What to Expect During Breast Reduction Surgery
At Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery, breast reduction procedures are individually tailored to suit the needs of each patient. Patients who are suffering from neck, back, or shoulder pain due to overly large breasts may want to consider the benefits of breast reduction surgery. In his Long Island, NY-area offices, Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg can alleviate discomfort and give you new, more streamlined contours. Breast reduction surgery is an investment in your future; it requires commitment and patience, but the results can be life-changing. Our breast reduction patients tend to be very pleased with their outcome, and often wish they had chosen to do it sooner.
About Breast Reduction Surgery
For patients with very large breasts, reduction surgery can be liberating both physically and emotionally. Health benefits include significantly less shoulder, back, and neck pain, improved posture, and the freedom to pursue a more active lifestyle. In addition, self-consciousness about disproportionate, pendulous, or asymmetrical breasts can be replaced with increased body confidence.
At Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery, breast reductions are often performed in our ambulatory surgical centers and generally take approximately two hours. You will be comfortably sedated with general or intravenous (IV) anesthesia, and you can be confident that you will receive an unparalleled standard of care throughout the procedure.
Dr. Greenberg will remove fat and glandular tissue from the breasts to significantly decrease size and volume as well as remove excess skin from the lower breasts. Depending upon your needs and cosmetic goals, he may use a traditional anchor incision or a vertical lollipop incision. The traditional anchor incision circles the areola and drops vertically to the lower crease of the breasts, where a horizontal incision is added. This method allows for removal of more tissue and is often used for patients with extremely large breasts. The lollipop incision omits the horizontal line, which has the benefit of reduced scarring.
Breast reduction can be life-changing and is sometimes covered by health insurance.
In addition to removing excess tissue, Dr. Greenberg will lift and reshape the breast, reduce the circumference of the areola, and reposition the nipple for a youthful, uplifted look. He can also use liposuction to trim fat pockets near the armpit area. All incisions will be closed with sutures.
A third option for breast reduction is a “scar-less” version that removes excess fat using liposuction only. This technique works for women whose breasts contain mostly excess fat rather than glandular tissue.
Aftercare and Recovery
After surgery, your chest will be wrapped in sterile dressings, and fluid drains may also placed to prevent build-up and encourage faster healing. In a few days, your dressings can be replaced with a surgical bra that should be worn for several weeks. Bruising and swelling is expected, but should subside in a few weeks. Likewise, some discomfort is typical, but may be managed with pain medication prescribed by Dr. Greenberg. Many women return to their daily activities in less than two weeks.
Improve Your Contours
Breast reduction can be life-changing and is sometimes covered by health insurance. To explore your options, please call our office at (516) 364-4200 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Greenberg.
