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Aesthetic Details Should Also Be Addressed in Breast Reduction Surgery
Most all of the time, women who undergo a breast reduction are doing so because of the chronic discomfort and problematic issues that they are experiencing – neck, back and shoulder pain, fatigue, rashes, skin infections and irritation. Their greatly oversized breasts are not only a source of embarrassment including when engaging in activities but also their weight, movement and traction effects can make it difficult or even impossible to engage in a variety of physical activities.
They regard a reduction mammoplasty as a reconstructive procedure that can alleviate their pain, discomfort and embarrassment. Scars, shape, sensation and general appearance are considered to be very secondary. The overwhelming goal is to be MUCH smaller and they don’t mind the aesthetic tradeoffs in order to accomplish this.
Interestingly, women seeking a breast lift which most often requires the same incisions that are used in breast reductions, very often obsess with the extent and nature of the scars. For them, these could easily be a deal breaker. Many would rather live with their droopy, small breasts than undergo a breast lift that would endow them with larger, shapelier, rejuvenated breasts but at the price of scars.
Just because a breast reduction may be performed for reasons largely unrelated to aesthetics doesn’t mean that the absolutely best possible shape, size, symmetry and scars shouldn’t be strived for.
That’s always my goal when I perform breast reductions for my patients.
Meticulous, gentle technique.
Obsession with all details.
Aiming for the best possible cosmetic shape and rejuvenated appearance.
Thorough and aggressive scar management postoperatively.
For many reasons including individual patient variables, there can never be a guaranteed outcome but in order to be able to have the possibility of obtaining a pleasing aesthetic result, a superior effort must be made.
The following patient of mine, a 33 year old woman of Hispanic heritage, is just such an example. Presenting with 34DDDD breasts associated with the typical constellation of symptoms, she sought to undergo a breast reduction. She had poor skin tone, significant asymmetries of shape and size between the sides and darker skin that had a much higher risk of developing darkly pigmented, hypertrophic scars (thick, elevated ones) or keloids.
Before breast reduction
After breast reduction
Before breast reduction – side view
After breast reduction – side view
Despite all this, her surgery was uneventful resulting in the appearance and size (34C/D) that she desired. Employing thorough scar management, her incisions healed extremely well and were relatively inconspicuous.
For more information on a breast reduction, scar revision or any other plastic surgery procedure that I perform, please call my office at 480-451-3000.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona