Breast Reduction

What Is Breast Reduction Surgery?

Breast reduction surgery, also known as mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure for removing excess fat, skin and tissue from large breasts. The procedure has a positive outcome on your body shape by reducing your breast size in relation to your body frame. For most women, the reduction procedure reduces your breast size one or two cup sizes. During the procedure, your surgeon takes special care to maintain your breasts’ functionality and sensitivity.

The surgical procedure aims to reshape your bust, which has a significant impact on your quality of life. If you have excessively large breasts that cause back and neck strain, this surgery is an ideal solution. The mammoplasty procedure can also give you a boost in self-confidence and self-esteem, relieving anxiety you may have about what some call your “big boobs.”

If you’re troubled by the large size or weight of your breasts, visit the team at Rowe Plastic Surgery for this life-changing breast reduction surgery. These board certified cosmetic surgeons offer high-quality breast surgery procedures at their state-of-the-art facilities in Manhattan, Long Island, New Jersey and the Hamptons.

What Are the Types of Breast Reduction Procedures?

Your breast surgeon chooses a breast reduction technique that promises the best results to fit your body size and desires. The most common breast reduction procedures include:

• Pedicle method. In this breast reduction technique, the surgeon leaves a pedicle, also called attached tissue graft, with nerves and blood vessels intact, to supply the breast after it’s been reduced in size.
• Inferior pedicle method. This is a pedicle breast surgery procedure in which your doctor attaches a tissue graft into the inframammary fold, where the bottom of your breast meets your chest.
• Superior pedicle method. In this technique, your surgeon attaches a pedicle in the upper quadrant of your breast, above your areola.
• Free nipple graft. This technique in breast reduction surgery means a surgeon removes your nipple completely and replaces it in a new, higher position as a skin graft.
• Anchor incision pattern. This type of incision circles your areola’s parameter and then follows a straight line down the middle of your breast to the crease where the breast meets your chest.
• Lejour incision pattern. Using this type of incision for breast reduction, your NYC or NJ plastic surgeon gains access to the breast parenchyma, the inner tissue of the breast, for removal. This procedure is popular because it leaves minimal scarring.

When you’re ready to explore breast reduction techniques and outcomes, talk to a top cosmetic surgeon. Your breast surgeon at Rowe Plastic Surgery in New Jersey or New York discusses these techniques with you at your initial consultation before choosing the most appropriate surgical method for you.

Who’s a Candidate for Breast Reduction?

If your excessively large breasts cause you pain and discomfort, you’re a good candidate for a breast reduction procedure. When your breasts grow out of proportion, it impacts your physical and emotional well-being. But you can take advantage of the benefits from breast reduction. You may be a candidate for the procedure if:

You may be a candidate for a breast reduction surgery if:

• You suffer the side effects of large breasts, including neck or back pain.
• The size of your breasts is out of proportion with the rest of your body, leading to poor posture and other side effects.
• The weight of your breasts causes painful bra indentations on your shoulders.
• The size of your breasts impairs your ability to lead an active lifestyle.
• One of your breasts is larger than the other.
• You otherwise enjoy good health.
• You have realistic expectations about the outcomes of mammoplasty.
• You’re not a smoker.

Large breasts can make it impossible to lead an active lifestyle. When you talk to a breast surgery specialist in NJ or NYC, you get the entire procedure and the expected outcomes explained in clear terms. Your doctor offers you an individualized treatment plan, based on your unique breast reduction needs.

What Are the Benefits of Breast Reduction?

If you have disproportionately large breasts, you appreciate how they affect your life. The goal of breast reduction surgery is to relieve pain and suffering, allowing you to lead a healthier lifestyle. With a bust that’s proportioned appropriately, you get back control of your life. The benefits associated with a mammoplasty include:

• The ability to enjoy an active lifestyle
• Long-lasting and life-changing results
• An improved quality of life through reduced back and neck pain
• Better health through a more active lifestyle
• Ease in finding properly proportioned clothing

When you talk to your doctor at Rowe Plastic Surgery during your initial consultation, describe your goals in detail. The surgeon helps you set realistic expectations so you understand exactly what’s going to happen and what the risks are.

What Can I Expect During My Consultation?

Before your breast reduction surgery, you have to go through several steps as part of the preparation for surgery. A quick breakdown of these pre-operative steps includes:

• Initial consultation. Your first step is to contact an experienced breast surgeon to learn more about the procedure.
• Your surgeon carries out a physical examination, reviews your medical history and asks further questions to determine if you’re a good candidate for mammoplasty. The doctor also determines the best reduction option to suit your chest, height, weight and body size.
• Pre-operative requirements. Your doctor at Rowe Plastic Surgery takes a baseline mammogram for a better view of your breasts. He requests that you stop taking blood thinning medications, aspirin and anti-inflammatories. You also should stop smoking weeks before the procedure for the best results.
• Depending on your medical situation, your surgeon can request that you take some additional medications or adjust your doses. If you’re pregnant, you may have to wait until after you’ve finished breastfeeding before you get the procedure.

