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What is Breast Reduction?
Are your large breasts causing discomfort, or making it challenging to perform everyday physical activities? If so, you may be able to benefit from breast reduction. Breast reduction, or reduction mammaplasty, is a surgical procedure designed to reduce the weight and size of a woman’s breasts. It can also make breasts firmer and reduce the size of the areola (the darker skin surrounding the nipple). The surgery is primarily performed to give physical relief, but it may also provide a cosmetic improvement by adjusting the proportion of your breasts to the rest of your body.
Who can Benefit from Breast Reduction?
If you have disproportionately large, heavy breasts and experience back and neck pain, skin irritation, shoulder indentations from bra straps, difficulty breathing, skeletal deformities, or are embarrassed or self-conscious, you could benefit from breast reduction. The best way to determine candidacy is to schedule a consultation appointment with one of our surgeons today.
The Procedure
The most common breast reduction technique involves removing a section of skin along with excess fat and tissue from the breast. In order to achieve this, there are a number of incision options, including:
- Areolar incision: Created around the areola.
- Keyhole incision: Made around the areola and vertically down to the crease of the breast.
- Anchor incision: Created around the areola, vertically down to the breast crease, and then horizontally across the breast crease.
The surgery also reshapes the contour of the breast and repositions the nipple and areola. Your doctor may use liposuction to remove excess fat from the armpit and outer chest area. Breast reduction surgery typically takes two to four hours. We generally perform it as an outpatient procedure in our fully accredited surgical facility or at one of the local hospitals where our doctors have privileges.
Breast Reduction Recovery
Following breast reduction surgery, you’ll feel pain the first few days and discomfort for another week or so. Your doctor will prescribe medication to reduce the pain. After surgery, you’ll wear gauze dressings covered with a surgical bra which will reduce swelling. A few days later, you’ll begin wearing a soft support bra, which you’ll wear intermittently for the next month for support. The doctor will remove your sutures after a couple of weeks.
You should be able to return to work after two weeks, possibly earlier, if your job isn’t too strenuous. However, you should limit your physical activity and avoid heavy lifting for several weeks. After that, you will gradually begin to feel stronger. It may take several months to adjust to your breasts’ new shape and size, but in the long run, you should be more comfortable.
Breast Reduction Testimonial
Hannah's Story
“Dr. Renucci is an amazing doctor… Going into this process I was a bit nervous. However, Dr. Renucci took the time to address any and all questions and concerns I had.”
Patient reviews
State of the art Surgical Facility
Our operating facility is conveniently located on the sixth floor of the Exhibitor’s Building adjacent to the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our surgical facility is accredited by the AAAHC, or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc. This association is committed to improving quality care provided to patients by reviewing standards, performance, and safety of our facility.
Learn MoreContact Us Today
Individuals in the Grand Rapids, MI area who are considering breast reduction should contact Plastic Surgery Associates today to learn more! We will be happy to schedule your consultation appointment, which is your first step toward surgery.
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