Breast augmentation with breast implants is one of the most gratifying procedures available to patients today and can solve many perceived problems. It should be noted that breast augmentation surgery may be performed to enlarge breasts, to create better symmetry on different sized breasts, to enlarge underdeveloped breasts or even to reshape breasts that have decreased in size after a woman has had children and perhaps breast fed.
For many women, breast size is an important part of feeling attractive, sexually desirable and normal. Having a breast augmentation procedure can greatly improve self-esteem for many women. The nature of current fashions which often reveal much of the chest increasingly emphasize this area. Surgery can make a woman feel more like the ideal woman by drastically improving the way she views herself. Thus, breast augmentation may permit her to happily make clothing choices that both fit better and more attractively. It has a tremendous impact on self-esteem and often, in turn, on marriages and relationships.
YOUR SURGERY: SCARLESS & OTHER
TECHNIQUES OF BREAST AUGMENTATION
Cosmetic breast augmentation: the important implant decision
Breast enhancement or augmentation is normally a procedure that entails the insertion of implants into the patient in order to dramatically improve the appearance of a woman’s breasts. It is safe. Many recent studies have supported the safety of both saline and gel breast implants. The implant providers also stand behind their product.
The major concern of a patient is deflation of a SALINE implant OR A rupture of a gel implant. However, should A SALINE implant deflate, a rare occurance in my practice, the patient has the support of the implant maker who will usually replace it at no charge. At the time of your surgery, you are given a card with the number and type of your implant which you should keep in a safe place for the life of your implant. If your saline implant leaks, the salt water contents are safely re-absorbed by the body as the implant deflates. This sterile filling solution is identical to that which you would receive in the hospital for an IV (intravenous) drip that hangs in a bag by your bed. Today the implant companies provide the patient an implant replacement warranty and a monetary guarantee for potential surgery (The amount depends upon the time that has elapsed from the date of surgical implantation.).
The saline implant is inserted and then filled with a sterile solution. For example, this potentially large implant can be rolled up, inserted through a small incision in the ARMPIT (unless you have chosen another insertion site), and filled after insertion. There is seldom a scar in the armpit after 6 months of healing. With saline, it is readily apparent if the implant deflates. And if deflation occurs, your surgeon should be immediately notified and the implant replaced as soon as possible to maintain the integrity of the breast pocket. If the patient has significant breast tissue, often only an expert can identify whether it is a gel or saline implant by feel. I have had patients with one of each type of implants and the difference is very, very subtle even to an expert.
Gel implants are much improved and very safe. The gel filler has a “shape memory” and will return to the implant if the shell is ruptured and will not weep into the patient’s tissues as early implants did. The gel implants are much more costly than saline implants. The advantage of a gel implant over a saline implant is that the gel feels slightly more natural, particularly in the patient who has very little breast tissue.The implant also tends to ripple slightly less than a saline implant in the same person who has little breast tissue. However, the disadvantage of gel is the much higher cost, the need for a larger incision to insert it and the greater difficulty in detecting a rupture. The innovation of the Keller Funnel has enhanced the insertion process and permitted larger implants to be inserted through a smaller incision. Dr. Dryden has inserted AN 800cc gel implant through the armpit with a Keller Funnel. A remarkable feat, however, he prefers a larger incision for a large gel implant.
The implant makers have recommended that the patient should obtain a MRI to ensure the viability of the gel implant. Before the ten year anniversary after your surgery, a MRI should be done at the patient’s expense to guarantee a free replacement by the maker if the implant has deflated
An added incentive to use gel implants is Allergan’s offer. Today Allergan offers 3 types of “gummy bear” gel implants (Netrelle) that are combined with their “Brilliant Distinction” promotion. Dr. Dryden will discuss the pros and cons of each of the VARIOUS shapes with you. But note, this “Brilliant Distinction” program provides the PATIENT A monetary reward and offers free Botox to the breast augmentation patient and her friend of choice after surgery.
The Initial Breast Exam Consultation
During your conference with Dr. Dryden, discuss the goals and expectations you have for the surgery. Dr. Dryden will assess the nature of your breasts, your expectations, and explain the probable outcome of your procedure. (Interestingly, Dr. Dryden delivers a talk on this subject at several national meetings on breast surgery each year.)
YOUR LOOK: Patients know how they wish to present themselves to the world. A small person may wish to have large implants and stop traffic. A large-framed person may wish to have small implants and merely look “natural.” The doctor will not be carrying these about so the patient alone should make the decision as to how she wishes to look and present herself to her world. The surgeon can suggest–but it should always in the final analysis be the patient’s decision.
Potential Pitfalls as You Choose Size: You may see online or be shown several “before” and “after” treatment photographs of patients having similar breast size implants, but you must keep in mind that shoulders and chest sizes differ greatly and a large implant on a large person will look smaller then that same implant on a person with a smaller chest size. For this reason, comparing implants with friends may not provide the solution you, the patient, truly desire. Thus, your surgeon will discuss the size of the implant you can choose with discussion as to how you wish to be seen: “natural”, “turning heads”, or “stopping traffic”. You will then be instructed on how to determine the size of implant that you desire. You may also wish to try different size implants in the office or, better yet, use baggies filled with birdseed or rice in a good bra that you would like to fill to give you an idea as to the look you desire. One should also plan to wear them under different T-shirts or sweaters to be sure of the size you have chosen provides the appearance you seek.
