although breast shape and size can alter due to factors such as weight fluctuations, pregnancy, aging, and gravity.
Breast reduction costs in Turkey
Costs of breast reduction surgery can differ widely according to the surgeon’s experience and the exact type of procedure. Compared to Europe and the US, the costs of breast reduction surgery and many other plastic surgery procedures are much lower in Turkey.
The full price consists of the price of surgery and additional costs such as anaesthesia fees, operating room facilities, hospital costs, examinations, and second procedure cost if necessary, etc.
In most cases, the costs of breast reduction surgery are covered by health insurance, as the procedure is considered reconstructive instead of cosmetic. Inquire with your insurer on what authorizations need to be achieved and how.
Expert Doctors For You:
- Dr Bulent Cihantimur
Aesthetic & Plastic Surgeon
Estetik International Health Group, Istanbul
Dr. Bülent Cihantimur, known as DoctorB, who is a world-popular plastic and reconstructive surgeon, graduated from Istanbul University Çapa Faculty of Medicine, Bülent Cihantimur, MD specialized in Plastic Surgery at Uludağ University. As the result of years of hard work and dedication, his techniques and skills earned him much awards in the past 20 years such as, The Golden Bistoury Award, The World’s Best Plastic Surgeon and Medical Man of the Year Award in 2014.
He treats patients from all over the world and is a member of a variety of social organizations including ISAPS
- Dr. Jale Ozdemir
Aesthetics and Plastic Surgeon
Estetik International Health Group, Istanbul
Dr. Jale Ozdemir is an Aesthetics, Plastic, and Reconstructive Surgeon having 14+ experience from Istanbul, Turkey. She is an expert in Abdominoplasty, Liposuction, Gynecomastia, Otoplasty, Buccal Fat Removal, etc. She is graduated from Yeni Yuzyil University Medical School, followed by post-graduation from the reputed Kocaeli University Medical School, Istanbul University.
She is a member of the Turkish Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Association, Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Association, Turkish Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery.
- Dr. Derya Bingol
Aesthetic & Plastic Surgeon
Medistanbul Hospital, Istanbul
Dr. Derya Bingol is a familiar Aesthetic & Plastic Surgeon based in Istanbul, Turkey with more than 14 years of experience in the field. An integral part of the Medistanbul Hospital, Istanbul, Dr. Bingol has performed close to 700+ cosmetic surgeries on national and international patients.
- Op. Dr. Attila Hacilar
Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon
Clinic Expert
Op. Dr. Attila Hacilar is renowned Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Specialist in Turkey, with more than 16 years of success full experience. Op. Dr. Hacılar completed his graduation from Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine in 1995, Op. Dr. in 2001, obtained his specialty at Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital.
Frequently asked questions:
- How do I know if I am a good candidate for breast reduction surgery?
Good candidates for breast reduction are women who are in good health condition, confident to reduce breasts with realistic expectations.
Signs that breast reduction may be of benefit to you as follows:
- Continues back pain, shoulder or neck pain that does not resolve with other treatments.
- Worst posture due to large breasts.
- Indentations from bra straps.
- Arm numbness or tingling.
- Breast’s large size limits the ability to be physically active.
- Continues skin irritation beneath the breast crease.
- How much smaller will my breasts be after a breast reduction surgery?
The size of your breast after surgery is based on how much amount of tissue is removed. The removable amount of tissue from your breasts varies based on many factors, such as your initial breast size and blood supply to your nipple. If your breast are too larger, more tissue will be removed. However, if a big amount of tissue is removed the nipple may not have enough blood supply to survive.
It is not predictable that how much your breast will be smaller when planning the surgery, however, it has been guessed that for every 100-300 grams of tissue removed, your breast will decrease about one bra cup size. Your board-certified plastic surgeon will be able to fix a safe amount of breast tissue to remove.
- Is breast reduction surgery covered by health insurance?
Breast reduction surgery is recognized a medically necessary procedure and is often covered by insurance. It is notable that to check with your insurance plan to fix their criteria for coverage and prior authorization. Insurance companies often demand documentation of persistent symptoms caused by large breasts not suitable to other treatments.
In addition to that, as a procedure to be recognized a true breast reduction surgery, a certain count of tissue should be removed. The minimal amount of tissue removed varies according to insurance plan and depends on body surface area. Usually, at least 200-350 grams must be removed from each breast for the surgery to be covered by insurance but this can range to a higher weight requirement to be removed of 700-800 grams.
- Do I need to be any certain age to undergo breast reduction surgery?
Breast reduction surgery is possible at any age of your life based on a minimum of teenage. The surgery in teenage requires careful consultation with the patient and the patient’s guardians. It’s recommended that the surgery to be done only after the breasts are fully developed.
- What are the differences between breast reduction surgery and breast lift surgery?
Both breast reduction and breast lift surgeries are proceed by removing the excess skin, fat and tissue in breasts. They involve the breast reshaping and result a lifted appearance.
However, the breast lift surgery is completely cosmetic and not covered by any insurance, whereas the breast reduction surgery is often done for the medical treatment purposes. If the removed amount of breast tissue is less than 200-350 grams, the procedure is considered as breast lift surgery.
- How will be the recovery after a breast reduction surgery?
After successful surgery, you will go home with dressings over the breasts and possibly small drains in the incisions. You will be given a surgical bra to minimize swelling as the breasts heal.
You need to undergo with instructions given by surgeon on proper wound care, and to have follow-up visits to monitor healing progress. Incisions in surgery need to stay dry for the first few days, but, usually, you will be able to bath after 1-2 days.
The breasts are often swollen after the procedure, but the swelling will decrease over the first few weeks, after which you will be able to see the total result of your breast reduction surgery. There may be small areas of opening along the incision line that may take longer to heal.
Scars from the procedure heal over the period of at least a year after surgery and may appear redder in the beginning then fade over time.
- Will my breast sensation be altered after breast reduction procedure?
Breast sensation can be the same after surgery, though sometimes sensation in the nipple is decreased (numbness) or even increased (more sensitivity). As with breastfeeding, certain reduction treatments may better preserve nipple sensation depending on individual patients.
You have to ask your surgeon about what they expect your sensory outcome will be after breast reduction.
Comments