WHAT IS BREAST REDUCTION?
Depending on the body structure, large breasts can cause difficulties in daily life. Large breasts can cause pain in the neck and back area. It can cause rashes, excessive sweating and odor around the breast. Bra straps can cause a lot of discomfort and can leave a pit-like mark on the shoulders. Large breasts are more likely to sag. It also makes sports activities difficult. This problem, which seriously affects comfort in daily life and creates the problem of not being free in the choice of clothing, is solved by breast reduction surgery. This procedure, which gives results in a short time, also helps the person to be more comfortable and confident in social life.
Breast reduction involves the removal of excess breast tissue in cases where the patient has large breasts that interfere with her social life. Factors such as the patient’s age and future breastfeeding status are the main factors determining the course of the procedure.breast reduction is the removal of excess breast tissue in cases where the patient has large breasts that interfere with her social life. Factors such as the patient’s age and future breastfeeding status are the main factors determining the course of the procedure.
WHO CAN HAVE BREAST REDUCTION?
Breast reduction surgery is most preferred when the size of the breast is having a negative impact on the person’s life. Problems that can be solved with the reduction procedure include:
- The size and volume of the chest causes neck and back pain. It can lead to neck hernia in later periods. The problem is resolved by the reduction process.
- When it is associated with sagging, problems such as skin rashes and sweating appear. This problem disappears after the procedure.
- Differences in volume and size can be seen between the breasts. A more symmetrical appearance is achieved after the reduction procedure.
- Another issue that raises a question mark in breast reduction procedures is the breastfeeding function. In appropriate patients, breast reduction surgery can be performed even if the person is considering pregnancy after the surgery.
- General anesthesia is applied during the procedure. The procedure can be risky for patients with diseases that can cause problems with general anesthesia. In cases where diabetes, smoking, which severely affect wound healing, are among the factors that may affect the surgical process, you can get the healthiest information after being examined by your surgeon.
HOW IS BREAST REDUCTION PERFORMED?
In breast reduction surgery, when the nipple is slightly sagging, the operation is performed using an open incision from the line where the dark area around the nipple meets the skin. Through this incision, excess tissue and skin are removed to create straight, perky breasts with reduced volume. In cases of larger volume and excessive sagging, a straight line incision is made from the nipple to the lower part of the breast. For those who plan to have a baby in the future and do not want to have problems with breastfeeding, a different technique will be applied to the nipple by your surgeon, but even with this technique, there is a rare risk of decreased breastfeeding ability. For this reason, the procedure can be postponed until after pregnancy in appropriate patients.
Breast reduction surgery is an operation that takes between 2 and 4 hours depending on the procedure to be performed. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia. Therefore, the patient must spend the first night after surgery in the hospital. After the procedure, drains may be placed depending on the patient’s needs. The drains are usually removed the next day, before discharge from the hospital.
BREAST REDUCTION RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS
Complications that can occur during and after breast reduction surgery are problems such as bleeding, blood pooling in the procedure area, delayed healing and wound drainage. For this reason, it is important that the patient’s blood values are at normal levels prior to surgery. There may be significant scarring after the procedure, usually caused by another condition such as diabetes or smoking. In these cases, there are methods to treat the scars. Breast reduction involves cutting all or part of the milk ducts. Although this rate is reduced with appropriate techniques, situations may arise that could pose a problem for breastfeeding. Infection in the wound area and irregularities in the stitches may occur. In these cases, permanent problems can be avoided with early intervention. After the operation, care should be taken to maintain hygiene and avoid excessive movement. The slight pain and tingling sensation that may be experienced after the procedure will disappear within a few days. Pain medication will be administered by your doctor. Loss of the nipple can rarely occur, especially after reduction procedures performed on very large breasts. For this reason, less risky methods should be used depending on the patient.
RECOVERY AND LIFETIME OF THE BREAST REDUCTION
The patient must stay in the hospital the night of the breast reduction operation. If a drain is used, it is removed before the patient is discharged, usually the next morning. We recommend not taking a shower for two days after the operation. The patient is called for control once in the first week and once in the second week. Controls will continue until the patient is healed completely. You may need to rest for 5-7 days after the procedure. After this period, the patient can return to work. We do not recommend traveling by plane for at least one week after the procedure. It will be enough to wait one month or a month and a half to return to heavy sports.
Breast reduction is a permanent procedure. Even though very large weight changes and the pregnancy period affect this, they tend to be more like sagging and deformity. It is difficult to restore dimensions.
THINGS TO PAY ATTENTION
The points that directly affect the recovery before and after breast reduction surgery and which patients should pay attention to are :
- It is necessary to quit smoking at least one week before the operation.
- The doctor should be fully informed about existing diseases, medications used continuously, previous diseases.
- Medication with blood-thinning effect should be stopped under the supervision of a doctor. Food with blood-thinning effect should not be taken either.
- It is necessary not to eat during the hours indicated by your doctor the day before the operation.
- You must rest for at least one week after the operation.
- Medication prescribed by the doctor must be used regularly.
- Check-ups and dressings by doctors should not be interrupted.
- Heavy sports should not be practiced for one month after the operation.
- The medical bra (sports bra) that you start wearing after the operation must be used for three weeks.
