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Breast Reduction

Breast Reduction

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WHAT IS A BREAST REDUCTION?

Breast reduction is a procedure to reduce the size of the breasts.  Very large breasts can cause feelings of extreme self-consciousness, and can also cause difficulty in fitting into clothes normally.  This is a very similar procedure to a breast lift, but with removal of much more breast tissue.

Breast reduction, medically referred to as reduction mammaplasty, removes excess skin, fat, and breast tissue. The nipple and areola are also lifted into a more aesthetically pleasing position.  Large areolas are reduced in size.  This results in smaller breasts with a more normal shape and contour, in much better proportion with the rest of the body.

ARE YOU A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR BREAST REDUCTION?

The best candidates for breast reduction are nonsmoking, healthy women with realistic expectations of what breast reduction surgery can achieve: greatly improved size and shape of the breasts with a reduction or resolution of the symptoms caused by the weight of the very large breasts. The tradeoff for all of this is scars on the breast. The great majority of women are more than happy to have scars on their breasts in exchange for relief of their discomfort and greatly improved breast shape and size.

Breast Reduction Video Review by a Patient of Dr. Weinrach

Breast Reduction Consultation and Evaluation with Dr. Weinrach

Dr. Weinrach will take your medical history and perform a physical examination. He will take measurements of your breasts. He will discuss the variables that may affect the procedure such as your age, the size and shape of your breasts, and the condition of your skin. He will show you where the location of the incisions will be, as well as the approximate final locations of the nipple and areola.

There are different techniques available for breast reduction, resulting in different patterns of scarring. The choice of technique and final length of scar largely is related to the size of the breast as well its skin quality.  During the consultation and after an examination, Dr. Weinrach will describe the procedure in detail.  Dr. Weinrach will also explain the anesthesia that will be used, the facility where the surgery will be performed, and the costs.

Want to learn more?

Make your aesthetic goals a reality. Jonathan C. Weinrach, MD FACS and his team look forward to exceeding your expectations. Schedule a personalized consult with Dr. Weinrach by clicking below.

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Want to learn more?

Make your aesthetic goals a reality. Jonathan C. Weinrach, MD FACS and his team look forward to exceeding your expectations. Schedule a personalized consult with Dr. Weinrach by clicking below.

Get Started

Before Your Breast Reduction Surgery

If you are age 45-54 and have not had a mammogram within one year, Dr. Weinrach will require you to have a mammogram (breast x-ray) before surgery. He will give you instructions on how to prepare for surgery, including medications to take and when to stop eating and drinking before surgery.

As you will not be able to drive yourself home after surgery, arrangements should be made for transportation home. Breast reduction surgery can almost always be performed as an outpatient (go home the same day).  Rarely overnight stay may be required, depending on individual circumstances.

Where Your Breast Reduction Will Be Performed

Dr. Weinrach performs breast reduction only in fully accredited surgery centers in the Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona area.  

Anesthesia for Breast Reduction

A board certified anesthesiologist will administer anesthesia for your breast reduction. You will be completely asleep, and feel nothing during the breast reduction procedure. The anesthesiologist will monitor you very closely during the entire procedure, and give you medication to minimize discomfort after surgery.

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Dr. Weinrach is dedicated to helping patients achieve their aesthetic goals through an individualized approach to patient care and commitment to safety. His extensive experience and unique skill set produces long-lasting, natural looking results.

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How a Breast Reduction is actually done

There a various techniques available for breast reduction. The length of the incisions and the resulting scars are largely related to the amount of excess skin and breast tissue present.  After incisions are made, the extra skin and breast tissue are removed, and the nipple and areola are moved up into their new position. The remaining skin and breast are then brought down and around the areola and nipple, and stitches are placed to create the new breast shape and close the incisions.

Almost all techniques involve an incision and  scar around the areola.  Larger breasts require a vertical incision below the areola.  Even larger breasts require a horizontal incision and scar in the crease beneath the breast. Liposuction may be added to remove excess fat from the armpit area and further sculpt the breast to create the best breast reduction possible.

