Breast Reduction Overview

Women with overly large breasts often choose to undergo breast reduction (or reduction mammoplasty) because they experience significant amounts of pain and discomfort. As a result of their large breasts, it has a negative impact on their daily lives.

Breast reduction is a common cosmetic surgery procedure that is carried out all over the world. The medical nature of the issue often means that the cost of breast reduction is all or partially covered by insurance companies.

Women who have large, pendulous breasts are unable to wear the clothes that they want. They are unable to play certain sports or carry out particular activities because their breasts oversized. Most of the time women begin to feel uncomfortable and self-conscious.

Some women have overly large breasts as a result of genetic factors or breast hypertrophy while other women’s breasts never returned to their regular size after breastfeeding. Breast reduction can help these women obtain the smaller profile they have always wanted and allow them to enjoy a life without burdensome breasts.

Panama is an excellent destination for plastic surgery and body-enhancing treatments, such as liposuction, tummy tuck and butt lift. Breast Reduction in Panama is a safe, commonly performed surgery that promises natural and long-lasting results.

Some men have a condition called gynecomastia which is the over development of breast tissue in males. It can be minor or quite severe but is very embarrassing in both cases. Men undergo male breast reduction as a corrective treatment for this condition.

Surgery, liposuction or a combination of both are used to permanently reduce the size of enlarged breasts. Preparing for your breast reduction is an important part of the breast reduction journey. The initial consultation with a plastic surgeon ensures that the patient is emotionally and physically ready for treatment.

There are a variety of breast reduction techniques that can be used. Ultimately, the aim of this type of breast surgery is to reduce the amount of glandular tissue, fatty tissue and skin that make up the breasts. The nipples are also relocated and the breasts are reshaped into proportion. The technique used depends on how large the breasts are and what the patients desired outcome is.

Breast reduction surgery has a very high success rate and the results are permanent. Most patients are very happy with their results and relieved that they are not burdened by large breasts anymore.

Although a breast reduction results is a breast lift naturally, some women choose to undergo breast lift surgery at the same time. They may also choose to have nipple surgery in order to make their areolas smaller.

A Good Candidate for Breast Reduction

Women with overly large breasts and men with gynecomastia are both good candidates for breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty). There are, however, a number of other criteria that patients need to meet before they are deemed suitable for breast reduction surgery.

These criteria will be discussed during the initial consultation, together with the potential breast reductions risks and side effects that patients have to be aware of.

Women who are Good Candidates for Breast Reduction

-Women who have large sagging breasts

-Women whose breasts cause them chronic back, head, shoulder and neck pain

-Women whose breasts get in the way of day to day activities

-Women who can’t play certain sports because their breasts are too big and heavy

-Women with low self-esteem who also feel embarrassed and frustrated by their large breasts

-Women who can’t wear the clothes they want because they don’t fit properly

-Women who find that bra straps dig into their shoulders regardless of how wide they are

-Women who think that their breasts are out of proportion with the rest of their bodies

Men who are Good Candidates for Breast Reduction

-Males with gynecomastia who desire male breast reduction

-Men with one enlarged breasts

-Men who are embarrassed by their enlarged breasts

-Men who have unsuccessfully tried dieting and exercise to reduce their breast size

-Men who don’t feel comfortable wearing certain clothes because they think their breasts will be obvious

-Men who are concerned that they are not masculine enough because of their breast development

Individuals who are Not Good Candidates for Breast Reduction

-Unhealthy lifestyle or diet

-Women who are planning to breast feed

-Young men and women whose bodies are still developing (unless the case is severe)

-Patients who are obese

-Patients with health issues and conditions that will prevent them from having surgery

-Men and women who smoke. This will slow down the healing process during their breast reduction recovery

Preparing for Breast Reduction

Your breast reduction preparation is an important time. This is when you start emotionally and physically getting ready for your breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty). One of the first things that you will need to do is arrange an appointment with a plastic surgeon. He or she will outline the procedure and establish if you are a good candidate for breast reduction. You will be examined and asked what your expectations of the treatment are.

Depending on your physical anatomy and how you would like your breasts to look, a breast reduction technique will be decided on. For men with gynecomastia, their male breast reduction may involve surgery, liposuction or a combination of both.

