ABOUT BREAST REDUCTION
A Breast Reduction Can Help You Live Your Active Lifestyle in Greater Comfort
If overly large breasts are causing you discomfort, Stephen T. Greenberg, M.D., F.A.C.S can perform breast reduction surgery at his offices, serving Long Island, The Hamptons, Woodbury, Manhattan, NY and Boca Raton, FL areas. Breast reductions, technically known as reduction mammaplasties, are designed for women with large, pendulous breasts. The procedure involves the removal of fat, glandular tissue, and skin from the breasts, making them smaller, lighter, and firmer. The procedure can also reduce the size of the areola, the dark skin surrounding the nipple. With Dr. Greenberg’s expert care, you can achieve the silhouette you want and relieve painful side effects of large breasts.
Best Candidates for Breast Reduction
Women with very large, pendulous breasts may experience a variety of medical problems caused by the excess weight, ranging from back and neck pain and skin irritation to skeletal deformities and breathing problems. Bra straps may leave indentations on the shoulders, and unusually large breasts can make a woman or teenage girl feel extremely self-conscious.
Breast reductions are best for women who have:
- Breasts out of proportion to the body
- Pain due to breast size, which usually involves the neck, back, and shoulders
- Shoulder grooving from the bra
- Skin irritation beneath the breasts
- Restricted activity
- Uneven breast size
The ability to breast-feed following this procedure is variable, and unpredictable. Patients should consider their future plans for childbearing before undergoing this surgery.
Your Breast Reduction Consultation
Breast reduction surgery offers many benefits, and the overall goal is to help women achieve smaller breasts that are more proportional to their bodies. During your breast reduction consultation, Dr. Greenberg will review your anatomy and symptoms. He will explain in detail the options for breast reductions and the possible incisions that may be used. If your overly-large breasts are a result of excess body weight, it is important that your weight is stable and that a weight loss program has been attempted.
The Procedure
In most cases, breast reductions are performed after the breasts are fully developed. Dr. Greenberg typically performs breast reductions at one of his surgical centers in about one to two hours, depending on the extent of the procedure. The basic steps to expect during your breast reduction will include:
Anesthesia: Before beginning the procedure, we will administer general anesthesia so you are completely comfortable throughout the entire procedure.
Incisions: Typically, incisions are made in one to three locations: around the nipple, from the nipple to the chest wall, or under the breast and along the infra-mammary crease. The size and location of the incisions is dependent on the amount of tissue being removed and whether you are combining your procedure with a breast lift.
Breast Reduction: Once the incisions have been made, Dr. Greenberg will remove glandular tissue, fat, and excess skin. Liposuction is sometimes used during breast reductions to remove excessive fatty tissue near the axilla (armpit) area.
Breast Lift: For women desiring a breast lift in addition to reduction, Dr. Greenberg will lift and reshape your breast tissue and reposition the nipple and areola to provide a perkier and more youthful bustline.
Nipple Placement: If a breast lift is not necessary, the nipple will be placed back in its normal position. During this step, Dr. Greenberg can reduce the size of the areola for a more proportionate appearance.
Sutures and Bandages: After completing the procedure, Dr. Greenberg will close the incisions and apply compression bandages. In some cases, drains may be placed to remove blood and excess fluid. These will need to be emptied as directed by Dr. Greenberg, and are generally removed after one to two days.
What to Expect During Recovery
Depending on the complexity of your procedure, you may require an overnight stay in our private, state-of-the-art facility. Patients are provided with a special support sports bra, which is worn for several weeks as directed by Dr. Greenberg. As with any major surgery, recovery will take time and it is imperative that you follow all postoperative instructions given to you by the staff at Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery, to ensure you heal smoothly. Basic steps and considerations for you to expect include:
- Weeks 1-3: During this time, you will experience some soreness, swelling, and bruising. Keeping your torso elevated, taking prescribed pain medications, and applying cold compresses as directed can help minimize discomfort. Unless you have a highly strenuous job, you can plan on returning to work within 10 to 14 days. After about two weeks, sutures will be removed. Be sure to avoid any vigorous activity and heavy lifting for several weeks.
- Weeks 4-6: As you change clothes and compression garments, gentle caution should be used when handling your breasts so as not to create additional discomfort. In most cases, you can resume heavy physical activity four to six weeks after surgery.
