breast reduction
In large breasts, both volume and sagging might require correction. Under general anaesthesia the volume is diminished by liposculpture. For some patients this treatment alone suffices, but generally additional surgery is required. Whenever possible, the breast is lifted through a small incision under the breast leaving only a small scar. Usually, recovery after these interventions takes much less time than after "classical" breast reduction. Often, however, excess skin and breast tissue need to be removed by open surgery.
Sometime a technique can be used that leaves a scar around the areola only, without vertical extension to the fold under the breast. The central part of the breast remains intact. In this way breast feeding may still be possible. More often, some skin needs to be removed from the lower part of the breast. This produces a vertical scar between the areola and the fold under the breast as well as a horizontal scar in the fold. An L-shaped scar avoids scar show in the cleavage.
As an important part of the tissues is removed, blood supply and innervation of the remaining breast tissue, skin and areola are also affected. Breast and nipple sensation is almost invariably altered by open surgery, either leading to oversensitivity, undersensitivity or absence of sensation. Generally but not always there is some recovery, occasionally it is complete. Wound healing is delayed because of the decrease in blood supply. A possible complication of the more extensive operations is loss of tissue by lack of blood supply. In that case healing may take several months. The larger the amount of tissue to be removed by open surgery, the more important the risks of sensation disturbance or poor wound healing.
Breast reduction by liposculpture with or without breast lift through a small incision generally requires an overnight hospital stay. The incisions are glued. After open surgery, people generally stay in several days more. In that case there are stitches which have to be removed after two to three weeks. As for other important operations general recovery takes a few weeks. Symptoms like fatigue generally take two to three months to disappear after open surgery.
Usually these operations improve body shape considerably and patients can dress much more the way they like. The scars of open surgery remain visible, however, and later on small touch up operations are often required.
Even when taking the scars into consideration, this operation is usually very gratifying for patients complaining of large breasts (with neck, upper back or shoulder pain or hygiene problems in the creases). For patients seeking relief of these complaints, health insurance payment may be possible after approval by their medical advisor.