Breast Reduction
What is a Breast Reduction?
Breast reduction surgery, or reduction mammoplasty, is a procedure that removes excess fat, skin and glandular tissue from the breasts. Many women opt for this procedure when their breasts appear overly large or out of proportion with the rest of the body, or when they suffer from back/neck or shoulder pain. There are many symptoms attributed to large breasts. We have a detailed intake sheet to capture those reasons so we can best advocate for our patients.
By decreasing the size and weight of large breasts, your surgeon can create a more aesthetically pleasing breast contour that will be more proportioned to your body and help alleviate the associated symptoms.
Types of breast reduction
There are several different surgical techniques for breast reduction that will result in the best desired outcome. One of the most common methods is called the Weiss pattern (often called the anchor, due to the pattern of scars) which re-positions the nipples and reduces large, saggy breast tissue. This is utilized for patients who require the biggest reduction in breast size and have significant droop or asymmetry that needs to be corrected. It is the surgery of choice when there is a lot of tissue that needs to be removed and reshaped.
A vertical (sometimes called “lollipop scar”) breast reduction involves a moderate decrease in the size of their breast, including reducing mild sagging. Vertical breast reduction works well with patients who have good elasticity and do not have too much excess breast tissue.
Many insurance plans cover breast reduction surgery for women with pain and other symptoms resulting from large breast size. There is never a guarantee that it will be approved. This will depend on many factors. Our office will make the necessary inquiries and arrangements with your insurance carrier if you decide to have breast reduction surgery.