Breast reduction surgery is no less popular than breast augmentation surgery. It would seem, why might women need this? It is difficult to understand for those who have small breasts. Only a woman with really big breasts can fully realize this.
Is it advisable to reduce breast
To some, the very phrase “breast reduction” may seem absurd. Why reduce breasts if lush breasts are almost synonymous with feminine appeal? But large breasts cause the following inconvenience:
- in summer, the skin on it always sweats;
- without bra it’s uncomfortable and even painful to walk;
- most of the wardrobe seems vulgar;
- she quickly loses shape and sags;
- it is difficult to pick up clothes, often it has to be sutured at the waist and hips;
- if the chest is too large, the figure often looks disproportionate;
- this is an additional load on the muscles of the back and spine.
Many celebrities decided on a breast reduction operation, such as Alain Vodonaev, Ariel Winter and Drew Barrymore. And, apparently, they are only happy.
Too large a bust visually makes the figure fuller. In the photo before and after breast reduction, you can see that after the procedure, the girls often look slimmer.
Breast reduction surgery will help in the following cases:
- with the loss of the shape of the breast, its sagging;
- with congenital or acquired during lactation breast asymmetry;
- if there are too large areolas of the nipples;
- if necessary, correction after an unsuccessful operation.
Therefore, if the owner of such a breast causes some inconvenience, the operation is quite advisable. It is worth mentioning that the size of the owner is usually not dissatisfied with the owners of not the third size, but the seventh or more, because such a chest is really hard to wear.
But not only women need such an operation. There is a rather rare deviation from the norm in men - gynecomastia. This is the proliferation of glandular tissue, unusual for the male sex. In these cases, breast reduction plastic surgery is also indicated.
Preparation for surgery
Reduction mammoplasty, which is exactly what the medical term for breast reduction surgery sounds like, is one of the simplest operations in aesthetic medicine. However, this is a full-fledged surgical intervention with a scalpel, which is done under general anesthesia, therefore serious preparation is necessary.
At the first consultation, the plastic surgeon will examine and say whether surgery is possible and what the intended result will be. If the operation is possible, you will need to pass the following tests:
- blood coagulation;
- blood from a vein for AIDS, syphilis, hepatitis C;
- general analysis of blood, urine;
- undergo fluorography;
- ECG;
- Ultrasound of the mammary glands.
In different clinics, a similar list may vary. In addition to taking tests 2 weeks before the operation, you will need to stop taking all medications, stop drinking alcohol and smoking. During this period, it is advisable to eat as correctly as possible and have enough rest so that the immune system is normal.
At the same consultation, the doctor will clarify if there are any contraindications.
The doctor will help determine the final result based on the patient’s request. In modern clinics, you can see on the monitor in the 3D modeling program how exactly the appearance of the mammary glands will change.
The day before the operation, you need to stop eating, and in a few hours - to drink.
How is the operation
The operation takes place exclusively in a hospital. The plastic surgeon himself is involved in it, his assistant, anesthesiologist and nurse. The progress of the operation can be described as follows:
- Marking is made with a special marker, and the doctor once again says what he will do and where to cut off the tissue.
- An anesthetist introduces the patient to anesthesia.
- The surgeon cuts the tissue with a scalpel according to the marking, cuts off excess fat, glandular tissue and skin. This stage is the most difficult and longest, takes 2-3 hours or more.
- Special tubules are installed to divert the sacrum.
- After the excess is removed, the surgeon sews or glues with a special glue based on tissue plasma in the right places.
- A bandage is applied immediately after the operation and a special compression bra is put on.
It looks like the course of a standard operation without complications. But in some cases, it is still necessary to completely reconstruct the nipple and areola. With large volumes of removed glandular tissue, transplantation of vascular and nerve complexes may be required. Naturally, all this will be agreed upon during the first consultation.
Rehabilitation period
If the operation went without complications, the patient is detained in a hospital for observation for no more than a week. On the first day he departs from anesthesia. This time is the most dangerous in terms of possible complications, therefore, on the first day, bed rest and a full sleep are strictly recommended. Further, when the main danger has passed, they can extend the sick-list for another couple of days to check if sepsis and other complications have begun. If everything is in order, the patient is allowed to go home. But the pain can still be quite a long time, so strong analgesics are prescribed.
The second rehabilitation period will last about 2 weeks, at which time the following recommendations should be observed:
- Do not remove the compression bra and do not wet the chest;
- sleep exclusively on your back;
- do not raise your hands;
- do not drink alcohol, do not take medications.
