Breast Reduction at Illume Cosmetic Surgery
Breast Reduction in Milwaukee
Having breasts that are too large for your frame can affect many parts of your daily life; shoulder and neck pain or difficulty exercising. Breast reduction surgery can provide several benefits for women who experience discomfort or self-consciousness due to the size and weight of their breasts. If you’re ready to make a change for the better, breast reduction may be a good option for you.
What Is a Breast Reduction?
A breast reduction is a surgical procedure that removes fat, glandular tissue, and skin from the breasts, making them smaller, lighter, and firmer. It can also reduce the size of the areola, the darker skin surrounding the nipple. The procedure is usually performed for physical relief rather than simply cosmetic improvement. The goal is to give you smaller, better-shaped breasts in proportion with the rest of your body.
Most who have the surgery are women with large, pendulous breasts that restrict their activities and cause them physical discomfort. In most cases, it isn’t performed until a woman’s breasts are fully developed, typically around age 20. However, it can be done at an earlier age on a case-by-case basis, if large or heavy breasts are causing serious physical discomfort and significant emotional effects on a teen. The best candidates for breast reduction are those who are mature enough to fully understand the procedure and have realistic expectations about the results. Although it is commonly performed to address medical issues, women can still pursue the procedure as an aesthetic procedure.
The first step for anyone interested in a breast reduction at Illume is to schedule a personal consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons. Request a consultation today!
Benefits of Breast reduction
This surgery can provide several benefits for women who experience discomfort or self-consciousness due to their breast size and weight. Some of the key benefits of breast reduction surgery include:
- Relief from physical discomforts, such as constant back, neck, and shoulder pain
- Increased ability to exercise
- Improvement in posture
- Relief from gouges in shoulders from bra straps
- Clothing can fit better
- Improvement in quality of life
Breast reduction Consultation
A personal consultation with one of our board certified plastic surgeons is the first step for anyone considering a reduction. During this meeting, one of our surgeons will assess your physical and emotional health and discuss your specific goals for surgery. During the consultation, our surgeon will also examine your breasts and describe the procedure in detail, and discuss and risks or limitations.
Breast Reduction Recovery
With the recovery period from Breast Reduction, you may experience random, shooting pains for a few months. You can expect some loss of feeling in your nipples and breast skin caused by swelling after surgery. This usually diminishes over the next six months or so. In some patients, however, it may last a year or more.
Although much of the swelling and bruising will disappear in the first few weeks, it may be six months to a year before your breasts settle into their new shape. Even then, their shape may fluctuate in response to your hormonal shifts, weight changes, and pregnancy. Your surgeon will make every effort to make your scars as inconspicuous as possible. Still, it’s important to remember that breast reduction scars are permanent.
Breast Reduction Surgery Procedure
The procedure will take place at one of our in-house surgical suites. The surgery itself usually takes two to three hours and then we care for you in the recovery room for at least 1 hour before you are discharged.
There will be gauze sponges covering the breasts as well as a surgical bra. Patients wear the bra night and day for the first week, and then for several weeks afterwards. You may feel some discomfort for the first couple of days; we will prescribe medication to lessen the discomfort.
Breast Reduction Techniques
Techniques for the procedure vary, but the most common involves an anchor-shaped incision that circles the areola, extends downward, and follows the natural curve of the crease beneath the breast. The surgeon removes excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin, and moves the nipple and areola into their new position. Stitches are usually located around the areola, in a vertical line extending downward, and along the lower crease of the breast. Most often these stitches are dissolvable and under the skin. Oftentimes, a drain is placed in each breast. You will be given instructions on how to care for your drains and record the output.
Breast Reduction Risks
Breast reduction is relatively straightforward. But as with any operation, there are risks associated with surgery, there is always a possibility of complications, including bleeding, infection, or reaction to the anesthesia. Slow or poor wound healing along the suture line as well as fat necrosis is a possibility, especially in association with obesity, diabetes and smoking. We recommend that our patients stop smoking for at least 6 weeks before and after surgery. You can reduce your risks by closely following our medical team’s advice both before and after surgery. Of all plastic surgery procedures, breast reduction results in the quickest body-image changes. You’ll be rid of the physical discomfort of large breasts, your body will look better proportioned, and clothes will fit you better.
Patient Financing and insurance coverage
Our goal is to make plastic surgery available to any patient who is qualified. We accept all major credit cards and offer several patient financing options to make the process as easy and affordable as possible. Our plastic surgery financing partners include CareCredit, Alphaeon, and Prosper. Learn more about your patient financing options here or contact us for more information
Some insurance companies will pay for breast reduction if it’s medically necessary, however, they may require that a certain amount of breast tissue is removed.
Areola Reduction (Nipple Reduction)
Large nipples or areolas—the darker skin surrounding the nipple—can result from a woman’s genetics, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or the natural aging process. For those who feel dissatisfied with the size of their areolas or the projection of their nipples, there are now options available for correction. Achieving a more proportionate size between the nipple, areola, and breast can significantly enhance the overall appearance of a woman’s breasts.
- Reasons to Consider Nipple Reduction or Areola Surgery:
- Areolas that appear large in relation to the breast size.
- Nipples that are wide or protrude significantly.
- Enlarged nipples or scarring from prior breast surgeries.
- Nipples with an irregular or non-circular shape.
- Inverted Nipples
- Consulting with our board-certified areola reduction surgeons can provide valuable insights for those looking to reduce areola size and achieve their desired aesthetic.
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Before and After
Breast Reduction Gallery
Breast reductions performed by a board-certified surgeon at our Milwaukee and Waukesha locations in Wisconsin have been proven to show great results. Contact us today to learn more about your options and how we can help you make a change for the better and feel your best!