| BREAST
REDUCTION
| (ACSN) Preferred Provider Cost $6149.00* (implants
not included) |
NOTE:
All ACSN physicians who are not Preferred Providers
discount their Usual & Customary fees (U&C
FEES) twenty percent (20%). ACSN Price Guarantee
Have your surgery with one of our Preferred Providers
and if within the next six months you find a surgeon,
within a fifty mile radius, of equal board certification
that is willing to do the same procedure for a
lower price, you will be refunded the difference,
guaranteed! |
|
Breast reduction is performed
to reduce the size of the breasts. It may be desired
for cosmetic, emotional, and/or physical reasons. Many
women do not like the way they look because of their
excessively large breasts, and their breasts may also
cause physical problems such as back and/or neck pain,
poor posture, and notches in the shoulders caused by
bra straps. Breast reduction, commonly known as mammaplasty,
relieves the physical discomfort of excessively large
breasts, and also improves appearance.
Some important facts about
mammaplasty:
- Breast reduction is one of the few cosmetic surgery
procedures that is performed on teenagers (once their
breasts have developed completely).
- Breast reduction changes the volume and the shape
of the breast and the size of the areola, if desired.
- The areola usually has to be repositioned because
large breasts most often are "ptotic' (sagging).
ALTERNATIVES TO SURGERY
There are no alternatives to surgery. Many women tend
to wear baggy or loose-fitting clothing before turning
to reduction surgery.
PREPARING FOR SURGERY
When considering breast reduction surgery you want to
ask your doctor about the surgical options available.
Your initial consultation will include a review of your
medical history, discussing the results you'd like to
achieve and to explain the procedure to be performed.
You will also be given pre-and postoperative instructions
which will include information on eating and drinking
and what prescription medications to take and those
to avoid. Be sure you and your physician agree on the
surgical approach and understand the potential risks
and complications involved with the procedure.
Bring pictures from magazines of your desired look.
Your physician should assess the size and laxity of
your breasts. Be absolutely clear and in agreement with
your doctor about what look and size you want for your
breasts. Discuss with your physician the location of
the incisions.
THE PROCEDURE
While you are upright, your breasts should be very precisely
marked with a permanent marker. The anesthesia will
then be administered. The surgeon makes a continuous
incision around the areola, with a vertical incision
below it (known as an "inverted keyhole incision"),
connected to a horizontal incision made in the crease
underneath the breast. This last incision is usually
the whole width of the breast. Most surgeons do not
completely detach the nipple. It is freed via the circumareolar
incision, but attachment to the tissue (which includes
milk ducts, blood supply, and nerve endings) is maintained.
Excess breast tissue, fat, and skin are removed above,
below, and on either side of the nipple. Some surgeons
use liposuction to remove fatty breast tissue in the
underarm area. The areola may or may not be reduced
and is then repositioned and sutured into place. The
tissue and skin on both sides of the breasts are brought
together and sutured (some physicians use only dissolvable
sutures; some use a combination of dissolvable and non-dissolvable).
An elastic bandage or surgical bra will be placed on
you after surgery. Drains may be placed in each breast
to allow for drainage of any excess blood or fluid.
The bandages will be removed in about one or two days
and you will continue to wear the bra foe several weeks.
Anesthesia
Breast reduction is usually performed under general
anesthesia. However, the type of anesthesia used is
dependent on the procedure to be performed, the doctor's
choice, and the patient's medical history or desires.
Length of Procedure
The Breast reduction takes approximately three to five
hours.
Level of Pain/Discomfort
Generally with a breast reduction there is moderate
pain during the postoperative period, which may be controlled
with prescribed pain medications or Extra-Strength Tylenol.
PRE- AND POSTOPERATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
The following suggestions are intended to make you feel
more comfortable and help you heal:
- If you have regular mammograms or are over the
age of forty, schedule a mammogram prior to your procedure,
and then again after the swelling and tenderness have
disappeared completely (three to six months). This
way, the changes from your surgery can be documented.
- Dressings - this procedure requires a supportive
bra or dressing, which should be provided, to wear
for four to six weeks after surgery. You may want
to purchase a second garment to wear while you launder
the other. Do not wear an underwire bra for six weeks.
- You must sleep on your back, with your upper body
elevated, for at least the first week to ten days.
- Do not lie face down for at least three weeks.
- The breasts must not be exposed to the sun and tanning
beds, especially while bruising is visible (the pigmentation
of the skin may change permanently). Optimally, these
should be avoided completely for skin care and health.
RECOVERY
The initial healing period for a breast reduction can
take, on average, from one to two weeks, however everyone
heals differently. Healing is affected by many factors,
including your genetics, whether you smoke and/or drink
alcohol, pain tolerance, and the extent of the surgery.
The first day after surgery, you will probably experience
soreness and tenderness and will probably want to sleep.
You can expect some swelling and bruising, which usually
heals in two to three weeks. Minor swelling can last
as long as six to nine weeks. Bruising can last up to
six weeks. You may also experience some temporary numbness,
and itching around the incision sites. Finally, keep
in mind that the body does not always heal symmetrically.
RISKS / COMPLICATIONS
Although problems are unlikely, you need to be aware
of what can happen and what action you should take.
Most risks/complications will be avoided if you make
an informed decision, choose a qualified physician,
and follow your physician's instructions.
Complications that can occur include bleeding, infection,
hematoma (a collection of blood under the skin that
must be removed by the surgeon) changes in nipple sensation,
scarring, and asymmetry. Scars as a result of breast
reduction surgery are permanent, however they generally
fade over time.
STILL YOU…ONLY BETTER
Breast reduction surgery carries with it physical as
well as the emotional relief. Many patients are extremely
happy with their new look, especially since clothes
fit in a more pleasing manner. The physical reminders
of too much breast tissue such as notches in the shoulders
from bra straps begin to dissipate.
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