Your first consultation is a good time to start getting to know your plastic surgeon and establishing a close relationship with them.

During your breast reduction preparation, you will learn about all the potential breast reduction risks and side effects. You need to know what these are and what you have to do should any complications arise.

In order to minimize these issues, you will be asked to stop smoking if you are a smoker and stop taking particular medications that may adversely affect your breast reduction recovery. In addition, your plastic surgeon will give you a detailed list of pre-operative instructions that you need to follow closely.

So that you are fit to have surgery, you will need to take a couple of standard blood tests as part of your breast reduction preparation. These are to check that your blood coagulates normally. If your blood doesn’t coagulate normally because you are taking blood thinning medication, you will have to stop taking this medication until after the breast reduction. In the case that this is not possible, alternative medication may be recommended by your plastic surgeon.

The surgeon may also ask you to take a baseline mammogram while you are preparing for you breast reduction. This will be compared to the mammogram you will have a few months after your surgery to see if any changes have occurred.

In the days leading up to your breast reduction, you will start to focus on the instructions concerning food and drink. Be sure to get your recovery environment ready at this point so you don’t have to worry about anything during the healing process.

Buy medications you may need along with anything else the surgeon has recommended. Arrange for someone to come and help you look after children/pets because it is important that you are relaxed and not stressed.

The most important thing that you need to do as part of your breast reduction preparation, however, is take it easy and relax. Just remember, you decided on this surgery because it was the best decision for you. In a short while, you will have the profile you have always wanted.

Breast Reduction Procedure

Breast reduction surgery is carried out under general anesthesia or local anesthesia together with sedatives. It takes place in an outpatient clinic.

During the procedure the size of the breast are reduced by removing excess glandular tissue, fatty tissue and skin. The goal of this treatment is to make large breasts smaller without undermining the breast tissue or damaging nipple sensitivity.

There are a variety of breast reduction techniques that can be used. Your plastic surgeon will examine your breasts and discuss which one is best for you. The size and shape of your breasts will determine which breast reduction technique is employed, as well as what your desired outcome is.

Inferior Pedicle Breast Reduction Technique: This breast reduction technique is also referred to as keyhole, inverted-T or wise pattern reduction. It is the most commonly used technique because only a small incision is made leaving a smaller scar. First, an incision is made around the areola and extended downwards towards the breast crease. The excess skin, glandular tissue and fatty tissue are removed. The nipple and areola are located to their new locations and the incision is sutured.

Vertical Scar Breast Reduction Technique: This breast reduction technique is popular because it results in perkier, smaller breasts. In addition, there is less scarring because only a small horizontal incision is made at the breast crease. The vertical scar breast reduction technique is suitable for women who only need a minor reduction. Some of the benefits of this technique include shorter surgery time and longer lasting results.

Horizontal Scar Breast Reduction Technique: This breast reduction technique is suitable for women who are too large for the vertical scar technique but who don’t want a scar on their actual breasts. The incision is made along the inframammary fold (breast crease) and excess fat, tissue and skin are detached. The main disadvantage of this technique is that it results in box-like breasts.

Liposuction-only Technique: This breast reduction technique is only carried out on women who have large amounts of fat in their breast tissue. It does not lead to dramatic results and is suitable for women who do not have overly large breasts. Because breast tissue is not removed, there is less scarring and a much shorter breast reduction recovery period.

Women who undergo this treatment need to have good skin that has not been stretched out significantly. During male breast reduction surgery, the liposuction-only technique can be used if there is not enough breast tissue that needs to be surgically removed. In most cases, however, a combination of liposuction and surgery are carried out.

Average Duration of Breast Reduction: 2-4 hours

Risks and Side Effects of Breast Reduction

There are a number of breast reduction risks and side effects that someone who is considering breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty) should be aware of. These potential issues will be explained to you during your initial consultation.

If you are willing to accept these breast reduction risks and side effects then the plastic surgeon will deem you a good candidate for breast reduction. If you are not, alternative treatments that are not surgical may be discussed.

