Breast reduction reduces the size and recontours large, heavy, pendulous, and painful breasts. Usually, weight-bearing pain in the breasts, neck, shoulder and back is relieved, allowing more comfortable activity as well as improving body proportion and appearance.
Explore These Topics
Breast Reduction Benefits
Reducing large, heavy breasts will benefit your well-being in numerous ways.
You will experience a significant improvement in discomfort and health problems related to the size of your breasts, such as back/neck/shoulder pain, skin irritation and posture and breathing problems.
You will feel more confident and less self-conscious with proportional breasts. You may discover that your entire body looks more balanced and youthful once your breasts have been reduced.
Physical activities that used to cause pain or discomfort will be more accessible to you after breast reduction. Without the weight and mass of oversized breasts, you should be able to run, jump, swim and ride a bike comfortably.
Consultation With Dr. Ereso
A personal breast reduction consultation at our Mountain View practice is the first step. Dr. Ereso will assess your physical and emotional health and discuss your specific cosmetic goals for surgery. This consultation also gives patients from all over the San Jose Bay Area a chance to ask questions about breast reduction.
You should arrive at the consultation prepared to provide complete information about:
- Previous surgeries
- Past and present medical conditions
- Treatments you have received
- Medications that you are taking, including nutritional supplements and herbal remedies
- Past experience with weight loss and pregnancies and the effect it had on your breast size
- The results of mammograms you have had
- Any history of breast cancer in your family
Preparation For Breast Surgery
As with any plastic surgery procedure, you may need to stop or adjust certain medications or supplements in the weeks leading up to surgery. Dr. Ereso will review your medications and provide complete instructions.
Depending on your age, health and family history, you may be asked to undergo a medical evaluation with your doctor. Sometimes Dr. Ereso will ask patients to obtain blood tests prior to breast reduction. Please follow your individual instructions, and reach out to our team with any questions.
Breast reduction is typically an outpatient procedure and an overnight hospital stay is not required. Make arrangements ahead of time for the day of surgery by recruiting a loved one to drive you home after your procedure and help you out at home for a few days. If you have young children or pets at home, arrange for their care to be covered for several days, as your energy and range of motion will be limited.
Work-wise, plan to take one to two weeks off. If your job is physically demanding and requires long hours on your feet or heavy lifting, you will need additional recovery time. Dr. Ereso can give you a more precise timeframe for resuming work based on your specific treatment plan and the nature of your job.
Breast Reduction Procedure Details
The specific method chosen for your breast reduction will be determined by your anatomy, your surgeon’s preferences and your desired results.
After the surgeon has removed the excess breast tissue, fat and skin, the nipple and areola are shifted to a higher position. The areola, which is usually larger than ideal, is reduced in size. Skin that was formerly located above the nipple is brought down and together to reshape the breast. Liposuction may be used to improve the contour, especially on the sides of the breasts.
The nipples and areolas usually remain attached to the underlying breast tissue as they are moved to their higher position allowing for a greater chance of preserving nipple sensation. This method may also preserve the ability to breastfeed, although it is not guaranteed.
Incision Types
The type of incision used for your breast reduction may vary, depending on the size and shape of your breasts and the desired amount of reduction. Women who seek a smaller reduction in size may be able to achieve their desired results through the periareolar incisions, which encircle the areolas. However, most surgeries are performed through lollipop-shaped incisions that extend around the areolas and vertically down the front of the breasts, or anchor-shaped incisions that extend around the areolas, down the breasts and horizontally beneath the breasts following the natural curve of the crease.
Other incisional techniques may be used in some instances. Women whose breasts contain a significant amount of fatty tissue may find that liposuction alone can be used to reduce breast size with only minimal scars.
Recovery/Results Of Breast Reduction
Recovery/Results Of Breast Reduction
Although much of the swelling and bruising will disappear in the first few weeks, it may be six months to a year before your breasts settle into their new shape. Even then, their shape may fluctuate in response to your hormonal shifts, weight changes and pregnancy.
Our plastic surgeon will make every effort to make your scars as inconspicuous as possible. Still, it’s important to remember that breast reduction scars are permanent. They gradually become less obvious, sometimes eventually fading to thin white lines. Fortunately, the scars can usually be placed so that you can wear even low-cut tops.
Of all plastic surgery procedures, breast reduction results in the quickest body-image changes. You’ll be rid of the physical discomfort of large breasts, your body will look better proportioned, and clothes will fit you better.
However, as much as you may have desired these changes, you’ll need time to adjust to your new image – as will your family and friends. Be patient with yourself, and with them. Keep in mind why you had this surgery, and chances are that, like most women, you’ll be pleased with the results. We also have many satisfied patients who decided to undergo breast reduction surgery.
Risks/Safety
Each year, thousands of people have breast reductions and experience no major complications. However, it is important for you to be informed of the risks as well as the benefits.
Dr. Ereso will inform you of the possible complications of breast reduction surgery. In addition to listening carefully to what he tells you, be sure to raise any questions you may have about the safety of the procedure.
By carefully following his advice and instructions – both before and after surgery – you can minimize some of the risks.
Complementary Procedures
Based on your unique anatomical needs, you may consider undergoing another procedure to complement your breast reduction results. Some women choose to combine breast reduction with a tummy tuck into mommy makeover. Others pair breast reduction with body liposuction to target problematic areas such as the abdomen, hips, thighs or buttocks.
“Dr. Ereso is amazing. Not only is he a skilled surgeon, he is a caring doctor as well. He spends time with you, answers any & every question and makes you feel he really cares. Everyone on the staff at the practice are friendly and helpful. Dr. Ereso and Shelley gave me their cell phone numbers when I had a skin irritation on an incision and Dr. Ereso called me as soon as he was told about it and fit me in the next day. It turned out fine, but Dr. Ereso and Shelley both did not write it off, they took it seriously and kept in contact to make sure. I felt like I was in the best hands! My incision scars are so smooth and I’m sure will be barely detectable in time. I highly recommend Dr. Ereso! If I need a plastic surgeon again I will not go anywhere else!”
Breast Reduction Costs/Financing
Breast reduction costs range according to the details of the treatment plan and whether you have additional procedures performed at the same time. Dr. Ereso is committed to offering quality care at a fair price. He also offers breast reduction financing through CareCredit, which may make breast reduction more feasible for your budgetary requirements.
Please schedule a consultation with Dr. Ereso to obtain a price quote and more information about CareCredit financing.
Learn More About Breast Reduction
Breast reduction performed by Dr. Alexander Ereso can help to alleviate the physical and emotional hardships brought on by overly large breasts. Contact our practice today schedule a breast reduction surgery, breast augmentation, or breast lift with Dr. Ereso.
