Breast Reduction: What is breast reduction?
Dr. Grado has performed more than 1000 breast reductions. The operation is usually performed in an outpatient surgery center under a general anesthetic. When a small amount of tissue is to be removed, a local anesthetic with sedation may be possible depending on the patient’s desires.
- “I have to wear large clothes to hide my chest.”
The operation is almost always outpatient and takes 2 hours. Incisions are designed so that the resulting scars are around the areola and below the level of the nipples. The most frequent pattern used by Dr. Grado involves a “bell-shaped” incision. The incisions are designed so that the scars will not be visible in normal clothing. Surgical incisions heal with scars. Three things are known about the scars: they are permanent, extensive, and unpredictable. Scar width is determined by many factors including the patient’s age, genetics, and skin elasticity.
To reduce scarring, Dr. Grado generally closes breast wounds with sutures that are absorbed by the patient and no painful suture removal is necessary. This eliminates the excessive scarring caused by staples or external sutures. The patient is usually seen in the office the morning after their operation and fitted for a bra. Showering is permitted the following day.
Excessive breast tissue, skin, and stretched out areola are removed. Many women with desk type jobs may return to work as soon as one week after the operation. Ages of patients range from 13 through 83 years of age. Patients may shower the second day after the operation.