The Exam Itself: Dr. Dryden will take multiple measurements to establish the actual size and placement of your breasts as chest size appearances can distort as we have mentioned. You will be informed about the potential risks and Dr. Dryden will explain them to you and reference how often they have occurred in his particular practice. You will also decide where you would like the surgical incision to be. You will discuss how he will surgically insert the implant and decide with him where he will put it (behind or infront of the muscle, under the fascia, or under the breast tissue and over the fascia.) You must decide the type of anesthesia you wish. Dr. Dryden will explain the different forms of anesthesia. Our patients generally have their surgery “awake” with a large pre-surgery cocktail given to assuage anxiety. Dr. Dryden will explain the latest surgical pain-control technique wherein the breast area of the surgery is infused with a solution that provides longer lasting pain control, bleeding control and antibiotics. Lastly, Dr. Dryden may request that you have a mammogram (X-Ray) pre-operatively (depending on your age and family history) as a baseline for your future checks and Mammograms. The staff will then discuss all your preparations in a PACKET AND the specific costs of your surgery as well as provide financing plans if you desire them.
More about the actual breast augmentation surgical procedure
Your breast augmentation surgery may be performed on an outpatient basis in our pink, Medicare-approved, Outpatient Surgery Center using local anesthesia with Intravenous sedation or with an Anesthesia Physician administering general anesthesia. The procedure usually takes about 1 hour. The staff are extremely familiar with cosmetic procedures and are not rushed so they take great care of you and pamper you until you are ready to go in ONE HALF HOUR UP TO an hour. There is a private door nearby for your “secret” exit.
Prior to beginning your surgery and placement of the implant, the breast area is cleaned and then infused with a solution that acts as a long lasting anesthetic in the tissues. It constricts the blood vessels to reduce bruising and HAS steroids to reduce inflammation, has antibiotic TO DECREASE THE RISK OF infection and a buffering agent TO PREVENT discomfort. This surgical infusion procedure reduces your post-operative discomfort and shortens recovery time so our patients can return to their normal life very soon or in days. There are No more bedridden people in pain for a week or so. Our post-operative patients are prescribed Celebrex WITH TYLENOL for discomfort and very, very seldom need a narcotic.
There are generally four ways to have the implants placed. Dr. Dryden prefers a technically difficult, less than two inch incision in the armpit that heals and is usually gone in 6 months. He will explain the pros and cons and scars of each possible surgical incision and choose that which you desire. The four alternatives are the armpit, under the lower breast, around the areola or through the bellybutton. After the incision is made, a pocket is created within the breast in one of three areas: under the breast tissue, under the fascia that is a very dense lace-like tissue overlying the muscle or beneath the muscle detached from the chest wall. The implant is securely positioned in the pocket, and small sutures are used to close the incision. With saline implants the size may be adjusted at surgery for greater symmetry for breasts of different sizes. If you choose gel implants, there is a new, safer way to place larger implants into the breast, utilizing a Keller Funnel. You are usually ready to go home within an hour of surgery. Dr. Dryden does not usually wrap the chest above the implants. He may put you in a bra-like DEVICE IF your lower crease has been changed to accommodate a larger implant. You wear this “bra” overnight to establish the new crease on the marked line under the breast.
QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS
Are breast implants safe?
Yes. The risk of having a significant medical problem after breast implantation is very minimal, as witnessed by the millions of women who have implants and have no problems. Radiology will ask if you have had augmentation and use different X ray procedures to take a Mammogram of your breasts with your implants. Most women can also safely breastfeed after augmentation surgery.
FAT AUGMENTATION: However, if you have great concerns another augmentation alternative procedure for those women who do not want implants is the use of their own fat to enlarge their breasts. A new combination of machines by Wells Johnson allow the harvesting of your fat in a sterile manner and provide a safe, sterile reservoir for your own fat which your surgeon will use to re-augment your breasts. Dr. Dryden has given lectures on this technique and this device at national medical meetings. Remember though, fat is a living substance and may expand if you gain weight or disappear if you lose significant weight.
Your new figure with breast augmentation
Getting used to a new figure can be an extremely satisfying and even exciting experience as you and those around you learn to appreciate the new you. But, do remember that to avoid complications and assure your safety, it is imperative that you continue to examine your breasts each month and visit your surgeon for check-ups on a yearly basis. And, if you have reached the age of forty, you should have routine mammograms as recommended by the American Cancer Society to check for potential cancers. There is no clinical evidence that breast cancer results from augmentation surgery.
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What is recovery from breast augmentation like? How soon can I go back to exercise?
