Besides creating unhappiness from esthetic point of view, big breasts can also cause physical problems like shoulder and back pain, respiratory problems, excessive sweating under the breasts and postural disorders. Breast reduction surgery can be performed to solve these problems besides creating a more esthetic view. Breast reduction can significantly increase the quality of life of the patients.
For whom breast reduction can be performed?
Breast reduction can be planned after completion of breast development and there is not any age limit. In the adolescence period, if there is serious amount of breast growth, in order to prevent psychsocial disturbances, surgery can be planned earlier. In older age groups, while plannning the surgery, general health status of the patient, previous surgeries and presence of any masses in the breast must be considered.
Breast reduction can be planned after completion of breast development and there is not any age limit. In the adolescence period, if there is serious amount of breast growth, in order to prevent psychsocial disturbances, surgery can be planned earlier. In older age groups, while plannning the surgery, general health status of the patient, previous surgeries and presence of any masses in the breast must be considered.
For breast reduction, there are many different techniques defined in the literature. Scars of the surgery, breast feeding capacity and long term protection of breast shape changes according to the technique used. Like all other surgical procedures, each technique of breast reduction has certain advantages and disadvantages and these must be discussed in details before the surgery.
Are there scars of breast reduction?
There will be scars after the breast reduction surgery in all types of techniques. Unfortunately, it is impossible to perform this surgery without scars but there are techniques to decrease scars. In all techniques used, there will be a scar around the areola. In addition to this scar, there are techniques that create a lineer scar extending from areola downwards (vertical scar techniques). There are also other techniques that create a scar pattern like an inverted T (Scar around the areola, lineer scar from areola downwards and a horizontal scar underneath the breast). Selection of the technique that will be used changes according to the age and body shape of the patient and the size of the breast. The technique that will be used must be decided after the preoperative examination of the patient.
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Is it possible to breastfeed after surgery?
During the surgery, certain amount of skin and mammary gland is excised and a reduction is provided in each technique used. During the surgery, milk canals are also effected in certain degrees. For this reason, breast feeding potential can be effected after the surgery. It is possible to breatfeed after the breast reduction but there may be reduction in breastfeeding after the surgery according to the amount of the mammary tissue excised.
What about the postoperative period?
Breast reduction surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Surgery time changes according to the technique but it lasts 2-3 hours. There will be drainage systems for 1-3 days after the surgery. Usually 1 day hospital stay is enough after the surgery. Pain after the surgery is not too much and can be resolved with pain killers. After the surgery, postoperative medical bra is used for 3-4 weeks in order to shape the breast. In 7-10 days after the surgery, patient can return to work and normal daily activities. But it is important to avoid heavy exercises and activities for 4-6 weeks.
Some amount of hardness and edema is expected after the surgery. Edema dissolves with time and like many other surgeries, final shape of the breast can be achieved in 3-6 months after the surgery.
Since many physical problems are dissolved, breast reduction surgery is a procedure that significantly increases your quality of life and self confidence besides improving the esthetic view of the breasts.
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