Breast Reduction
Many people are surprised to learn that
surgical reduction of breast size is a common plastic surgical procedure.
Reduction mammaplasty is not done for cosmetic purposes. This operation has
as its goal, a significant reduction in the weight of the breast. Patients
who choose this surgical procedure are among the happiest patients the
plastic surgeon sees during office follow-up visits.
The patient with very large breasts may suffer from a variety of symptoms .
The weight of the breast tissue itself would cause problems; but the woman
with large breasts finds that the position of this weight causes back strain
and discomfort. The bra ultimately becomes an instrument of pain as the bra
straps cut into the shoulders. The pull of gravity is now transferred to the
shoulders and neck muscle resulting in more pain and muscle spasm. It is not
uncommon in the most severe cases to see permanent grooves in the shoulders
where the bra straps have exerted their pull. Some patients may even have
scars in this area. Even with the best of bra support there may be some
overlap and contact between the breast skin and the lower chest wall skin.
Especially in the warmer climates this can create a chronic skin irritation
called intertriginous dermatitis.
Patients have often been quite self conscious about their breast size and
may have suffered from a variety of unwanted attention . This type of
suffering is difficult to quantify but it is present to some degree in many
patients with enlarged breasts. Breast size often interferes with the
woman's ability to exercise. There is often direct interference with arm
motion in certain sports, and there is the pain many of these women
experience during jogging or running in spite of the support of the best
bras available.
This degree of breast hypertrophy(enlargement) may occur from shortly after
the onset of puberty till old age. The operation of reduction mammaplasty is
carried out to relieve the patient's symptoms and should not be confused
with the so called "breast lift" or mastopexy procedure which is done for
cosmetic purposes. The majority of insurance policies will cover medically
indicated breast reduction but the mastopexy procedure is not covered since
its purpose is cosmetic.
 |
Renaissance Surgery
Center | 73-180 El Paseo | Palm Desert, CA 92260 |