After this period, a visit to a plastic surgeon is required so that he removes the stitches and assesses how tissue healing proceeds. If the patient does not bruise well and the swelling does not subside, the doctor prescribes medication and prescribes another dose.
Further, within six months it is important to observe the following recommendations:
- do not sleep on the chest;
- Do not use the sauna or take a hot bath;
- wash your breasts only with your hands, no washcloths;
- Do not swim or exercise;
- try to keep the weight at the same level, not to lose weight or gain weight;
- most of the time in a compression bra.
If everything is strictly observed, then after six months you can return to your usual way of life. But even during the year should be protected from pregnancy.
Cost
The price can vary significantly depending on the qualifications of the clinic and the city in which it is located, as well as on the level of the plastic surgeon himself. The minimum cost of a quality operation starts from 150 thousand rubles. The maximum can reach 500 thousand rubles and above for an individual trip.
In addition, involuntary hospital stay and possible rehabilitation measures are additionally paid. Some clinics offer surgery for 70 thousand rubles, but most often their reputation is either dubious or absent, and this is a serious risk.
Can I breastfeed after surgery
If the operation was successful, then in a year you can already become pregnant and successfully breastfeed the baby. But the fact is that the chest will probably lose shape, which means that the operation was carried out in vain. If reduction mammoplasty is planned, then it is more advisable to plan it after the birth of the desired number of children. Sometimes the milk ducts are damaged by an inexperienced surgeon, and breastfeeding becomes impossible.
What are the scars left?
Cuts can be made in several ways:
- If the volume of tissue removed is small, then only areoles are affected. In this case, the minimum number of scars is possible.
- If the volume of tissue removed is average, then a vertical incision is made under the chest and along the areola line.
- If the volumes are large, then make an anchor incision - along the line of the areola, smoothly turning into an incision under the chest in the crease.
- Under the arm, an incision is not made with plastic breast reduction, only with an increase.
From what kind of incision will be made depends on how noticeable the surgical intervention is. In any case, cosmetic seams are made, and after a certain time they will become almost invisible. But if you carefully examine the chest without underwear, you can still see them. You can try to remove them using laser resurfacing, but this will already be an additional cost.
Contraindications
In reduction mammoplasty, they are as follows:
- oncology;
- severe chronic diseases;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- pregnancy and incomplete lactation;
- diseases in the acute stage;
- bleeding disorders;
- endocrine system diseases;
- severe stage obesity.
Some contraindications are temporary, that is, after their elimination, surgery is possible (for example, diseases of the endocrine system, obesity).
Possible consequences and complications
The most serious complications begin almost immediately. It:
- blood poisoning;
- inflammation and suppuration of sutures and mammary glands;
- necrosis of the tissues of the mammary gland and surrounding soft tissues;
- seroma.
Other aesthetic consequences may not be noticeable at first. They happen either due to a violation of compliance with the recommendations, or through the fault of a plastic surgeon. These are the following consequences:
- breast asymmetry;
- resumption of breast ptosis;
- too coarse and noticeable scars;
- disproportionately large or small nipples;
- complete violation of the sensitivity of the breast and nipples;
- damage to the milk ducts.
Breast after reduction surgery may become less sensitive in the area of the nipples. Unfortunately, few people manage to avoid this trouble. Over time, the nerve roots will recover, and sensitivity will return, but not the fact that completely.
How to choose a clinic
It is better to do this according to reviews, preferably real and familiar people. Choosing a good clinic is already half the battle, as good institutions value their reputation and carefully select staff for work. And with any possible complications, they will try to help the patient, even if this is not the fault of the clinic itself. Since good reviews are extremely important for them.
When choosing a clinic, you must also choose a doctor, as specialists of different levels can work in the same clinic. Then make sure that his diploma is genuine and his reputation is clean. Then try to search the Internet for a photo of breast reduction of his hands. Indeed, even if he had made a successful operation with five acquaintances, it is possible that behind him there were several unsuccessful ones. If the plastic surgeon had errors, then this was probably discussed on the network more than once. People often write reviews about negative experiences than positive ones.
Breast Reduction Reviews
Those who went through this operation note a rather difficult and unpleasant rehabilitation period. At this time, you need to stop playing sports, but for many it is critical. It’s uncomfortable to sleep, you can’t lift weights, and for some it brought trouble at work. Not everyone had pain, or they were completely stopped by the prescribed analgesics.
But after the end of the rehabilitation period, many were satisfied. The shape of the breast can really affect the quality of life of a woman, and reviews confirm this. Many have developed a sexual life, the quality of which before that suffered not so much because of the shape of the breast, but because of the complexes of its owner. Women felt more free and attractive.