Breast Reduction

Breast reduction is a surgical procedure needed in conditions where the breasts are bigger than normal as a result of pregnancy, over-weight, and breastfeeding. The breast’s bigness is not only an aesthetical problem but also a cause of serious health problems. This is because they cause back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, restricted physical activities, rashes under the breasts, inability to wear the desired clothes, and grooves on the shoulders, caused by bra straps. Excess breast tissue, fat, and skin that make the breast big are removed to eliminate the problems of people, who feel uncomfortable with such conditions. Then the breasts are made better proportioned to a patient’s body. You may have different-sized breasts. Different operation techniques can be used in breast reduction operations to provide symmetry between the breasts. Before starting breast reduction surgery, first the height of the patient and her breast weight are calculated, and then the drawings of the new breasts are created accordingly. Afterwards, the excess breast tissue and excess skin are removed while the patient is under general anesthesia. Breast reduction surgery takes about two to four hours. Even if patients feel mild pains when moving their arms in the first postoperative days, they are temporary pains. Sutures are removed two weeks after surgery, and patients can get back to their work at the end of this period.

First of all, you definitely need to have breast ultrasound scan before breast reduction surgery. Then you have to stop using aspirin, blood thinners and certain painkillers two weeks before surgery. It is important to avoid using blood thinners such as vitamin E, green tea, ginseng, herbal teas, and flaxseed. It is also advised to stop smoking a week before surgery. Otherwise, the healing of wounds will take time.

Breast reduction, like many surgical procedures, leaves small scars. Breast reduction surgery leaves an inverted T-shaped scar. The scar that remains around the areola will not be noticeable because it will be located in the color-change area. The scar that remains under the breast will become hardly visible, thin and insignificant lines.

With today’s techniques, a nursing mother is more likely to be able to breastfeed after breast reduction surgery. In breast reduction surgery, some portion of the mammary glands is removed (particularly in women with big breasts). However, removal of some portion of the mammary glands does not cause any changes in breastfeeding functions. If you consider having breast reduction surgery after postpartum period, you can easily have it at least 6 months after the end of your breastfeeding period.

Breast reduction surgery will not be a very painful operation. After breast reduction surgery, the patient can go home after staying in the hospital overnight for control purposes. Since the patient will feel no pain after the breast reduction surgery, she will get through this period highly comfortably. As in all breast surgeries, surgical drains are applied in also breast reduction surgeries. Surgical drains are removed after 24 hours. The patient is instructed to wear a band and usually an athletic bra for a period of one week after surgery. Since self-dissolving sutures remaining under the skin are used in surgery, there will be no need to remove sutures. After resting for about one week, patients can easily get back to their work. Patients should be careful about their arm movements, and should not lift very heavy things for a certain period of time after surgery.