Breast reduction: everything you need to know to prepare for the surgery

Breast reduction: how it works 

Cosmetic surgery for breast reduction It is called reduction mammoplasty and involves the elimination of a part of the glandular and skin tissues that form the breasts. There breast reduction it is a fairly invasive procedure, which requires the patient to already be subjected to general anesthesia. The surgeon then makes the incision for the breast reduction, which could leave a more or less evident scar. During the operation, the doctor, after eliminating part of the tissues that form the breasts, reshapes the area occupied by the nipples and the areola. The most common practices for performing reduction mammoplasty are:

• the periareolar incision, vertical and horizontal
• The periareolar and vertical incision
• The periareolar incision
• Breast reduction with temporary removal of the nipple-areola structure

In fact, by making the periareolar incision, which is therefore around the areola, the scar will be less evident, as it will be mitigated by the passage of color between the areola and the skin.

When a breast reduction is necessary 

Reduction mammoplasty does not only have an aesthetic purpose, since large breasts can negatively affect everyday life. In particular, it can cause pain in different parts of the body, such as the back, or prevent the correct performance of certain sporting activities. Breast reduction surgery is performed mainly to solve numerous physical and psychological problems. In particular, the main reasons that determine a breast reduction concern:

• chronic pain, which can affect the back, neck and shoulders and is generated by the heavy weight of the breasts
• Skin irritations, which can be chronic or recurrent and occur on the underside of the breasts
• Difficulty sleeping, as large breasts can be particularly uncomfortable when lying down
• Deep and painful marks left by clothes, first and foremost the bra straps since large breasts can generate strong pressure inside the bra and pull the straps, which then leave grooves on the shoulders. Likewise, it also becomes difficult to find clothing that fits your body shape correctly
• Psychological problems, as you often don't feel comfortable with your own reflection

Breast reduction: what factors determine the size of the breast

Before resorting to surgery breast reduction it is important to analyze what factors determine its size. In general, the shape of the breast depends both on genetic factors and body size, and on hormones. In particular, the sexual hormones that contribute to breast size are estrogen, which at the same time also contributes to the maturation of the main female reproductive organs. In addition to hormones and genetics, it is also important to keep in mind the degree of sensitivity of the breast tissues to their action. There breast reduction it can be performed on women of any age, however it is always recommended to wait at least until the end of development. However, as regards pregnant women, it is best to proceed with the operation after giving birth, since breast growth occurs during pregnancy which would at least partially nullify the reduction mammoplasty operation. Furthermore, in rare cases, breast reduction surgery can also be performed on men. These are patients suffering from gynecomastia. 

How to prepare for breast reduction surgery 

Before undergoing the surgery breast reduction It is important to carry out some checks and checks to ensure that there are no contraindications to reduction mammoplasty. In addition to an analysis of the patient's medical history and a general check-up, the tests to undergo are:

• mammography
• tests to measure the coagulation capacity of the blood and understand its tendency to hemorrhage, which are essential during the operation
• accurate analysis of the breast, to verify its size, shape and any anomalous characteristics

At the end, it is the surgeon's task to list to the patient some precautions to follow before and after the breast reduction surgery. It is important that the woman remains completely fasted for at least the evening before the operation because she will be subjected to general anesthesia. It is also essential that you stop smoking, even if temporarily, since smoking could compromise the skin healing process; and suspend any drug therapy based on anticoagulants, anti-inflammatories or anti-aggregants such as aspirin, because these are drugs that reduce the coagulation capacity of the blood and therefore make the patient more predisposed to serious bleeding during surgery.