If you have large breasts, you will be likely to develop back and shoulder pain. In addition, you might feel self-conscious about your appearance and have difficulty participating in sports and exercise programs. At The Plastic Surgery Center in Sarasota and Bradenton, FL, we can address these issues by providing you with a breast reduction. This procedure will bring your breasts into proportion with your other features.
Are You a Candidate for Breast Reduction?
A breast reduction, also known as a reduction mammoplasty, is a cosmetic procedure that is used to decrease the size of your breasts. This procedure can alleviate a variety of emotional and physical problems. If you are experiencing these issues, you are likely to be a good candidate for this procedure.
Considering Your Physical Issues
Large breasts can cause you to experience a wide range of physical challenges. For example, you are likely to develop shoulder, back, or neck pain. This pain can become worse over time. Further, your breasts may cause your bra strap to make uncomfortable indentations in your skin, and you might develop rashes on the skin in the creases under your breasts. It’s also common to have difficulty taking part in exercise programs and sporting events.
If you are experiencing any of these physical issues, you should think about using a cosmetic procedure to reduce the size of your breasts. Bringing your breasts into proportion with the rest of your figure will reduce your back pain and make it easier for you to take part in physical activities.
Considering Your Emotional Challenges
In addition to causing you to experience physical problems, your large breasts can create emotional challenges. You might feel self-conscious about your figure and develop depression or anxiety. Further, you might not feel comfortable wearing certain types of clothing. Changing the size of your breasts will decrease your anxiety and improve your self-esteem.
Considering Your Health
To achieve favorable results from this type of cosmetic procedure, you will need to meet a number of medical requirements. In particular, you might not be able to get a reduction if you have a bleeding disorder or other significant health problem. Further, you will need to have a realistic understanding of the positive changes that you are likely to see in your breasts.
Why Do You Have Large Breasts?
Your genetics, weight, and other variables will influence the size of your breasts.
Your Genetics
Your genes will affect the size and shape of your breasts. You can inherit the tendency to develop large breasts from your mother, aunts, grandmothers, and other relatives on both sides of your family.
Your Weight
You don’t have to be overweight to have disproportionately large breasts. If this type of figure runs in your family, you might be a slim, active person with very large breasts. However, gaining weight can change the condition of the fatty tissues in your breasts. As a result, your breasts will probably become bigger if you gain a large amount of weight.
Your Hormones
Your production of hormones will also impact the size of your breasts. For example, you will experience hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and breastfeeding. These changes are likely to increase the size of your breasts.
How Should You Prepare for Your Reduction?
Before you receive your breast reduction, you will have an initial consultation with us.
Receiving an Initial Consultation
Your consultation will give you an opportunity to ask us questions about this procedure. In addition to asking questions, you should be ready to discuss your reasons for seeking this procedure and review your medical background in detail. You will also need to tell us about any allergies or health issues that you have. For example, you should tell us if you have received a cosmetic procedure or experienced a medical issue that affected your breasts in the past.
During your consultation, we will carefully examine your breasts, take photographs, and measure specific features in this area. We will also give you more information about the type of cosmetic techniques and anesthesia that we will use during your procedure.
Preparing for Your Procedure
Once we have scheduled a date for your reduction, we will give you individualized instructions to follow. Although your set of instructions will be personalized, we are likely to ask you to quit smoking cigarettes. In addition, you may have to temporarily stop using aspirin and anti-inflammatory medications. Further, we might instruct you to stop eating or drinking by a certain time on the day before your reduction.
What Type of Reduction Will You Receive?
We will use different methods to reshape, reduce, and lift your breasts. The size and shape of your breasts, your cosmetic goals, and other variables will affect the techniques that we will use to achieve these goals.
Beginning Your Reduction
We will typically begin your reduction by providing you with general anesthesia. This medication will allow you to remain unconscious during your procedure. Although the length of your reduction will vary, this procedure will usually take about three to four hours.
