Although most women desire to increase the size of their breasts, when they are disproportionately large, instead of being an advantage, they are considered a problem.
In fact, women with large breasts may suffer some symptoms like neck, shoulders and back pain, bad posture, discomfort while lying down on the back, among others. So, they may prefer undergoing a breast reduction to avoid all these problems.
Likewise, having beautiful breasts is not always a synonym of having large breasts. In fact, sometimes the shape and proportions of the breast are not in harmony with the rest of the body. So, a breast reduction can also improve the body’s proportions.
WHAT IS A BREAST REDUCTION?
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons say that a breast reduction, or mammoplasty can be defined as a plastic surgery performed to reduce the excess of skin, fat and glandular tissue in the breasts, which results in a reduction in their size and weight.
Likewise, during a breast reduction, the plastic surgeon can reshape the breasts and change the size and form of the nipple-areola complex. So, a breast reduction can make the breasts smaller, firmer, lighter, more symmetric, and it can also eliminate the sagging skin.
Breast reduction can also be performed to treat enlarged male breasts, a condition medically called gynecomastia.
In both women and men, this surgery can be performed by both medical indications and cosmetic reasons. But, medical indications are the most common reasons to undergo this procedure.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY?
The main benefits of a breast reduction surgery are alleviating all the symptoms caused by the excessive weight of the breasts and relieving the discomfort while exercising. However, it also has important cosmetic benefits including a lifted and firmer aspect of the breasts, a better fitting of the bras, a more harmonic and attractive body’s overall silhouette and a proportioned areola-nipple complex.
Talking about breast reduction surgery, psychological benefits can also be included because the patients feel better with their aspect. Also, they usually improve their self-confidence and they like the way that clothes fit them better. Likewise, when people feel better with themselves, they can improve their social and professional relations.
WHICH ARE THE BEST EXERCISES FOR BREAST REDUCTION?
In some cases, the patient prefers a more natural breast reduction, so some exercises are recommended. Among the best exercises for breast reduction low-impact cardio exercises, like the stationary bike or elliptical trainer for at least 45 minutes a day, 5 days a week can be included. Experts recommend low-impact exercises because high-impact exercises can cause discomfort in the breasts when they are too heavy.
Likewise, aerobic exercises like stair climbing, cycling, swimming, jogging and brisk walking, can help to burn the fat in the body, including the breasts fat tissue. The push-ups and light weight lifting are also considered excellent types of exercises to reduce the fat tissue in the chest area.
HOW IS A BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY PERFORMED?
According to each patient needs, a breast reduction may be performed as an outpatient procedure or a major surgery. In general terms, the plastic surgeon makes a cut around the areola and removes all the excess of tissue (including skin and fat) of the breasts.
After that, the surgeon reshapes and resizes the areola-nipple complex, and he/she repositions it in the new breasts, closing with stitches and finishing the surgery. The surgery may last between 2 and 4 hours according to the amount of tissue that must be removed and the shape that the breasts had before the surgery.
HOW IS THE RECOVERY PROCESS AFTER A BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY?
The recovery process after a breast reduction surgery is usually easy to carry out. The patient must usually use some bandages over the incisions and a support bra to bring the proper support to the breasts while the healing process is completed.
Talking about the breast pain after a breast reduction surgery, in most cases, the patient experiences a mild pain that can be controlled with over-the-counter painkillers. However, the plastic surgeon usually gives some recommendations to avoid increasing the pain and discomfort.
For example, the patient may need some days (usually 7 to 14) off from work, avoiding heavy lifting, and stopping excessive physical activities at least for a month after surgery.
HOW MUCH DOES A BREAST REDUCTION COST?
The cost of a breast reduction surgery will vary according to the patient needs and desires, the patient’s general health condition, the technique used to perform the surgery, among others. So, only a qualified plastic surgeon can determine the best way of treatment and the final cost of the procedure. As there might be huge differences in terms of pricing from one country to another with sometimes differences in the patient’s approach or overall services we do advice to compare and enquire before having a breast reduction.
Alina Smith is a health blog author with an interest in the intersection of wellness and mental health. She’s worked as a writer, editor, and communications specialist for various healthcare organizations. Alina has also led projects to improve access to care for underserved populations in both rural and urban settings.
