Breast Reduction

In many cultures the ideal female figure has very large breasts, which are often viewed as representations of fertility and caregiving. In day-to-day life, however, many women with large breasts feel encumbered and uncomfortable, rather than idealized. Their very large and usually heavy breasts cause them medical and social difficulties that can complicate normal activities and pursuits. The burdensome weight of the breasts can cause back and neck pain, skeletal deformities and skin irritations caused by chafing and strained bra straps. The most repetitive and basic activities, such as sleeping, exercising and even breathing, can become laborious and even painful as a result of oversized breasts.

Women and teenage girls, may feel that their unusually large breasts overwhelm not just their bodies, but also their personalities. Most women do not want their breasts to be their most obvious feature, and some find that the prominence of their breasts hinders them professionally and stereotypes them socially. Very large breasts inevitably sexualize a woman’s self-presentation in ways that are often detrimental to them psychologically and in terms of their careers.

Breast reduction is the surgical procedure performed by Dr. Loving in order to relieve the aforementioned problems and complications of very large breasts. The medical term for this surgery is reduction mammaplasty, wherein Dr. Loving reshapes and dramatically lightens the breasts by removing some of their excess fat, glandular tissue and skin. After the surgery, the breasts are smaller, less weighty and firmer. The areola, which is the darker skin surrounding the nipple, can also be made smaller during the surgery. Dr. Loving is very experienced in the area of breast surgery, and he understands that breast reduction involves serious aesthetic and emotional considerations by a woman. Breast reduction surgery involves many choices in terms of the amount of the reduction, positioning of the nipples and the final size and shape of the breasts and areolas. Liposuction may also be done under the armpits in order to make the entire torso area proprotional. In some cases, liposuction alone can be used to reduce the size of the breasts. Given these many options, Dr. Loving requires a careful and thorough consultation with a breast reduction patient, so that he can devise for her an individual surgical plan best suited to her needs and desires. Dr. Loving’s goal in terms of breast reduction is to give his patient smaller, lighter breasts of the size and shape that are most appropriate for her body and her lifestyle.

Special considerations

Breast reduction is usually performed on women whose breasts are fully developed. In some cases, however, the procedure is done on younger women if the breasts are already so large as to cause serious discomfort. Nipple sensitivity may be decreased or increased as a result of the surgery. Often, this is only temporary, but in some cases, the decrease is permanent. Breast reduction is not recommended for women who intend to breast-feed, though it does not always make breast-feeding impossible. For younger women seeking breast reduction, breast-feeding is an important issue to discuss with Dr. Loving during the consultation.

Surgery

As with all elective surgery, good health is a prerequisite for breast reduction and must be verified by a woman’s general practitioner. Dr. Loving may require a pre-surgery mammogram. Breast reduction is usually performed in a
hospital under general anesthesia as an inpatient procedure. The surgery itself takes two to four hours. Incision sites vary from patient to patient, and will be fully described prior to the operation. Dr. Loving makes the scars from breast reduction as inconspicuous as possible. They usually fade over time to thin white lines, and they will be hidden by any bikini top.

After surgery, Dr. Loving will wrap the patient’s breasts in an elastic bandage or will support them with a surgical bra over gauze dressings. During the first few days after the procedure, the breasts will be very tender. Dr. Loving will prescribe medication to control any pain. The bandages will be removed after a day or two, and the stitches after about a week. The surgical bra, which is much like a sports bra, must be worn day and night for a few weeks so as to support and protect the new size and contours of the breasts. While it may take a few months for the breasts to fully assume their new shape, most women are almost immediately pleased by the relief of so much breast weight and the sense that their bodies are better proportioned and that they look better in clothes. In Dr. Loving’s experience, breast reduction-of all other plastic surgery procedures-offers the fastest and most positive results in terms of body image. Before and after pictures of breast reductions performed by Dr. Loving are available for viewing in his office.

To request more information or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Loving, please call 212-472-0900.