- Months 1-6: With time, swelling and soreness will begin to subside. Although Dr. Greenberg is meticulous about making incisions as discreetly as possible, you may experience some mild scarring, but they will typically be hidden by a bra or swimsuit. As you continue to heal, you will begin to enjoy your results even more. Complete healing and final results can take up to one year as your breasts settle into their new shape.
Having your procedure performed by a board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon, such as Dr. Greenberg, will significantly reduce your chances for complications.
Common Risks and Side Effects
Although breast reduction is considered a safe and common procedure, the potential for risks and complications is always possible. Possible risks can include:
- Infection
- Excessive bleeding or hematomas
- Allergic reaction to anesthesia
- Asymmetrical breasts or nipples
- Numbness, tingling, or loss of feeling in your breasts and nipples
- Unpleasant scars
- Inability to breastfeed
- Blood clots
Having your procedure performed by a board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeon, such as Dr. Greenberg, can significantly reduce your chances for complications. With his experience and expertise, Dr. Greenberg is nationally renowned for delivering satisfying, natural-looking results.
What to Expect During Breast Reduction Surgery
At Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery, breast reduction procedures are individually tailored to suit the needs of each patient. Patients who are suffering from neck, back, or shoulder pain due to overly large breasts may want to consider the benefits of breast reduction surgery. In his Long Island, NY-area offices, Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg can alleviate discomfort and give you new, more streamlined contours. Breast reduction surgery is an investment in your future; it requires commitment and patience, but the results can be life-changing. Our breast reduction patients tend to be very pleased with their outcome, and often wish they had chosen to do it sooner.
About Breast Reduction Surgery
For patients with very large breasts, reduction surgery can be liberating both physically and emotionally. Health benefits include significantly less shoulder, back, and neck pain, improved posture, and the freedom to pursue a more active lifestyle. In addition, self-consciousness about disproportionate, pendulous, or asymmetrical breasts can be replaced with increased body confidence.
At Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery, breast reductions are often performed in our ambulatory surgical centers and generally take approximately two hours. You will be comfortably sedated with general or intravenous (IV) anesthesia, and you can be confident that you will receive an unparalleled standard of care throughout the procedure.
Dr. Greenberg will remove fat and glandular tissue from the breasts to significantly decrease size and volume as well as remove excess skin from the lower breasts. Depending upon your needs and cosmetic goals, he may use a traditional anchor incision or a vertical lollipop incision. The traditional anchor incision circles the areola and drops vertically to the lower crease of the breasts, where a horizontal incision is added. This method allows for removal of more tissue and is often used for patients with extremely large breasts. The lollipop incision omits the horizontal line, which has the benefit of reduced scarring.
Breast reduction can be life-changing and is sometimes covered by health insurance.
In addition to removing excess tissue, Dr. Greenberg will lift and reshape the breast, reduce the circumference of the areola, and reposition the nipple for a youthful, uplifted look. He can also use liposuction to trim fat pockets near the armpit area. All incisions will be closed with sutures.
A third option for breast reduction is a “scar-less” version that removes excess fat using liposuction only. This technique works for women whose breasts contain mostly excess fat rather than glandular tissue.
Aftercare and Recovery
After surgery, your chest will be wrapped in sterile dressings, and fluid drains may also placed to prevent build-up and encourage faster healing. In a few days, your dressings can be replaced with a surgical bra that should be worn for several weeks. Bruising and swelling is expected, but should subside in a few weeks. Likewise, some discomfort is typical, but may be managed with pain medication prescribed by Dr. Greenberg. Many women return to their daily activities in less than two weeks.
Improve Your Contours
Breast reduction can be life-changing and is sometimes covered by health insurance. To explore your options, please call our office at (516) 364-4200 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with Dr. Greenberg.
Understanding Breast Reduction Cost
Patients with overly large breasts often experience adverse health implications that stem from increased weight on their chest. Some women simply feel that their breasts are not proportionate with the rest of their bodies, compromising their confidence in their appearance. Breast reduction surgery can help correct these issues in a safe and effective procedure by removing fat, tissue, and skin to decrease the overall size of the breasts. Many patients have already made the decision to undergo breast reduction, but are confused by differences in pricing advertisements. During a consultation, we can help you understand your total breast reduction cost at our Long Island, New York cosmetic surgery practice. Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg is a nationally renowned plastic surgeon who has helped many patients achieve their cosmetic and personal goals. If you have been considering breast reduction surgery and would like to learn more about the cost of the procedure, please contact our practice today.
