Large breasts may prevent you from living an active, healthier lifestyle because of the disproportionate distribution of upper body weight.
When you live with too much breast tissue, your breasts can interfere with daily activities. This may make working out embarrassing too.
What Is Breast Reduction?
Large, pendulous breasts can lead to back and neck pain, shoulder grooving from bra straps, and/or rashes from being constantly moist and irritated. Newport Beach, CA plastic surgeon Dr. Karen Leong has helped countless women get back their confidence and feel more comfortable with their bust size through a surgical reduction of the breasts. Consultations are available at our Newport Beach facility.
Just as in a breast lift, this excess tissue can be removed from where it is, and the remaining breast tissues can be repositioned on the chest. Repositioning the nipple and shaping the breast into a smaller, perkier version can drastically change a woman’s perception of herself and her femininity. This breast reduction surgery provided by Dr. Leong reduces excess breast fat and reshapes the size of the nipples/areolas. In most cases, a breast lift is performed to produce a tighter and younger-looking appearance.
What Is the Breast Reduction Procedure Like?
Breast reduction surgery is an outpatient process and is performed with general anesthesia. The duration of surgery depends upon several factors, including the complexity of the incision, the overall reduction technique, and finally, how much reduction is required. The nipple and areola repositioning is also a factor. For some patients, liposuction may be the solution for fat and tissue elimination to decrease breast size. During your consultation, all of these factors are addressed by Dr. Leong. Scarring is also scrupulously discussed, as it does take time for scars to fully mature and fade. However, surgical skills and advanced methods have led to a noticeable reduction in overall scarring. Depending on the intricacy of the reduction, either an anchor or a vertical lollipop incision will be used. The breast tissue will be removed, and the existing tissue and skin pulled tight and secured.
Recovery and Results after a Breast Reduction
After surgery, you will be discharged home to heal. Dr. Leong does not use drains in her breast reductions unless she has a concern at the time of surgery. A supportive bra will take tension off the incisions and allow the tissues to heal. The breasts will position themselves and settle within about a month, and the post-op effects will diminish. Our breast reduction patients feel lighter and pain-free even a day after surgery! They cannot wait to buy clothes they could not wear before and feel enthusiastic about their new and improved shape. Remember, it is still important to stay healthy by diet and exercise to maintain the results.
Am I a Good Candidate for Breast Reduction?
If you are challenged with excessively large and heavy breasts that affect your daily life, a cosmetic breast reduction may be a good option to get the figure you wish for. This surgery is helpful for women who experience emotional stress or find it difficult to lead an active life because of the weight of their breasts. If you also suffer from ongoing skin problems (as well as back or neck pain), this surgery can eliminate these annoyances. It is important for patients to find a trained surgeon like Dr. Leong, who understands the desired outcome and has the aptitude to produce a pleasing and natural appearance.
The cost of your breast reduction surgery will be discussed during your consultation. Once she has developed your treatment plan, it will be easier to estimate your costs, including anesthesia, fees for the surgical facility, and more. This usually averages out to about $14,700. Breast reduction surgery often leads to significant improvements in a patient’s life and is well worth it. If cost is a concern, our team will help you find low-interest financing to make your treatment affordable. Dr. Leong does not accept insurance for breast reduction surgeries.
In most cases, the nipples and areola will be shifted to a higher, more aesthetic position on the breast during the surgery. Dr. Leong will choose a technique like the anchor or lollipop incision to move the nipple and areola higher on the breast. The size of the areola is reduced at the same time. All of these will be discussed during your consultation when Dr. Leong helps you decide on the best plan to achieve your goals.
Breast reduction surgery may affect your ability to breastfeed. While some women may still be able to breastfeed after a reduction, some cannot. It is difficult to predict whether your surgery will cause you problems with breastfeeding. For this reason, Dr. Leong recommends that patients be done having children or be willing to not breastfeed before having breast reduction surgery.
After reduction surgery, your breasts can get bigger or smaller with significant weight changes. This is why it’s helpful to be at a healthy, stable weight before your surgery that’s easy for you to maintain. During your consultation, Dr. Leong will talk to you about the best ways to prepare for your surgery and what you should do after to ensure you are happy with your results.
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