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Breast Reduction
Some commonly asked questions include:
Who is a good candidate for breast reduction surgery?
Patients with the following symptoms and characteristics are good candidates for breast reduction surgery: • Back, neck, and shoulder pain from excessive breast weight; heavy and sagging breasts with low nipples; • Breasts that are too large in proportion to the patient's body; • Skin irritation beneath the breasts; • Bra strap grooving into the shoulders; • Self-consciousness about large breasts; and • Restriction in physical activity due to large breast size.
Is it safe?
While all surgical procedures incur some risk, breast reduction is generally felt to be a safe operation. The major potential complications include asymmetry, wound healing difficulties, nipple numbness, and poor scarring.
What is removed during the surgery?
The majority of the tissue removed is a combination of fat and breast glandular tissue. Excess skin and areola are also taken, and occasionally excess fat under the arm is removed via liposuction to improve the result.
Can I breastfeed after the procedure?
Most women maintain breastfeeding potential, since sufficient breast tissue remains after the surgery. Despite this fact, many women who have undergone breast reduction ultimately choose not to breast feed, for fear of this leading to recurrent overgrowth and subsequent sagging.
Will nipple sensation be affected?
While this is one of the more feared complications of the surgery, most women maintain nipple sensation postoperatively.
Does private health insurance cover this procedure?
While each insurance company has its own guidelines regarding coverage for breast reduction surgery, in general, if patients are sufficiently symptomatic from excessively large breasts, insurance companies and Medicare will cover a variable portion of the procedure.
Where are the incisions placed?
In patients with modest breast enlargement, the incision looks like a lollipop, running around the areola and vertically down for a distance of approximately 6cm. For larger reductions, the above incision is combined with a horizontal incision in the fold between the breast and upper abdomen.
Will exercise make my breasts bigger?
No. Serious bodybuilding increases the size of the chest muscles, but has little effect on the breast tissue itself. It is the breast tissue, and not the chest muscles, that contributes to excessively large breasts.
Will future pregnancy affect the result?
As with any woman, patients who have undergone breast reduction will experience an increase in breast size during pregnancy. It is likely, but not certain, that patients will experience mild-to-moderate sagging following pregnancy, due to the transient increase in breast tissue volume during pregnancy.
How long does the operation take?
Three hours.
Where is the surgery performed?
At a fully-accredited hospital in Gladstone or Bundaberg.
Can it be done on patients with asymmetry?
Reduction amount can vary from side to side to help correct breast asymmetry.
What type of anesthesia is used?
General anesthesia.
How much pain is there?
Most patients achieve good control with the help of pain medication for the first several days following the procedure. Following this, over-the-counter medications are used for another one to two weeks as needed.
What is the recuperation?
Generally, most activities including employment can be resumed within two to three weeks after surgery. Light duties can be resumed sooner, while heavy lifting and strenuous exercise should be delayed several more weeks.
Is there any age limit for patients considering breast reduction?
All women who are sufficiently informed about the procedure are candidates for the surgery. While the average patient is between 20-45 years of age, there are many younger women whose lives are so negatively impacted by their large breasts that they wish to have the surgery as teenagers. There are also many older women who have denied themselves the benefit of this surgery, only to later say: ``I wish I would have done this 20 years ago''.
Are the scars obvious?
While the scars are lengthy, they are well hidden by bras and conservative swimwear tops.
Breast Augmentation
Some commonly asked questions include:
How long is the incision?
For silicone-gel implants the incision is 5cm long, while for saline implants it is 2.5cm.
Where is the incision for the standard breast augmentation?
For most women, the incision is placed at the junction of the lower breast and upper abdomen.
Where is the incision for the transaxillary endoscopic breast augmentation?
In a skin crease in the axilla (underarm).
Can either round or shaped (teardrop) implants be used?
Either round or shaped implants can be used, depending on your anatomy and goals. The shaped implants are twice as expensive.
Is augmentation appropriate in women with breast asymmetry?
Yes, implants of different sizes may be placed on each side, however a degree of asymmetry is likely to remain.
What are the post-op restrictions?
Essentially none, after two weeks of recovery.
Does breast augmentation effect nipple sensation?
While it is a risk of surgery, it is unlikely.
Does this affect breast feeding?
No breast tissue is cut, so breast feeding should be unaffected.
Who shouldn't undergo basic breast augmentation?
Women who require simultaneous nipple elevation due to drooping of the nipples. If the nipple is below the level of the inframammary fold (junction between breast and upper abdomen), it usually requires a simultaneous lifting procedure to optimize aesthetics.
Why place the implants under the chest muscle?
Placement under the muscle results in a more natural appearance to the upper portion of the breast, results in less interference with mammograms, and lowers the rate of capsular contracture (the old "rock-in-a-sock" problem)
Is there a limit on implant size?
Appropriate implant size is based on your chest diameter, weight and existing breast tissue.
What type of anesthesia is necessary?
General anesthesia
Is silicone safe?
Large scale studies from various international centres have shown the incidence of various illnesses is similar in women who have implants and those who don't have them (the conclusion from these seemingly bias-free studies is that silicone doesn't cause women to become ill).
Why choose silicone?
Silicone-gel implants are more natural feeling than saline implants.
Why choose saline?
A smaller incision is required.
What if the implants rupture?
If saline implants rupture, they deflate within two to three days, leading to obvious asymmetry. If silicone implants rupture, the silicone-gel is generally contained by the rim of scar tissue that inevitably forms around implants.
Can I sample different sizes?
Part of the pre-operative consultation involves placing implants of varying sizes and shapes in a bra to help determine the implant that matches your goals and expectations.