Besides the medically necessary breast reduction, your doctor informs you of the other procedures included in the operation, such as:

• A breast lift. To ensure you maintain an attractive profile with sufficient cleavage, this procedure accompanies every breast reduction surgery.
• A nipple reduction procedure.This procedure makes sure your nipples match your altered breast size.
• The Stevens laser bra technique. This procedure uses an internal support system for your breasts — created from your own tissue — to create a longer-lasting lift effect.
• Nipple reconstruction and correction. This procedure is performed when necessary.

Your preparation for breast reduction surgery helps you get the best outcome. The doctors at Rowe Plastic Surgery make you feel comfortable by walking you through the entire procedure. The experienced surgery team knows that preparing you in advance adds to a speedier and more relaxing recovery.

What Happens During Breast Reduction Surgery?

Breast reduction is an inpatient surgery that takes place in your plastic surgeon’s surgical center. The corrective procedure aims to give you a smaller, more ideal breast size, improving your quality of life. It is not a cosmetic procedure. The procedure follows certain general steps, including:

1. Incision marks. Your surgeon marks the incision lines on your breasts, depending on their shape, size and required reduction. This is usually done while you’re standing.
2. Once you’re comfortably lying down on the operating bed, the anesthesiologist puts you under general anesthesia, so you sleep through the procedure. The anesthesiologist stays at hand to monitor you throughout the surgery.
3. Incisions are made according to the best breast reduction technique based on your breasts’ anatomy.
4. Breast reduction. The surgeon removes the excess fat, skin and glandular tissue from the lower part of your breasts to reduce the size.
5. Breast lift. Your bust is reshaped with the remaining breast tissue into natural contours, as part of your breast lift.
6. Nipple and areola repositioning. The surgeon moves your nipple to a higher location on the breast while it’s still attached to its blood supply.
7. Closing the incision. By bringing the incisions together, your newly reduced breasts gain a natural shape. Using suture layering in the breast tissue creates support. To close the incision, the doctor uses a combination of skin adhesives, surgical tape and sutures. Whenever possible, your surgeon uses absorbent sutures that dissolve naturally.
8. The surgeon dresses the incisions with a gauze bandage and then wraps your bosom in a protective cover.

The length of your stay depends on how extensive the surgery was. At the state-of-the-art breast surgery facility in New York City and New Jersey, your team leverages the latest medical technology for the most effective results. You can trust the team at Rowe Plastic Surgery.

What Can I Expect from My Breast Reduction Surgery?

Before you go for breast reduction surgery, you discuss your expectations with your plastic surgeon. Important points to remember about this procedure include:

• The breast surgery procedure generally takes two to three hours.
• Expect some mild pain and soreness when you wake up immediately after the procedure.
• You may feel pulling or stretching around your breasts. It’s normal and will pass.
• While the procedure can be an outpatient procedure, you may require an overnight stay.
• You may feel weak after the surgery because of the general anesthesia, so if you’re released the same day, you need a friend or family member to drive you home and stay with you for the first 24 hours.
• After some time, you begin to feel better, and the effects of the surgery become more pronounced, but you have to wait until you’re fully healed before you see the final results.
• The surgeon arranges to remove your stitches in five to ten days, if appropriate.
• Avoid heavy lifting and lifting your arms over your head for the first two weeks after surgery to allow healing.
• Take your first shower a day after the removal of your bandages.

Your doctor discusses any breast reduction risks and side effects during your consultation. Don’t expect any major complications because you chose a top breast cosmetic surgeon at Rowe Plastic Surgery. Your surgeon uses the safest techniques to reduce incisions and promote faster healing. Plan on a two-week recovery period.

What is the Price of Breast Reduction Surgery?

For many women, their large breasts create debilitating pain and difficulty with daily activities. In this case, it is likely that your breast reduction surgery may be considered medically-necessary and therefore the majority of the costs related to the surgery could be covered by insurance. Our team of insurance experts will review your case in order to make sure you qualify. If you do, your personal insurance expert will work with you one-on-one to explain to you the steps you need to follow in order to apply for insurance approval and help guide you through the process.

If you are interested in reducing your breasts for purely cosmetic reasons or are not interested in pursuing insurance coverage for the procedure, we can also give you pricing for the cost of the breast reduction as well. There are many components that factor in to this pricing including: the current size of your breasts, your goal breast size, your preferred surgeon and any related medical conditions. Please call the office or reach out to us online for more detailed information.

What’s the Recovery Like for Breast Surgery Reduction?

