When to consider a breast reduction operation
MADRID, 23 Sep. (EDITIONS) -
Breast reduction or reduction mammoplasty is a surgical procedure to reduce the size of the breasts, by removing fat, breast tissue and skin, making them smaller, lighter and firmer. It can also reduce the size of the areola, as explained by the Spanish Society of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery (SECPRE).
It is mainly aimed at women with large breasts, who may present some problems due to this excess weight, such as back and neck pain, irritation of the skin under the breast and respiratory problems. "The goal of reduction mammoplasty is to give a woman smaller breasts that are more in proportion to the rest of her body to reduce these problems," she adds.
In this sense, the plastic surgeon Federico Pérez de la Romana, head of the Pérez de la Romana Institute of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery in Alicante, explains in an interview with Infosalus that a breast usually weighs around a kilo and something. The reduction of it, according to him, will be based on the height and proportions of the patient. "Each case is individualized based on its characteristics," he adds.
The age from which you can start operating is after body development, which will depend on each person. It occurs around the age of 18. To make sure of this, it is measured through an x-ray of the hand and it is verified that the bone development is complete. Approximately occurs at age 18. "The operation is not recommended before this age because they could experience a growth of the breasts. That is why it is important that the body development is finalized," he adds.
About the perfect candidate for a reduction mammoplasty, Pérez de la Romana points to gigantomastia in very young girls who, unlike their peers, experience a great growth of their breasts and are self-conscious and often have to undergo surgery. "Although there are also women who decide to have surgery when they have back pain or excessive weight. An average of a kilo or two is removed from each breast, and with them the problems usually disappear," she adds.
Likewise, other perfect candidates tend to be the elderly, since over time they have presented a large breast development that makes them uncomfortable, after pregnancies and lactations the volume tends to increase and the older one is, the less developed the muscles of the breast. the back are, so there are more intense and frequent neck pains.
BREASTFEEDING IS NOT LOST
Pérez de la Romana points out that young girls who undergo a reduction mammoplasty do not lose their ability to breastfeed or their sensitivity. He also points out that breast reductions are done especially in women, but also in men who have had great breast development or gynecomastia or hypertrophy in the development of the mammary gland in men. They are now also being done in sexual changes by masculinizing a woman's thorax.
Breast reduction is only included in Social Security benefits in extreme cases, in processes known as 'gigantomastia'. The SECPRE recommends informing the specialist if you are a smoker or take any medication or vitamin, the number of previous pregnancies and if you plan to become pregnant or breastfeed again.
Breast reduction surgery is performed in an operating room, within a clinic or hospital and admission is usually required, with discharge the following day in the case of breast augmentation and mastopexy, and 2 or 3 days later in the case of reduction. Specifically, the surgery is performed under general anesthesia, with the patient remaining asleep during the operation.
The operation usually lasts between 2 and 4 hours. There are various techniques, but generally the incisions are anchor-shaped, placed around the areola, in a vertical line down from the areola and in a horizontal line in the groove below the breast. Through these incisions, excess skin, fat, and breast tissue are removed and the areola and nipple are repositioned in their new position; in some cases liposuction can be associated.
"After breast surgery it is normal to feel somewhat tired for a few days, but you will be able to lead an almost normal life after 24-48 hours. Most of the discomfort is well controlled with the medication prescribed by your plastic surgeon, although the breasts may hurt for a couple of weeks The first period after a reduction can make the breasts swollen and painful The bandage or dressings will be removed in a few days, being replaced by a special bra, which you will have to wear in the way I tell you your surgeon. It is normal to have a burning sensation in the nipples during the first two weeks," adds the SECPRE.
After the reduction, the specialist from the Pérez de la Romana Institute of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery indicates, it may be normal to have a decrease in sensation in the nipples; a situation that is generally temporary, except in some reductions that can be permanent. "The stitches are removed between 7 and 14 days; the edema does not completely subside until 3 or 6 weeks", he specifies while ensuring that after a breast reduction it will be possible to return to work in 2 or 3 weeks, although in a few days you can lead an almost normal life.
"You must limit strenuous physical activities for a few weeks, until you recover from the operation. For 1 or 2 weeks it is advisable to avoid sexual intercourse so that the incisions do not swell; for 3 or 4 weeks avoid physical contact of the breasts. It is normal for small scabs or a little fluid to appear through the incisions. Your plastic surgeon will see you during the months following the surgery to see the evolution. If you have any discomfort between visits or have any questions about what you should or should not do, do not hesitate to call him", adds the Spanish Society of Plastic Surgery.
RISKS OF BREAST PLASTY
Finally, he stresses that breast reduction surgery is a "safe technique, as long as it is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon." However, as in any operation, there can always be complications and associated risks. Also, remember that this surgery leaves permanent and visible scars, although they can be hidden under a bra or bikini. "Healing problems are more frequent in smokers. Some patients may experience a partial, and sometimes total, decrease in nipple sensation," he warns.
In turn, it indicates that bruising and some swelling are common in the postoperative period. "In some cases there may be a reduction or loss of sensitivity in one or both areolas, which usually recovers over time. Partial or total injury to the areola or nipple is very rare. The scars resulting from this surgery can in sometimes become bulging or wide, being advisable, in these cases, to perform an adjustment and excision of the scar, with local anesthesia, starting at 6 months", he adds.
