BREAST REDUCTION

Large, pendulous breast can be very painful and cause pain to your neck and back distorting your posture. They can also cause you to have difficulty breathing and to develop a rash underneath the breast fold and make it impossible for you to exercise. Bra straps can further create indentations on your shoulders. Breast reduction can reduce the size of your breasts and reshape them while making the areolas smaller. Breast reduction can enhance your appearance since your breasts become more proportional to the rest of your body. Of all the plastic surgery procedures performed it has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates.

Most major insurance carriers have now stopped covering breast reduction despite the fact it is considered reconstructive in nature, but you need to check with your own carrier about coverage and their requirements.

Procedure--

A pre-op mammogram is requested. If you are a smoker, you must stop 6 weeks before surgery.
Dr. Gentile performs the reduction via a vertical approach, which results in a much smaller scar on the breast, similar to a breast lift procedure. In enormous breast, however, the areola/nipple complex is transferred to its new location via transplantation, again resulting in reduced scarring of the breast.

The procedure takes about 2-3 hours and after surgery you will wear a sports–type bra for about 6 weeks.

The procedure is not particularly discomfortable and your swelling resolves within 2 weeks.

You can expect some loss of feeling in your nipples and skin but usually the numbness and the scars fade with time. Sometimes loss of sensation can be permanent. No stitches require removal. Although you may be up and about in a day or two, do not plan to go to work for at least a week or longer.

Strenuous activity and overhead lifting is prohibited for several weeks after surgery.