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A breast reduction, or reduction mammaplasty, is a plastic surgery procedure that reduces the size and weight of a woman's breasts to make them in proportion with the rest of her body. Excess breast tissue and skin are removed, the nipple and areola (the pigmented area around the nipple) are repositioned to a more youthful level, and the remaining breast tissue is reshaped to relieve symptoms of back pain, etc., and to create a good cosmetic result. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, a double board certified Pennsylvania plastic surgeon, performs breast reduction procedures in the safety of the operating room at Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia. He works with a team of sensitive and competent registered nurses and certified anesthesiologists. The procedure takes approximately three to four hours and is performed under general anesthesia. Patients usually spend one night in the hospital and are discharged first thing in the morning.
Who is the procedure for?
Breast reduction surgery is usually for a woman who is at least 18 years of age and who has stopped growing for at least two years in breast size, height and weight.Women with very large breasts often experience physical and emotional discomfort. The excessive weight may cause a variety of medical problems including neck, back and shoulder pain, poor posture, and numbness (a pins and needles feeling) in their little fingers as the result of a nerve in the neck being affected by the weight of the breast. Rashes under the breasts frequently occur. Women may have indentations in their shoulders from bra straps, and these grooves may become scarred or darker in color.
Women with overly large breasts may feel very self-conscious. They often have difficulty exercising or performing certain daily routines. Because their figure is out of proportion, they have trouble finding clothes that fit and flatter; it's virtually impossible to buy a dress. They are tired of spending a lot of money for proper-fitting or custom-made bras.
Health insurance often covers breast reduction surgery because of the associated medical problems. Before you schedule a consultation, you should save yourself time and possible disappointment by calling the number on your insurance card to verify that both Dr. Eisenberg and Nazareth Hospital are in your network.
Things to consider
While a breast reduction will create a nicely shaped breast, the scars from the incision will be visible and permanent. The incision is anchor-like in shape; it goes around the nipple, extends from the nipple down to the breast fold and then across the breast fold itself. For some women, the incision will heal to a thin line; for others it may be thicker and more apparent. Healing is usually very good and is helped by our use of dissolvable stitches. (Often there are no stitches to be removed.)When the nipple is repositioned to a higher and ideal location, some milk ducts may be severed. Consequently, milk production following pregnancy could be reduced. The operation does not prevent the formation of milk, and some nursing is usually possible, but it may be necessary to supplement with formula.
Sensation to the breast, including nipple and areola, may be altered, decreased or lost permanently, but this is rare.
During your consultation at our Philadelphia office, you can see pictures of Dr. Eisenberg's many breast reduction patients, so you can consider the pros and cons of this plastic surgery procedure.