The Breast Reduction Procedure
Your breast reduction surgery will be customized based on your individual needs and goals. Regardless of the specifics, all breast reductions involve the removal of excess tissue from the breasts.
Before your surgery, you will have a consultation with Dr. Greenberg to discuss your treatment plan. The location of the incisions and techniques he recommends will depend on the complexity of your condition and procedure. Various techniques have better outcomes for patients with different breast structures, and Dr. Greenberg can help you understand which method will help you achieve the optimal outcome.
Breast reduction surgery typically involves liposuction to remove excess fat, along with the elimination of extra skin and breast tissue. The procedure can take up to two hours, depending on the size of the treatment area. Once it is complete, you will be allowed to return home to rest and recover. Most patients can return to work after roughly two weeks, although you should avoid any strenuous activities for four to six weeks.
Determining Treatment Cost
The main factors that will influence the cost of your breast reduction surgery are the complexity of your case and the techniques Dr. Greenberg chooses to use. Many patients have seen advertising for low-cost procedures, but these prices typically refer only to the surgeon’s fee and do not include the cost of anesthesia, post-operative care, and surgical center costs. Dr. Greenberg performs all of his procedures in his private, fully accredited ambulatory surgical center, which allows him to forego costly hospital fees. All of the associated costs will be included in your quoted price so you have a thorough understanding of the entire price of your care. Because the procedure is personalized for each patient, we can provide you with an accurate price during a consultation.
Insurance and Financing Information
Traditionally, insurance companies viewed breast reductions as cosmetic procedures which meant they were not covered. However, if you suffer from medical problems such as back, neck, or shoulder pain that arises from having excessively large breasts, you may qualify for coverage from your health insurance provider. Additionally, our practice offers CareCredit℠ financingto provide our patients with greater flexibility in payment options.
Make an Appointment to Learn More
If you would like to learn more about the cost of breast reduction, please contact our practice to schedule a consultation with Dr. Greenberg today.
Women who have large, heavy breasts can experience physical pain from the weight of their bust and may suffer from decreased confidence in their physical appearance. Breast reduction surgery has been used to help millions of women reshape and reproportion large breasts. At Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Stephen T. Greenberg has used his combination of experience and skill to provide physical and emotional breast reduction benefits to a diverse range of patients in Long Island, NY. If you want to relieve chronic neck and back pain, or other concerns caused by an overly large bust, contact our office to schedule a consultation.
Determining if Breast Reduction is Right for You
Breast reduction is a surgical procedure involving the removal of fat, tissue, and skin to create a smaller and better contoured bust line. Dr. Greenberg will evaluate your candidacy for a breast reduction procedure during a personal consultation. He will review the different surgical options, highlighting the benefits of each. Some patients may choose to have an additional treatment, such as a tummy tuck, performed as part of their treatment to help achieve more dramatic results.
Physical Benefits
While a breast reduction can achieve cosmetic results, it can also provide several physical benefits. Many women who undergo the procedure report a significant reduction in physical discomfort, as well as an overall improvement in their quality of life. By reducing the weight of a woman’s breasts and making them more proportionate to her frame, breast reduction surgery can provide a woman with a chance to correct her posture while removing strain on the shoulders, back, and neck, and reducing overall pain. The reduction in breast mass can also help patients avoid skeletal deformities, and eliminate painful and irritating indentations caused by bra straps. Lastly, if you have found it difficult to participate in physical activities because of your chest size, Dr. Greenberg can use breast reduction surgery to help improve your ability to move more comfortably.
Enhanced Aesthetic Appeal
Reduction surgeries have helped millions of women feel less self-conscious about their figures and enjoy more youthful-looking breasts. A breast reduction with Dr. Greenberg can help improve your appearance by:
- Creating breasts that are more symmetrical and equal in size
- Reshaping the bust line so that it is more proportional to the rest of the body
- Repositioning the nipples to a more youthful position higher up on the breasts
- Achieving smaller, more defined breasts, similar to the results of a breast lift procedure
It is important to note that the breasts can become larger after surgery due to weight gain or pregnancy. For this reason, you may want to consider delaying surgery if you plan on having more children. You will also need to maintain a stable weight to ensure your results are long-lasting.
Schedule a Consultation
At Greenberg Cosmetic Surgery, every procedure is customized to best meet the unique needs of each patient we see. If large breasts are causing you physical discomfort or affecting your confidence, a breast reduction may be the ideal solution. Contact our friendly staff today to schedule a consultation and review the many benefits of breast reduction surgery.
