If you don’t like the overly large size of your breasts or they are causing you pain, you may want to consider breast reduction surgery. Before undergoing this procedure, you need to talk to a surgeon to understand its pros and cons.
Here is some general breast reduction surgery information to help you prepare for that conversation. It will tell you what to expect during the procedure, methods, operation cost, and prognosis.
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What Happens During a Breast Reduction Surgery?
Most breast reduction surgeries are done on an outpatient basis using general anesthesia. The surgeon cuts through your breasts to eliminate the extra skin, fat, and tissue. Next is changing the size of your breasts and closing up the incisions.
A surgeon could do this surgery in one of the following ways:
- Vertical reduction: This procedure will work best if your breasts sag and you want to reduce their size slightly. It involves two cuts; one around the areola and another that extends vertically from the bottom of the areola to the breast crease (inframammary fold). This incision is also known as the lollipop incision or lollipop lift.
- Inverted-T reduction: This method uses the same cuts as a lollipop reduction, plus an extra cut along the crease at the bottom of each breast. The best candidates for this type of surgery have bigger size reductions and more noticeable differences in how their breasts look.
- Liposuction: A surgeon may suggest liposuction if you only want a little breast reduction. This less invasive procedure takes a small amount of fat away. But you shouldn’t use this method if you have a lot of fat, sagging skin, or asymmetry.
How Much Is Breast Reduction Surgery?
A breast reduction cost in Austin ranges between $7,000 and $9,000 if you don’t have insurance. Keep in mind that the cost of the surgery, the anesthesia, and any time spent in the hospital are all different. Whether or not you can use your health insurance to pay for breast reduction surgery will depend on why you choose to have it. For insurance to help, you need to prove that there is a physical need for it, such as severe back pain or skin irritations from the large and sagging breasts.
Aesthetic breast reduction surgery is considered a cosmetic procedure. In your situation, an insurance company won’t pay for cosmetic surgery. Consequently, if you need a breast reduction because of persistent pain or other physical problems, your insurance may pay for it.
Most insurance companies want proof that you have first tried nonsurgical treatments like physical therapy. Also, some insurance companies may not pay for the treatment unless you remove a certain amount of breast tissue.
Prognosis
Your breast reduction surgery will likely give you great results that will make you feel better about yourself and more comfortable doing different things. You might be able to get rid of striations or other skin problems, but you might need to wear a special supportive bra for a few months for comfort and to help the healing process go faster.
Scars are permanent but aren’t as noticeable after the first year. The surgeon will try hard to hide scars by putting incisions in discreet places. Mostly, the surgeon makes the cuts at the areola and the bottom of the breast. Even if you wear low-cut clothes, the scars shouldn’t show.
Breast Reduction FAQs
Can You Still Breastfeed After Breast Reduction?
Some people may find it harder to breastfeed after breast reduction surgery. However, the surgeon usually won’t have to take out the glands and ducts that carry milk to the nipple so the baby can still feed.
How Long Does It Take to Get Better After a Breast Reduction Surgery?
People take different periods to recover from breast reduction surgery, but you can expect to miss at least a few weeks of work or other regular activities. You will also need to exercise more often and avoid doing anything too strenuous. Talk to your surgeon about what you can expect before your procedure.
How Long Does the Surgery Take?
A breast reduction usually takes between three and five hours. Depending on how your surgery went, you may need to stay in the hospital overnight for observation, or you may be able to go home right away.
Does Breast Reduction Surgery Aid in Losing Weight?
If you have an operation to reduce the size of your breasts, the weight of your breasts will go down. However, it would be best if you tried not to regain it because it can end up in other places in your body.
