Surgical options to reduce the weight and volume of the breasts

Introduction

The breasts are a common concern for women. When they are proportionate to the rest of the body and with a good shape and position on the chest wall, there are no reasons to be preoccupied about them. However, there are women who still consider breast augmentation with implants, even in these conditions.

Over the last few decades, it looks like we have been under the spell of big, round, perky breasts. This is why breast augmentation has become one of the two most performed plastic surgery procedures in the world. If in the past women chose to get implants as big as possible at the expense of breasts that were overly big and looking fake, nowadays patients are striving to get results as natural as possible and the augmentation to be within reason and respecting the proportions of the body. The interest with huge, fake-looking breasts has decreased with patients getting the surgery telling their story and how the size and volume of their breasts influenced the quality of their life. This is something that women with naturally big breasts have known all along, sometimes even from teenage years when hypertrophy of the breasts can occur.

In this article, we will discuss about the appearance and conditions of overly large breasts and the surgical options available to reduce the weight and volume of the breasts.

Overly large breasts: Advantages or mostly disadvantages?

If you ask many women if they would like to have breasts that are overly large compared to the rest of their anatomy, a vast majority of them would most likely answer with a firm “yes.” Ask women with excessively large breasts if she considers her breasts to be a blessing, and a vast majority of them will tell you how terrible it feels never to be able to sleep on the tummy or to get suitable clothes and lingerie or even to do physical exercises without struggle. They will also tell you about the deep indentations in the shoulders and under the breasts made by the straps and bands of the bras that are not supportive enough. They will also tell you how terrible it feels never to find a sexy bra in their size and how their bras often look like little tents. They will not forget to mention the back, neck and shoulder pain that becomes chronic after a while and makes even the simplest of tasks difficult.

Having overly large breasts is a physical disadvantage for many women, and the advantages are few, if any. Naturally big breasts are unlike huge breasts that are made with the help of plastic surgery. Keep in mind that even breast implants can go just up to a certain level. Some manufacturers stop at 1 liter per implant, and this is quite a big breast. At the same time, there are internet celebrities that have breasts much bigger than these, achieved with the help of illegal or at least unhealthy procedures. These breasts that are created have a different appearance compared to natural breasts of the same size and volume.

You will notice how some celebrities’ breasts are huge but perfectly round and very perky. This appearance is often created by an inflammatory process that occurs in the breasts due to the substances injected or implanted, and it is certainly not normal. Because we are talking about foreign substances introduced inside the body, the reaction is normal. Moreover, the natural tissues of the breasts have a normal tendency to sag when the ligaments of the breasts are overstretched. So this means that when a natural breast weighs over 1 kg, it will be positioned very low on the chest with a wide base and a prolonged appearance. Naturally, huge breasts are not as sexy as you might think. Many women confronted with the issue mention that taking the bra off is one of the moments of the day that they are not fond of as it feels like the breasts are all over the abdominal area.

A big disadvantage of having naturally big breasts is the sagginess that is often associated with them. Breasts that have a considerable weight will start sagging much sooner in the patient’s life compared to breasts that are normal in size or smaller. Breast ptosis can make the breasts look unappealing, and the patient can appear older than she really is as we associate sagginess with old age. But the reality is that the breasts can have a low position on the chest wall even since the teenage years when the hypertrophy occurs early in some patients.

Surgical options to reduce the weight and volume of the breasts

Reduction mammoplasty is the medical term we use for breast reduction surgery. This is a procedure created specially to eliminate the discomforts and issues associated with breasts that are overly big. The aim of the procedure is to reduce the volume and weight of the breasts, give them a natural position on the chest wall, and harmonize the proportions of the body.

Breast reduction surgery entails the removal of a part of the mammary gland, aside from the fat and skin tissues that are in excess. The quantity of glandular tissue that will be eliminated during the breast reduction houston procedure is to be discussed with the plastic surgeon during the pre-operative consultation. It is important to have clear goals about the aesthetic results you want to achieve with this procedure as different patients can ask for different things when it comes to the reduction of the weight and volume of the breasts. Generally speaking, a full C cup is a good result to aim for, but your goals can be different from the norm. Make sure to explain to your plastic surgeon how big you want your breasts to be to avoid getting unsatisfactory results, such as breasts that are still too big or too small.

Before the procedure, you will be asked to take, aside from the usual tests, a mammogram if you are over 40 years old or a breast echography if you are younger to find out if there are potential issues in the glandular tissues. Because breast reduction is a complex plastic surgery procedure, probably one of the most difficult performed for aesthetic purposes, the recommendation is for the patient to be in good health and emotional condition. In preparation for the procedure, the patient will be asked to stop birth control medication a month before and anti-inflammatory medication two weeks before the procedure. Smoking should be avoided for a minimum of three weeks, both pre- and post-operatively. A fasting of six to eight hours is mandatory before the procedure to prevent complications that can occur due to the administration of a general anesthetic.

After the surgery, the patient can usually return home within hours after waking up from the effects of the anesthesia. However, it is recommended to have someone in the house to help you if needed for about 24 to 72 hours, depending on how the recovery process is going. Antibiotics and antalgic medication will be prescribed and should be taken according to the doctor’s orders. A certain level of pain and discomfort can be experienced during the first few days post-op, but it is nothing to worry about as it is part of the healing process and the medication will easily alleviate the pain. Make sure to wear the special post-op bra or the sports bra recommended by the plastic surgeon non-stop for the first few weeks. The breasts need support and compression to heal faster after the procedure.

Conclusion

Overly large breasts often occur as a result of the excessive growth of the glandular tissue along with an excess of fat that is normally in the breasts. The increase in weight of volume in the breasts can lead to the overstretching and relaxation of the ligaments that hold the breasts in an elevated position, hence causing breast ptosis and the loss of the beautiful shape of the breasts.

Consequently, there is a host of physical and emotional issues that are associated with overly large breasts such as discomfort and pain in the neck, back and shoulders that become permanent. Engaging in a normal life with physical activities can be difficult for patients confronted with overly large breasts due to the discomfort and even pain caused by certain movements.

Breast reduction is a complex plastic surgery procedure that can be performed to reduce the weight and volume of the breasts. The procedure is safe and delivers impressive results in a vast majority of cases.