Recovery after Breast Reduction

After surgery, you will have bandages on your breasts covered with a gentle elastic wrap for support.  Drains are not used.

In general, reduction mammaplasty is not a very painful procedure. If there is any discomfort, it is usually mild. Dr. Weinrach will prescribe medication to ease discomfort.

Dr. Weinrach will examine you the day after surgery; you will continue wearing a sports bra for several weeks, until the swelling and bruising resolve. Usually there are no stitches to remove. You will be up and walking the night of the procedure. Light activity is encouraged starting the day after your surgery. You should avoid heavy lifting or strenuous activity for three or four weeks.

Dr. Weinrach will give you detailed instructions for resuming your normal activities. Most women can return to light work and social activities in about one week.

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Your New and Improved Breast Contour

It can take several weeks for all of the swelling and bruising to completely go away. Your breasts will continue to settle into their new contour for up to a year. Even then, weight changes, hormonal changes, and pregnancy can affect their shape. Gravity will always be a force trying to change breast shape, and after six weeks a good supportive bra should be worn as often as possible.

Dr. Weinrach will make every effort to make your scars as inconspicuous as possible. However, it is important to remember that breast reduction scars are permanent. With time, breast reduction scars gradually become less obvious. Eventually they may fade into thin white lines. 

Of all plastic surgery procedures, reduction mammaplasty has one of the highest rates of satisfaction.  You will no longer have the physical discomfort of large breasts, your body will look better proportioned, and clothes will fit you better.  Dr. Weinrach enjoys taking care of breast reduction patients from all over the country and internationally as well.

To schedule a personal breast reduction consultation with Dr. Weinrach, please contact our office.

Please note: We are unable to accept insurance coverage for breast reduction procedures, as we are not contracted with any insurance companies. We are unable to submit any letters of medical necessity or requests for preauthorization to insurance companies.

Breast Reduction FAQs

Breast Reduction: $9,168

*Price includes facility, anesthesia, and surgeon fees. Price is an estimate based on average cases. Any individual case could cost more or less; a consultation is needed to best determine cost.

Breast reduction surgery is typically not a very painful procedure.  Recovery involves light activity for the first week, followed by gradually increasing activity over the next 2 weeks.  No drains are used.  You can shower the day after surgery.

Dr. Weinrach is not a contracted provider of any insurance company; we can not submit any letters of medical necessity or requests for preauthorization to insurance companies.  You would have to check with your insurance company to see if they might reimburse you for any costs related to breast reduction surgery; payment in full is due before surgery. Financing is available at this link: FINANCING

You are a candidate for breast reduction surgery if you do not smoke or use any nicotine containing products, are healthy without significant medical problems, and are willing to accept permanent scars on your breasts in exchange for improved breast contour.

This is variable depending on the size of the breasts. The larger the breasts, the more time that is needed in surgery to reduce the breasts.  An average breast reduction is around three hours.

Breast tissue that is removed is permanent. However, things like weight gain, weight loss, pregnancy, gravity, time, and genetics can alter the shape of the breast, regardless if any breast surgery has been done or not.  The best ways to maintain your result as long as possible is to make sure weight is stable before surgery, and to wear a supportive bra as often as possible.

It is important to closely follow all of Dr. Weinrach’s pre and post-operative instructions given to you after your consultation. You should refrain from smoking or using any nicotine containing products for three months prior to surgery.  You should also refrain from all herbal supplements and anti-inflammatory medication for at least 2 weeks before surgery unless specifically recommended otherwise by Dr. Weinrach. Management of prescription medications is individually planned; consultation with Dr. Weinrach with your prescribing physician is required for prescription medication recommendations.

Some women are simply not able to breastfeed, even without having had any surgery on their breasts.   For women who have successfully breastfed in the past, they may or may not still be able to breastfeed after breast reduction surgery.

Dr. Weinrach has either authored or reviewed and approved this content.

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