Reshaping Your Breasts
We can use a variety of different incision options to improve your breasts. For example, we might start your procedure by creating anchor-shaped incisions around your areolas and the undersides of your breasts. Alternatively, we might make vertical incisions in your breasts. If you have very large breasts, we may perform a nipple graft during your procedure.
We will use these techniques to remove extra fat, skin, and other tissues from your breasts. In addition, we will move your nipples to a higher, more attractive location on your chest.
Removing Extra Fat
In addition to using incisions to improve your breasts, we may perform liposuction during your reduction. If we use this technique to change your breasts, we will suction out some of the fatty tissues in this location. Depending on your needs, we may also remove extra fat from your armpit area.
Completing Your Procedure
After we have repositioned your nipples, we will use dissolvable sutures to close your incisions and place bandages or tape on your breasts. In addition, we might put you into a special bra or compression garment that will keep your breasts in position during the beginning of your recovery period.
Since your reduction will be an outpatient procedure, you won’t have to spend the night in the hospital. After we have observed your reaction to this procedure, you will be able to go to your home and start your recovery period.
What Should You Expect During the Recovery Period?
Your recovery period is likely to last for several weeks. During this time, you will need to schedule time away from your job and make some adjustments to your typical routine.
Taking a Rest
You should plan on taking at least seven days off from your job. If you have childcare responsibilities, you should ask a friend or relative to care for your children during this time. This person can also help you cook meals, clean your home, and perform other daily tasks.
While you are beginning your recovery, we may instruct you to take over-the-counter or prescription medications. In addition, you should not perform challenging fitness routines or pick up heavy objects for about four to six weeks.
Wearing a Special Bra
We will probably instruct you to wear a special type of bra for the next several weeks. After you remove your special bra, you will probably need to wear a supportive sports bra for up to four weeks. You should not wear a bra with an underwire during your recovery period. The underwire in this type of bra could rub against your incisions and disrupt the healing process.
When Will You See the Final Impact of Your Reduction?
Your breasts will be noticeably smaller after your procedure is complete. However, the tissues in this location will take several months to completely heal. You will typically see the final impact of your reduction within six to 12 months.
Will Your Procedure Permanently Improve the Size of Your Breasts?
The techniques that we use to decrease the size of your breasts are likely to have a permanent effect on your figure. As a result, you shouldn’t need to receive additional treatments or procedures to change the size of your breasts.
However, our procedure cannot prevent age, weight gain, and other factors from changing the shape and size of your breasts. For example, your breasts can become bigger if you gain a large amount of weight after you receive your reduction. Further, going through menopause or pregnancy can alter the appearance of your breasts. It’s also common to develop sagging problems as your skin becomes weaker and less elastic.
Should You Use This Procedure To Improve Your Breasts?
If you have very large, heavy breasts, you will be likely to develop sagging problems. For example, your breasts may move into a lower position on your chest at a relatively early stage in your life. You can improve this issue by getting a reduction. In addition to decreasing the size of your chest, we will improve your appearance by positioning your breasts into a higher location on your chest.
Receiving a Breast Lift
Alternatively, we can change the position of your breasts by giving you a breast lift, also known as a mastopexy. We can use two main techniques to reposition your breasts.
During a vertical mastopexy, we will make small incisions around your areolas and the lower folds in your breasts. If you receive an anchor incision mastopexy, we will make additional incisions in your lower breast fold. These incisions will allow us to gently raise your nipples and tighten your skin.
Choosing a Procedure
The procedure that’s right for you will depend on the size of your breasts, the condition of your skin, and the goals that you are trying to achieve. If you are primarily interested in fixing your sagging issues, we will probably advise you to receive a breast lift. If you would like to minimize sagging problems and decrease the size of your chest, we are likely to recommend a reduction.
Schedule a Consultation
Very large breasts can interfere with your ability to exercise and spend time playing sports. In addition, you might struggle to find comfortable bras and suffer from back and shoulder pain. Receiving a breast reduction can correct these problems and increase your satisfaction with your figure. To learn whether you are a candidate for this procedure, contact us at The Plastic Surgery Center in Sarasota and Bradenton, FL.