Breast Reduction Risks and Side Effects – During Surgery

-Bleeding - during and after the surgery

-Infection - this is a risk associated with almost every surgical procedure

-Reaction to anesthesia - general, local, sedatives

-Blood clots - in order to avoid these you need to move around after your surgery

-Damage to the nerves, blood vessels, muscles and lungs

-Allergic reaction to the surgical instruments - make sure the clinic is clean and sterile

-Surgical fault - lack of experience may result in mistakes

Breast Reduction Risks and Side Effects – After Surgery

-Breasts may not be symmetrical

-Nipples might not be at the same latitude

-Loss of sensation in the nipple area (temporary or permanent)

-You are unhappy with the results in general

-Scarring and swelling

-Bruising and pain during your breast reduction recovery

-Changes in your skin color or nipple area

-Excess fluid accumulation

-Difficulty breast feeding later

-Square shaped breasts that may result from the inferior pedicle breast reduction technique

-Stretching of the breast skin over time as a result of surgery

-If you need to get your nipples grafted to another location, you will lose all sensation in your nipples and areola

Recovering From Breast Reduction

Your breast reduction recovery starts as soon as your breast reduction surgery is completed. The plastic surgeon that operated on you will have gone through everything you need to know about the aftermath of the procedure during your breast reduction preparation. By this stage, you should know exactly what to expect.

You will endure some mild pain while recovering from your breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty). Over the counter pain medication is normally enough to alleviate this but speak to the surgeon about prescribing you something stronger if you feel like you need it. Rest is very important so be sure to take time out and relax. You may experience some bruising, swelling and bleeding.

There are many breast reduction risks and side effects that can occur and these can be avoided if you are vigilant in monitoring the changes in your body. Your body has just gone through a fairly dramatic procedure and needs to heal.

The plastic surgeon will give you a detailed list of post-operative instructions that you will need to follow so that your breast reduction recovery goes smoothly. This list will explain when you can start moving around and how much physical activity you should restrict yourself to. You must not strain yourself or do anything that will unnecessarily increase your blood pressure.

For the first few days of your breast reduction recovery, you will need to elevate your chest by putting pillows under your back in order to reduce the swelling. You will also have to sleep on your back so there is no pressure on your breasts while they are healing.

If the cosmetic surgeon left small tubes in your incisions to drain any excess fluid, you will have to be very careful with them until they are removed at your first follow up. Your bandages will also be changed or replaced with smaller and thinner bandages.

The surgeon may advise you to wear a special bra to help with the swelling. This can be worn under your clothes and can be taken off when you shower. Stitches will be removed in 1-2 weeks.

You will be able to see the results of your breast reduction immediately but it might take a few more weeks before your breasts get used to their new shape and your body recovers from the surgery. Depending on the breast reduction technique that was used, recovery time may be a few weeks or a few months.

Patients should be able to resume regular activities within a week or two and go back to work around this time as well – if your job is not particularly strenuous. Be gentle with your breasts and make sure you follow up with your surgeon so he can make sure your breast reduction recovery is going well.

Cost of Breast Reduction

The cost of breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty) can be very expensive in certain parts of the world. Some people desiring this treatment are fortunate enough to have their insurance companies cover all or part of the surgery. Most other people, however, need to pay for a breast reduction themselves.

To keep from spending an exorbitant amount of money on breast reduction, many individuals are turning to more affordable destinations for their treatment. Places such as Mexico, and Turkey are offering medical tourists very attractive treatment packages that often include transportation and accommodation.

In the past, very few individuals would travel abroad for a breast reduction. Today, it is perfectly reasonable to consider traveling abroad for treatment if it significantly less than what you would pay back home.

The cost of breast reduction abroad can be less than half of what you would pay in the United States or the UK. Instead of paying $6,000-$10,000 in the US or UK, you could pay $3,000-$5,000 for breast reduction abroad.

Even adding flights, transport and accommodation, you are still at the lower end of the western country budget. The best part is, you get to have an amazing holiday at the same time. This could be the perfect excuse to visit that exotic destination you have always to go to.

You can use your breast reduction preparation or breast reduction recovery period to explore another culture, learn a new language, meet some friendly locals or just relax on a stunning beach.

Click on any of our clinics offering breast reduction to get a free quote from them today!