breast reduction
Breast Reduction
14/12/08 20:20 Filed in: Body Procedures
Breast reduction or reduction mammoplasty is an outpatient surgical procedure which involves the reduction in the size of breasts by excising fat, skin, and glandular tissue; it may also involve a procedure to counteract drooping of the breasts. As with breast augmentation, this procedure is typically performed on women, but may also be performed on men afflicted by gynecomastia.
The surgery, which the Food and Drug Administration has called "good medicine", is quickly gaining popularity. In 2005, over 113,000 women had breast reductions, an increase of 11 percent from 2004
Procedure
Doctors almost always perform breast reductions while the patient is under general anesthesia. During pre-operative visits, the doctor and patient may decide on new, usually higher, positions for the areolas and nipples.
For males, excess tissue may simply be removed through a tiny incision in each breast. This leaves minimal scarring.
Patients may take a few weeks for initial recovery, however it may take from six months to a year for the body to completely adjust to the new breast size. Some women may experience discomfort during their initial menstruation following the surgery due to the breasts swelling
Techniques
Inferior pedicle technique
The inferior pedicle technique, sometimes also known as a keyhole or Weiss pattern reduction, involves an anchor-shaped incision which circles the areola. The incision extends downward, following the natural curve of the breast. Excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin is removed. Next, the nipple and areola are moved into their new higher position. A drawback of this technique is sometimes "square" looking breasts, but this is a common option for women with the largest, droopiest breasts.
Vertical scar technique
The vertical scar technique, also known as the SPAIR or short scar breast reduction, is now widely gaining popularity due its minimal scarring and round shape post-surgery. To perform this, a doctor performs what is also known as a "lollipop incision" to the breast, resulting in the least amount of scarring. There are no horizontal incisions, and the scars are less likely to broaden with time, as with the Anchor-shaped technique. This technique keeps its results the best in the long term.The breast is reduced through removal of the lateral and inferior tissues, leaving the upper pole mostly untouched
Liposuction only technique
The liposuction only technique is used for women with breasts that are not quite as large as with the other procedures. For the best outcomes, women who choose this procedure have perkier breasts without a drooping nipple, as the skin itself never moves, but, rather, fat is simply removed from inside of the breast. The result is not as drastic as the other techniques, but it involves a much quicker healing time, less pain, and less money. This is the technique typically used for men.
Free nipple graft technique
The free nipple graft technique, a less common procedure, is now typically used only in the most extreme cases of drooping. In this procedure, the areola and nipple are completely removed for relocation and replaced as a skin graft higher on the breast. In these cases, sensation from the areola area will be lost and it is most likely to impair lactation as compared to the two most popular procedures, although some women have been known to successfully produce some amounts of milk.
The surgery, which the Food and Drug Administration has called "good medicine", is quickly gaining popularity. In 2005, over 113,000 women had breast reductions, an increase of 11 percent from 2004
Procedure
Doctors almost always perform breast reductions while the patient is under general anesthesia. During pre-operative visits, the doctor and patient may decide on new, usually higher, positions for the areolas and nipples.
For males, excess tissue may simply be removed through a tiny incision in each breast. This leaves minimal scarring.
Patients may take a few weeks for initial recovery, however it may take from six months to a year for the body to completely adjust to the new breast size. Some women may experience discomfort during their initial menstruation following the surgery due to the breasts swelling
Techniques
Inferior pedicle technique
The inferior pedicle technique, sometimes also known as a keyhole or Weiss pattern reduction, involves an anchor-shaped incision which circles the areola. The incision extends downward, following the natural curve of the breast. Excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin is removed. Next, the nipple and areola are moved into their new higher position. A drawback of this technique is sometimes "square" looking breasts, but this is a common option for women with the largest, droopiest breasts.
Vertical scar technique
The vertical scar technique, also known as the SPAIR or short scar breast reduction, is now widely gaining popularity due its minimal scarring and round shape post-surgery. To perform this, a doctor performs what is also known as a "lollipop incision" to the breast, resulting in the least amount of scarring. There are no horizontal incisions, and the scars are less likely to broaden with time, as with the Anchor-shaped technique. This technique keeps its results the best in the long term.The breast is reduced through removal of the lateral and inferior tissues, leaving the upper pole mostly untouched
Liposuction only technique
The liposuction only technique is used for women with breasts that are not quite as large as with the other procedures. For the best outcomes, women who choose this procedure have perkier breasts without a drooping nipple, as the skin itself never moves, but, rather, fat is simply removed from inside of the breast. The result is not as drastic as the other techniques, but it involves a much quicker healing time, less pain, and less money. This is the technique typically used for men.
Free nipple graft technique
The free nipple graft technique, a less common procedure, is now typically used only in the most extreme cases of drooping. In this procedure, the areola and nipple are completely removed for relocation and replaced as a skin graft higher on the breast. In these cases, sensation from the areola area will be lost and it is most likely to impair lactation as compared to the two most popular procedures, although some women have been known to successfully produce some amounts of milk.
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