| Dr. Jonathan Berman is a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Here the Doctor has answered some of the common questions bizymoms visitors have about Breast Reduction.
Q. What is Breast Reduction surgery?
A. A breast reduction surgery is a procedure performed to reduce the size of the breast.
Q. Who is a good candidate for a breast reduction?
A. A good candidate for breast reduction surgery is a fit woman who has large pendulous breasts that cause her to have discomfort from the large size and weight of the breasts, whether it be from not being able to find clothes that fit to physical pain and discomfort from the large size. Patients often complain about back and neck pain, notching of the shoulders from bra straps, profuse sweating and rashes under the breast, ulceration of the breasts or scraping of the breast skin against the chest skin. Patients may develop curvature changes of the spine due to the pendulous nature of the breasts. Many women athletes who have large breasts complain of the breasts interfering with performing their sport. After the breast reduction, most if not all women comment "why did they wait so long to have this surgery?"
Q. What are the benefits of breast reduction surgery?
A. Benefits certainly include the happiness factor of having a better body image, finding clothing that better fits the body, less back and shoulder pain. Alleviation of the symptomology that were complaints prior to surgery is of course a benefit!
Q. What are the risks involved of breast reduction surgery?
A. Risks of surgery or any surgery include bleeding, infection, and blood collection called hematoma. Sometimes partial or total loss of the nipple areola complex can occur. Most women wait until after having children to have the breast reduction surgery. Since breast tissue is removed, breast feeding following a breast reduction is often difficult, yet some women are still able to breast feed their offspring. I counsel most women that they will be unable to breast feed. Some women find there is a decrease in nipple sensation. Most though, find the benefits far outweigh the risks of the surgery and are among some of the happiest patients in my practice.
Q. What should one expect after breast reduction surgery?
A. After breast surgery, there is minimal pain. Often my patients take few pain pills. Surgical drains are often removed after several days. The incisions are often shaped like a ship’s anchor or like the shape of a "j". Patients are able to shower 48 hours after surgery and are out of bed and walking several hours after the surgery. I encourage early mobilization and short walks around the house. Patients report that the daily dressing changes are not difficult. The breasts may be bruised for several days and the bruising usually subsides by 10-14 days. I use absorbable sutures so that no sutures need to be removed. Often I use surgical crazy glue in addition to sewing the breast. This plastic dressing is very easy to care for, obviating the need for daily dressing changes.
Q. How much does a breast reduction cost?
A. Breast Reduction surgery is often not a covered service by many insurance companies. One often has to demonstrate "medical need" with proof of back/shoulder/neck problems, significant medical issues obviating the "need" for reduction. Also size is a criteria for payment of the breast reduction. Many women are denied because of lack of size of proposed reduction.
The surgery can be performed as an elective, cosmetic procedure. I perform all my breast reduction surgery at Boca Community Hospital. The surgery takes me between 3.5 to 4.5 hours. The patient stays overnight in the hospital and is discharged the following day. The surgery costs between $7000 to $11,000 which includes the hospital fee, anesthesiologist fee, overnight hospital fee and my fee for service.
Q. What type of scarring should I expect?
A. The amount of scarring depends on the patient. I perform the surgery using the standard "Wise pattern" resulting in a anchor type of incision. This incision has been reliable for almost 20 years in private practice with minimal to almost no complications. There are newer techniques that boast a shorter scar but the difference in scar length is minimal. The reliability of the anchor incision is a time tested technique. It is performed by the majority of plastic surgeons around the world. A reliable, safe, low complication surgery is what I like to give my patients. The scar is often pencil-line thin.
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