Breast Reduction

A breast reduction is considered when overly large breasts cause discomfort, both physical and emotional. Most women that seek this operation have hopes of both improving the symptoms caused by the weight of the breast and improving their appearance. Talk to Dr. Peters about what you want to achieve and how you expect to improve your health by having breast reduction. She’ll help you make your decision based on your individual need for more comfortable and proportionate breasts.

Breast reduction surgery (reduction mammoplasty) decreases weight of heavy breasts, repositions the breast higher on the chest and improves breast shape. Overly large breasts can result in pain in the upper back, shoulders and neck. The weight of the breasts can cause indentations in shoulders from the pressure of bra straps. Skin rashes at the base of the breast are common in athletic women with large breasts which worsen in hot weather. Gravity pulls breasts downward, distorting their shape.

Insurance companies will sometimes pay for breast reduction surgery if their criteria are met. Typically the company needs to know that you have physical symptoms related to the weight of your breasts and that these symptoms are likely to be improved by the operation. Some insurance companies ask that you have documentation of symptoms for a prolonged period of time and prefer that you have sought conservative therapy such as physical therapy or orthopedic care. Most insurance policies require that a certain amount of weight be removed from each breast at the time of surgery to be considered medically necessary. The amount is determined individually based on your height and weight.

There are a variety of surgical techniques for breast reduction. The choice of technique is dependent upon body type as well as your personal preference. The anchor pattern or inverted “T” pattern are the traditional techniques.

An anchor pattern breast reduction has a scar that is placed at edge of the areola, between the darkly pigmented skin and normal breast skin. The scar extends down to the base of the breast and crosses transversely on the undersurface of the breast.

A vertical breast reduction (also called the short scar reduction or “lollipop” pattern) has no scar at the bottom. Vertical reductions work best in women with good skin elasticity whose breasts are not extremely large.

Both of these techniques leave the nipple attached to the ducts and gland below at all times. Although breastfeeding cannot be guaranteed after breast reduction, recent studies have shown that approximately 70 percent of women that try breastfeeding after this surgery are able to do so.

Breast reduction by liposuction can be an alternative for certain people. The women best suited for this have breasts that are more fatty than glandular in nature and have a high nipple position. Breasts tend to become fattier with aging and also have a drop in nipple position, so there are very few people for whom this is the best choice.