What is involved in a breast reduction?
This is a common question and was answered by Dr Damian Marucci on the Plastic Surgery Hub forum recently.
Here is the answer given by Dr Marucci:
Thanks for your question.
A breast reduction procedure is designed to decrease the weight and size of your breasts and also improved the shape. Surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. Most patients go home either the same day or the day after. Most patients are back to doing everything they want to do after a few weeks.
Before surgery, your plastic surgeon will perform a breast examination and do some measurements. If you are over 40 and/or have a family history of breast problems, your surgeon may order a mammogram and ultrasound.
Different surgeons perform breast reduction surgery in different ways. All breast reduction surgery involves a scar around the nipple and a vertical scar on the breast below the nipple down to the fold. There may also be a scar in the fold itself. I use only dissolving sutures and cover the wounds with paper tape. I put my patients in a soft bra with no underwire and ask them to wear that day and night for two weeks. I don’t use drains. I tell my patients they can shower from the following day. I see them after their surgery at 2 weeks, 2 months and then 6-12 months with a repeat mammogram if they had one pre operatively.
Depending on your symptoms and health fund, part of the costs of surgery may be covered.
I hope this helps.
You can read the full exchange here.
