Costs
Costs for this procedure vary, depending on the doctor,
the location, and the difficulty of the specific case.
Please call our offices at 310.575.1500 for an exact
quote. Our prices are very competetive and you can be
sure that you're getting the very best surgeon with
Dr. Cheski. Our on staff surgical consultants can best
help you to determine the cost for this procedure.
You may want to consult our offices to determine if
your needs are medically indicated and costs may be
covered by your medical insurance.
The Procedure
Large, heavy breasts can be painful due to excessive
weight, this excess weight also causes strain in the
neck and shoulders, leading to back ache and headache.
From this heavy load, the bra straps may cut in to the
skin, and can even cause notching in the collarbone!
How is the breast reduction done?
Breast reduction surgery involves removal of excess
breast tissue with reshaping and lifting of the breast.
The incisions are similar to those used for more extensive
breast lifts. Your doctor will discuss the varying methods
of breast reduction and explain the technique that may
be best suited for you.
Because of the functional problems associated with
abnormally large breasts, insurance will often cover
the cost of this type of surgery. Although light activities
can be resumed within a few days following the surgical
procedure, routine physical activity and exercising
should be avoided for several weeks. Your doctor will
advise you on this particular question.
How long does a breast reduction take?
Surgery generally requires approximately three hours
per breast, depending on the technique of reduction
that your surgeon feels is best for you.
Will I have to stay in the hospital?
This surgery can usually be performed as an outpatient,
and you can go home after the operation, but if an extremely
large amount of breast tissue has to be removed, the
doctor may want you to stay overnight in the hospital,
in order for a medical personnel to monitor your recovery.
Do I need to be put to sleep for the surgery?
Most people are put to sleep for this surgery, because
it is a pretty big operation. It is often done under
general anesthesia. In some cases, instead of general
anesthesia, you may choose to have sedation (this will
make you drowsy and comfortable during the surgery,
but you will not be completely asleep). Discuss your
preferences and options with your surgeon.
How safe is it?
All surgery has some potential risks, including the
risks of bleeding, allergy to the anesthetic, and infection.
In this surgery, serious complications are quite rare,
but there is often significant blood loss due to the
magnitude of the surgery. In addition, a small area
of infection or delayed healing in the incisions is
not uncommon.
All surgery has the risks of scarring, bleeding, and
infection. Each of these is common in this surgery,
but they are almost always localized to the breast tissue,
and usually do not pose major health risks to the rest
of the body, if treated properly. You will need to work
with your doctor, and carefully follow all instructions,
in order to minimize the risks from these problems.
Finally, the scars from this surgery are quite long,
and are almost always become wide or thick with time.
Does it hurt?
Fortunately, although the surgical incision for this
surgery is quite large, it is placed in areas of the
breast that are not too sensitive. In addition, due
to the fact that the nerves to the breast skin have
been stretched out by the weight of the breasts over
a long time, the skin is less sensitive. Thus, pain
after the surgery is surprisingly little, and usually
easily tolerable with a few pain pills. There is discomfort
in walking, getting out of bed, and any activity that
"jiggles" the breasts for a few days, but this, too,
resolves. During the surgery, of course, the area would
be numb, or you would be asleep, or both, and it would
not hurt at all.
How long do the results last?
The breasts will remain smaller forever than they would
have been if surgery had not been performed. Unfortunately,
gravity continues to work, and the breasts will sag
again with time. In addition, the remaining breast tissue
will continue to respond like any breast tissue: it
will get bigger if you gain weight, take hormones, get
pregnant, etc.
Is there much scarring?
The scarring from this operation is extensive. The
scars are long, they remain pink or brown for several
years, and they can become wide or thick with time.
After several years, the scars may become faded and
not noticeable, but you can not count on this. Fortunately,
the scars are placed in areas that are not seen unless
you are topless, and can be hidden by most traditional
bathing suits.
How long until I can go back to work?
You will be pretty sore for the first few days after
surgery, and you may want to stay home from work. You
will need to discuss this further with your doctor.
How long before I can resume normal activities?
Most normal activities can be resumed within a few
days, although your chest will be stiff and sore. You
should avoid strenuous activity for at least 6 weeks
in order to give things a chance to heal up properly.
If you have delayed healing of one of the parts of the
scar (a common occurrence), this would delay your recovery
even longer.
What benefit could I expect from the surgery?
This surgery is designed to reduce the weight of the
breasts in order to make it easier for you to be active.
Hopefully, this will relieve the pressure on your back,
neck, and shoulders that can cause stiffness, aching,
and headache. Thus, although you will get a breast lift,
the primary benefit of the operation is functional not
only cosmetic You do get a breast lift in the surgery,
which may enhance your body image.
What are the alternatives?
Weight loss can often reduce the size of the breasts,
and should be tried first, although we all recognize
that weight loss is not easy, and that some women's
breasts are excessively large even when they are quite
thin. Hormonal manipulation is not currently recommended.
Liposuction of the breasts can reduce the size of the
breasts without causing significant scarring, but most
women do not choose this option because it makes the
breasts sag more (since the size of the skin is not
reduced).
Special Instructions
As mentioned above, it is very important to make sure
that there is no infection or bleeding in the breast
after the surgery. You must therefore be very careful
to protect the breasts and keep them clean, and follow
your doctor's instructions very carefully.
This information is only intended as an introduction
to this procedure. It should not be used to determine
whether you will have the procedure performed nor to
guarantee the result. The best method of determining
your options would be to consult surgeons who are accessible
to you to answer all your questions.
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