Breast Reduction

Many women suffer from breasts that are far too large and heavy. In some cases, the bra straps dig a groove into the woman’s shoulders from the weight of her breasts.

Overly large breasts can cause back pain and other health problems. The procedure to reduce such large breasts is known as reduction mammaplasty and removes fat, breast tissue and skin to make the breasts smaller, firmer and more attractive.

Usually, the procedure is only done on fully developed breasts. If you intend to breastfeed again, you may want to delay the operation.

In cases where breast reduction provides relief from physical ailments, medical insurance may come into play. Please check with your insurance carrier.

After healing, breast reduction patients are delighted to find they can again:

• Play and enjoy more sports
• Exercise without pain or embarrassmen
• Wear more commonly available clothing

Gynecomastia

Gycomastia is the feminization of the male breast which can vary in degree from nipple areola enlargement to full breast gland development. Sub-areolar gland hypertrophy can appear during puberty in one or both nipple areas as a normal part of the maturity process, and usually spontaneously resolves. Gynecomastia results from persistence of this breast gland tissue. Hormonal abnormalities, testicular tumors, and marijuana use can also lead to gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia can become a significant and uncomfortable issue for the patient, and correction of this is sometimes covered by insurance plans, depending upon degree of breast development. Milder degrees of gynecomastia are performed as cosmetic procedures. The procedure is performed as an outpatient under local anesthetic with sedation or general anesthesia, depending upon patient preference. Incisions are limited to the areola margin in smaller reductions, and short skin incisions beyond the areola are sometimes necessary for larger reductions. Liposuction is sometimes included when significant fat is present in addition to breast tissue. The operation is minimally painful and recovery is on the order of 2 to 6 weeks depending upon size of breast tissue removal.