Q.Tell us about yourself and your practice?
A.I am a Board-Certified plastic surgeon, Chief of Plastic Surgery at Pocono Health Systems in Eastern Pennsylvania and Assistant Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, with offices in Stroudsburg, PA, and New York City. I am the author of over 30 textbooks, textbook chapters, and journal articles in plastic surgery, including coeditor of a new comprehesive encyclopedia of body contouring due out in early 2010.
Q.What procedures do plastic surgeons perform?
A.Plastic surgeons perform a wide variety of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Cosmetic procedures include office-based procedures such as Botox, Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane, chemical peels, laser resurfacing, laser vein removal, and laser hair removal. Cosmetic surgeries include breast augmentation with implants, breast lift, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), facelift, blepharoplasty (eyelid lift), liposuction, and otoplasty (ear surgery). Reconstructive procedures include breast reconstruction after breast cancer with implants and/or flaps and head and neck reconstruction after cancer. Breast augmentation and liposuction are the two most popular cosmetic surgeries performed in the United States today.
Q.Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
A.Yes, I am certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Q.What types of Insurance do you accept?
A.We accept many insurance policies in-network at the Pennsylvania location and all private insurance out-of-network in New York.
Q.Do you have hospital privileges to perform this surgery?
A.Yes, I have hospital privileges at multiple acute-care facilities.
Q.What is breast reduction surgery?
A.Breast reduction is a surgery to reduce the size of a patient\'s breasts. This surgery is frequently performed in patient\'s with excessively large breasts that cause neck and back pain, as well as rash in the fold under the breasts. In some cases, patients may elect to have the breasts reduced for cosmetic reasons. Men are increasingly presenting for breast reduction for "gynecomastia," or breast enlargement in men. The surgery involves removing some of the breast tissue, elevating the nipple to a higher location, and resculpting the shape of the breasts.
Q.Who is a good candidate for a breast reduction?
A.Patients in good health can be candidates for breast reduction surgery. Indications include cosmetic reasons, for patients with large and/or ptotic (drooping) breasts, and functional reasons, such as neck and back pain, shoulder strap grooving, and rash under the breasts.
Q.What should one expect after breast reduction surgery?
A.Surgery is generally performed on an ambulatory basis, with patients returning home the same day as the surgery. Mild discomfort of the breasts generally resolves in the first week. Bandages on the breasts are usually removed two to three days after the surgery, at which time the patient can commence showering. Patients are advised to avoid lifting heavy objects of a few weeks after surgery to avoid disruption of the incisions and to reduce the risk of bleeding.
Q.What are the risks involved of breast reduction surgery?
A.All surgeries have risks, but breast reduction surgery has a high margin of safety. Risks such as bleeding and infection are low, but are risks of any surgery. No breast reduction can be performed without scarring, with the degree of scarring varying depending on the individual patient. There is a risk of loss of nipple sensation (feeling) or even of the nipple not surviving due to the change in blood supply from the surgery, but this is rare and more common in excessively large breasts or in smokers.
Q.How much does a breast reduction cost?
A.For patients with the functional problems discussed above, insurance may cover the surgery. If not, the fee generally is between $7,000 and $10,000, depending on the surgeon, the location of the surgery, and the individual patient\'s needs.
Q.What does breast reduction surgery involve?
A.The surgery involves making incisions on the patient\'s breast to remove excess breast tissue and skin. The nipple-areolar complex is elevated to improve ptosis (drooping) of the breast. The breast is then resculpted for improved size and shape. Traditional scars run around the nipple, down from the nipple to the crease below the breast, and in the crease. More modern "short-scar" breast reductions can be used for some patients to reduce the scarring as well as the recovery.
Q.What are the benefits of breast reduction surgery?
A.Breast reduction surgery can improve the size, shape, and symmetry of patients\' breasts. In patients with functional problems, neck and back pain, shoulder strap grooving, and rash beneath the breast can also be improved.
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