The breast reduction surgery is a topic that many women out there would like to know more about. This is the moment when all of your questions are going to be answered and there is no need to feel ashamed or scared about being interested in this procedure. The breast reduction surgery consists of diminishing and elevating hypertrophic breasts in order to provide a more natural-looking aspect. Large breasts can become a burden for a female’s body at a certain point, eventually causing psychical damage as well, considering the self-consciousness implied. Here is a list with numerous shortcomings that can affect the daily activities of a woman who deals with this issue:
Why is this surgery necessary?
Many people consider the breast reduction surgery unnecessary considering the fact that the ideal of a woman’s body would be large breasts, but they are ignoring the implications of living with them. Not all large breasts are maintained firm and many women who have natural big-sized breasts encounter hypertrophy at a certain point in their lives. Yet, this can be a pathological/genetic affection that produces the excessive development of glandular or adipose tissue in the breasts. Gaining weight can produce ligament stretching (the ligaments that support the mammary tissue, which can cause the appearance of saggy breasts the moment when stretched). In this situation, the breasts lose their firm appearance, becoming flaccid and gaining an unpleasant shape.
This procedure should be taken into account postpartum or after a dramatic weight change because that’s the moment when the breasts are facing damage. When the body’s hormonal activity is normal, the breast reduction procedure can be realized with no issues. This prevents the recurrence of breast hypertrophy. It is not recommended to undergo this procedure before pregnancy or the moment when you are planning to conceive a baby simply because its effects are going to be lost the moment when the tissue is damaged again. Weight fluctuations can also affect the shape and size of a woman’s breasts.
The ideal size of breasts, according to multiple medical standards, would be between the sizing cup B and C, meaning that the breasts should fit laterally in the anterior axillary line. Volumetrically speaking, breasts should not exceed 400 cc for cup B and 550 cc for cup C. To determine which cup size you need, try measuring the chest circumference (the inframammary trench level) and the thoraco-mammary circumference (the nipple level).
After birth, a combination of breast reduction, liposuction, abdominoplasty and nutritional rebalancing can provide a woman with regaining self-esteem and offer her a feeling of mindfulness, considering the fact that the today’s ideals of beauty and sexuality influence the women’s lives tremendously.
The intervention explained
Depending on the woman’s breast size, breast reduction can be completed by either keeping the areola intact or not. The main goal of the surgery would be keeping the sensitivity in the areola-nipple area intact. The tissue excretion will be made from the lower side of each breast. There are different techniques for mobilizing the areola and each one of them will leave scars. The good part is that these scars fade once time goes by. For breasts that require a small to medium size incision, the techniques will leave smaller scars (the best one being the L-shaped incision).
Traditional breast reduction technique
This technique is one of the most effective ways to reduce the breast size, especially for women who encountered an excess of adipose tissue. It is the most common and non-invasive technique used and it implies a T-inverted incision which extends downward to the sub-mammary area and follow the natural breast fold. The benefits of this technique include:
The disadvantages of this method would be:
The vertical incision technique
This technique is known for offering a natural breast shape and less scarring than the aforementioned technique. It is a popular alternative to the first one and it is recommended for women who desire moderate tissue removal. This method also provides a reduced risk of not being able to breastfeed after the procedure (yet, this is highly related to the anatomy and medical history of the patient). Skin elasticity is a must when opting for this type of breast reduction technique. The incision will extend from the areola level and down to the sub-mammary area. The scars are minimal, and they extend from the peri-areolar area, vertically. The benefits of this method imply:
The disadvantages include:
Both methods have great results in terms of breast reduction, but each patient has certain requirements that need to be met. Depending on the breast size, the patient’s medical history, other affections that are implied, future plans and so on, the doctor will decide (consulting the patient’s opinion as well) which one of the two techniques is the most suitable for the case.
Final Thoughts
Large, saggy breasts can be instantly transformed using the breast reduction procedure, bringing back a woman’s self-esteem and completely eliminating stressful implications of living with large breasts. Obtaining a smooth, uniform look for your breasts can be done by opting for such a procedure, but you have to remember the fact that certain factors can make this issue recurrent. Avoiding weight gain, pregnancy and hormone treatments post-op is recommended for long-term results.