There are many reasons why women choose to undergo a breast reduction. Overly-large breasts can cause embarrassment due to the inability to wear certain clothing styles or participate in some sports. They may cause you to feel self-conscious or to have low self-esteem. Or you may be embarrassed by sagging, breasts, or visible stretch marks.
Overlarge breasts can be both physically and mentally taxing for those who have them. They can cause neck and back pain, painful rashes under the breasts, and pain that can make even simple tasks a burden. Reduction mammoplasty, or a breast reduction, is a surgical procedure used to remove excess tissue, fat, and skin in order to achieve a bust that is in proportion to the rest of your body.
What is the average age women get breast reduction surgery?
For Breast reduction, the average age is usually in the upper thirties or lower forties, but women of any age can have it done if the symptoms such as back pain are significant enough. I'm not sure of an actual definition for oversized breasts, but in general if they are big enough to cause symptoms such as back pain or rashes in that individual patient, then they are oversized.
What size breasts are considered oversized?
While Time Magazine reports that the average bra size is a 36C, breast size very personal and what may be considered too big to one woman, may be perfectly acceptable to another. When you feel like your breasts are overly large, opting to have breast reduction surgery can be positively life-changing.
What happens during breast reduction surgery?
When you have breast reduction surgery, your nipple structure will be relocated upward to accommodate the quantity of tissue that will be removed from the breast. The new position of your nipples will be marked prior to your surgery so the location perfectly suits your newly shaped breasts.
During your breast reduction surgery, incisions will be made in a circle around the areola and down the center of your breast. This allows the nipple to be repositioned and excess fat, breast tissue, and skin to be removed. Once this tissue is removed, the breast will be reshaped to a rounded, natural, plump appearance.
The duration your surgery will be determined by the quantity of tissue which needs to be removed from your breasts. Breast reduction surgeries average a total time of one and a half to two hours.
Recovery from Breast Reduction Surgery
There is a measure of pain and discomfort associated with the recovery from breast reduction surgery. Many women report it as being similar to the way your breasts feel during your menstrual cycle: swollen and tender.
It is necessary to take at least one week off of work to allow your body to move through healing process. During the first two weeks following your surgery, your breasts will be bound with a bandage and you will wear a sports bra to hold your new breasts in place and allow them to take on their newly-created shape.
It is important that you not lift, twist, stretch, or pull anything heavy while you are healing. You will be allowed to resume your usual exercise routine six weeks following surgery but should refrain from weight bearing upper body workouts for about three months.
Many women experience decreased sensation in their breasts and nipples immediately following surgery. This is completely normal, and the usual sensation usually returns as your breasts begin to heal from surgical trauma – generally within the first three months.
You will experience some scarring from your breast reduction surgery. The scars will become less red in color and less visible as time goes on, ultimately appearing as a thin white line, almost unnoticeable. Your surgeon can discuss with you what kind of care can help your scars be less visible and heal correctly.
Breast Reduction Surgery – It’s Personal.
At Associates in Plastic Surgery, our board-certified plastic surgeons know that your choice to have breast reduction surgery is extremely personal, and a decision that involved time to consider. Taking a step toward planning your breast reduction surgery is a step in the right direction to increase your self-confidence and self-esteem – and put an end to the physical pain and emotional stress of having overly large breasts, and to realizing the body you deserve.
Imagine for a moment that you can wear all of the clothing styles you have envied for years. Imagine a body with the balanced, beautiful curves you have always dreamed of. Imagine perky breasts that are proportionate to the rest of your body. Let us help you make your dreams come true.