Everyone heals differently, but in general, two weeks after surgery, you feel well enough to return to your normal daily activities. Important points regarding your recovery include:

• Discomfort and soreness. You may feel some pain and soreness around your breasts during your recovery period. Your doctor may prescribe a short-term round of prescription pain medication or recommend the best over-the-counter painkillers to reduce your discomfort.
• Going back to work. You can return to work in two to three weeks, depending on how you feel and what kind of work you do. By that stage of your breast reduction recovery, you’re likely wearing a sports bra for support.
• Avoid high-intensity exercise, especially running and weight-lifting, for at least a month. Don’t participate in high-impact sports. Wait until after your follow-up visit to receive exact instructions for a moderate return to your physical activities.
• Scars are expected because of the incisions made. The visibility of the scarring depends on the technique used and how extensive the breast reduction was. Initially, your scars may be highly visible, red or pink in color. With proper care, any scarring fades after several months.
• Breast surgery results. As your body continues to heal, you can expect to see full results of your surgery in three weeks to several months, depending on how extensive your surgery was.

Your doctor lets you know what to expect, based on your condition. At Rowe Plastic Surgery, your cosmetic surgeon creates an individualized treatment plan for the best outcome. For the fastest breast reduction recovery and the best results, follow the instructions your doctor provides.

How Much Does Breast Reduction Cost?

The average out-of-pocket cost of a breast reduction is as little as a few thousand dollars. It’s almost always covered by your insurance – patients will be responsible for their co-pay and deductible. The factors that influence the final cost include:

• The extent of tissue and skin removal
• The technique used in your breast reduction
• The surgeon’s experience
• Your geographical location
• Other related costs, such as:
  • The anesthesiologist’s fees
  • The surgical facility costs
  • Medical lab tests
  • Post-operative garments

The staff at Rowe Plastic Surgery understand the process required by insurance carriers to get your breast reduction surgery paid for. They provide instructions and may even fill out the paperwork involved.

How Do I Choose a Breast Reduction Surgeon?

For the best results in your breast reduction procedure, choose the best plastic surgeon in Manhattan, Long Island, New Jersey and the Hamptons. Some tips to help you get the right surgeon for your procedure include:

• Certification. The best plastic surgeons have been certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS).
• Experience. Choose a cosmetic surgeon with years of experience in breast surgeries. Look for a surgeon with experience in the type of breast reduction surgery you want.
• Manner. Look for a plastic surgeon who’s easily approachable and who listens to you. The best plastic surgeon understands to your fears and alleviates them with ease and openness.
• Reviews. Read the reviews from the surgeon’s other patients to determine the success rate.
• Facility. Vet the facility to confirm it has the right equipment and personnel to make you feel safe and comfortable.
• Customer service. Find a plastic surgeon who offers reliable customer service in case you have a question at any time during the process of your breast reduction.
• Reputation. Look for a top-rated surgeon in the profession, one who has publications in the field and who has earned the respect of other cosmetic surgeons.
• Transparency. Check whether there are complaints about the doctor’s charges from other patients. A good surgeon discusses the surgical process before the procedure and helps with any paperwork required for insurance.

Don’t rush to choose a plastic surgeon for a mammoplasty. Ask around and do extensive research to find the best surgeon. Choose a cosmetic surgeon who has done this procedure before and gets the best results. In the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Plainview and Water Mill, NY and in Montclair and Red Bank, NJ, you may eventually land at Rowe Plastic Surgery.

FAQs on Breast Reduction

• How long will my results last? The results are long-lasting in most women without the need to repeat the procedure. But the procedure can’t prevent the effects of gravity, normal aging, weight variations or pregnancy.
• When can I sleep without a bra after a breast reduction? Six weeks after your breast reduction, you can stop wearing the special bra and opt to wear an ordinary bra or sleep without one.
• At what age can I get a breast reduction? The best time for a breast reduction is after you’re 18 years old or when your breasts have fully developed.
• Do breasts grow back after reduction surgery? While your breasts can grow back if you gain significant weight, with proper health and preventive measures, you can avoid that.
• Can I get a breast reduction while pregnant? No. The best surgeon’s advice is to postpone breast reduction surgery until after childbirth. You can have the surgery four to six months after childbirth or after breastfeeding.
• Can I have breast reduction surgery twice? If your breasts increase in size again, your surgeon can recommend a second surgery to give you the desired bust size.
• Where is my surgery performed? Breast reduction surgery takes place at your plastic surgeon’s office in a fully equipped ambulatory surgical center.
• Can I breastfeed after surgery? You can resume breastfeeding after you heal from surgery. Otherwise, you may find it painful, which is why you’re advised against getting the procedure while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

If the large size of your breasts causes chronic neck and back pain, contact the experienced plastic surgeons at Rowe Plastic Surgery New Jersey and New York. Visiting for a consultation is the first step toward regaining control of your life and enjoying a more active and pain-free lifestyle.

Schedule My Consultation

If the large size of your breasts cause chronic neck and back pain, contact the experienced plastic surgeons at Rowe Plastic Surgery on the Upper East Side in New York City. Visiting for a consultation is the first step toward regaining control of your life and enjoying a more active and pain-free lifestyle.

212-628-7300

*The price range is based on a national average of Breast Reduction Surgery and is not specific to Rowe Plastic Surgery.