Breast reduction (also Reduction mammoplasty) is the plastic surgery procedure for reducing the size of large breasts. Large, heavy, pendulous breasts can be uncomfortable. The excess weight can cause neck pain, back pain, skin irritation, bra strap indentations, numbness or weakness. Breast reduction is known as reduction mammoplasty. The procedure involves removal of excess skin, fat and glandular tissue.
With this type of surgery, scarring can be extensive. Normal breast sensation, nipple-areola sensation and milk production are usually preserved. Possible side effects include pain and lumpiness from scar tissue and the inability to breastfeed. The reduction procedure reduces breast appearance, volume and contour, while preserving breast sensation and function. After breast reduction, women report tremendous improvement in their symptoms. Breast reduction surgery is usually done under general anesthesia, either in a hospital or outpatient surgical facility.
To remove tissue and skin from the breast, the surgeon first makes one or more cuts in the breast. After the excess tissue and skin have been removed, the skin is closed with stitches. Sometimes the nipple and areola have to be removed and repositioned.
Sometimes liposuction is used along with surgery. If most of the breast is fatty tissue and if excess skin isn’t a problem, liposuction alone may be enough for breast reduction.
The surgery usually takes 3 to 5 hours. An overnight stay is not usually required. For smaller reductions, the surgery may be done with local anesthesia.
Immediately after surgery, gauze is placed over the incisions, and the breasts are wrapped in an elastic bandage or supported with a special surgical bra. In some cases, there may be a small tube in each breast to help drain blood and fluid for the first couple of days. Stitches may be removed in 1 to 2 weeks.
Most women have some breast pain for the first few days after surgery and then milder discomfort for a week or longer. Medicine can help relieve the pain. Swelling and bruising may last for several weeks. Wearing a surgical bra 24 hours a day can help reduce swelling and support the breasts while they heal.
Gynecomastia
Gynecomastia is enlargement of the glandular tissue of the male breast. The condition may occur during infancy and puberty in normally developing boys.
Gynecomastia results from an imbalance in the hormonal environment in the body, with a relative excess of estrogens (female hormones) when compared to androgens (male hormones).
The causes of the Gynecomastia can result as a side effect of numerous medications and drugs of abuse or associated with certain medical conditions and treatments,
A male breast reduction is the most effective known treatment for Gynecomastia, or enlarged male breasts. This cosmetic surgery procedure removes excess fat and glandular tissue to restore a flatter, firmer and more masculine contour to the chest. Surgical approaches to the treatment of Gynecomastia include subcutaneous mastectomy, liposuction-assisted mastectomy, laser-assisted liposuction, and laser-lipolysis without liposuction.
While every patient’s healing process is unique, most patients feel ready to return to work just a few days after a male breast reduction, depending on the nature of their work. Some men experience a loss of sensation in the treated areas after a male breast reduction, but this is almost always temporary.