Dr. Dryden will ask you to restrict excessive physical activity or strenuous lifting for the 3 weeks following YOUR SURGERY. Our major concern is the increasing of your blood pressure to a point that could cause bleeding or you potentially falling on the newly operated breast tissue and causing internal bleeding. If such mishaps were to occur, immediately call the office or Dr. Dryden. It should be happily noted that most of our patients are able to drive to their post-operative check appointment the next day. Generally Dr. Dryden’s patients can return to work in one or two days. Most patients’ lives are not heavily disrupted.
Discomfort After Surgery: After your breast augmentation surgery, YOU may have mild swelling, bruising and/or tenderness. These symptoms should subside in a short time. Most discomfort associated with your breast surgery can be controlled with an oral medication, Celebrex, a non-narcotic pain reducer prescribed by Dr. Dryden. It does not cause bleeding like Aspirin products and is very effective in controlling discomfort. Antibiotics will also be prescribed for you and you should religiously take them to prevent infection. Dr. Dryden will ADVICE you on a proper schedule for returning to your normal activities. You may resume regular strenuous physical activity about 3 weeks when the possibility of internal bleeding is reduced. It should be noted that patients with very little breast tissue who chose to have larger implants may feel a post-surgery tightness and more discomfort until their tissues expand to their new size. Often this patient may need to have her breast crease lowered to accommodate the implant.
CAN I LOSE SENSATION IN MY NIPPLES WITH BREAST SURGERY?
Loss of sensation is a possibility with any BREAST surgery. Dr. Dryden, using the armpit surgical approach has an incidence of less than 2% with the national average being 5 to 10%. With careful dissection of the tissues this may hopefully not occur with any approach. However, at times sensation may be altered temporarily.
CAUTIONARY WORDS TO THE WISE FOR ALL WOMEN:
Preserve Your Breasts: You should always wear an underwire bra without stretchy straps in your daily life. Our patients resume wearing such a supportive bra usually within 1-2 days of surgery. Your breasts are heavy and will become heavier with augmentation. They should be supported to keep them from stretching and succumbing to the pull of gravity. If you can possibly avoid it, you do not want to REQUIRE BREAST lift surgery. The most sorrowful sight to us is the female jogger whose breasts or flopping up and down as she runs along the road, breasts stretching with each stride. Droop Prevention is important for all women.
BREAST LIFT
Cosmetic breast surgery has become one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries in the world today. But, breast lifts are one of the most frequent procedures performed by Dr. Robert Dryden to rejuvenate the appearance of drooping breasts by surgically attaching the breast tissue to the chest wall internally. This surgery is technically extremely difficult with limited visibility for the surgeon. The surgery is completed through a small incision in the armpit so in six months the healed scar is almost invisible, hidden in a crease There is no scar on the breast. Lastly, the patient must wear a supportive bra twenty-four hours a day (even in the shower with changing done horizontally) TO allow the scar to form and not stretch again with the weight of the breast for 6 months after surgery. Dr. Dryden may also insert an implant to create a more youthful-looking rounded breast with his Internal Lift surgery. Most importantly for the patient, there are no disfiguring anchor-shaped scars on the breasts or the other post surgery complications that occur with the traditional, potentially disfiguring anchor surgical procedure.
ARE THERE INELIGIBLE PATIENTS FOR INTERNAL LIFT PROCEDURES?
It should be noted that patients who have had augmentation with the implant placed behind the Pectoralis muscle are not eligible for Dr.Dryden’s lift procedure. There, however, is another surgical option. If the patient has been augmented previously behind the muscle, the internal capsule around the implant can be pleated. This is ACCOMPLISHED INTERNALLY from an incision EITHER AROUND THE AREOLA OR THE LOWER PART OF THE BREAST. This surgical procedure is also technically very difficult for the surgeon. Again the recovery time is brief and the post-surgical discomfort is alleviated with the prescribing of Celebrex, a non-narcotic. If the surgery was done over the muscle, the breast tissue can also be attached to the fascia and muscle through an incision around the areola or the lower part of the breast. The patient must support the breasts at all times until healing has occurred. But again, breasts are often heavy and should be supported to prevent droop.
Anchor Lift Surgery: There may be significant pain with this traditional procedure. The tissue can pull apart. The area can become infected. This surgery could also leave stretched, wide scars on the lower breasts. The patient may also be left with less sensation after surgery. However, this procedure is very popular in the cosmetic/plastic surgical world. It is particularly appropriate for the very severe droopy breasts.
QUESTIONS OUR PATIENTS OFTEN ASK ABOUT NON-SCAR BREAST LIFT:
Who would choose to have their breasts lifted?
The age of patients requesting a breast lift is just slightly older than those having an augmentation. However, most people think a breast lift is requested more often by older women, but it is requested by many women who are younger and particularly those that have had children. Women often do not adequately support their enlarged breasts when pregnant and/or nursing, causing their heavy breasts to increasingly droop. Additionally, after nursing, the breasts may lose mass and their more attractive pre-pregnancy appearance.
Why choose a breast lift?
As some women age and/or have children, their breasts tend to lose fat and their breast tissue begins to thin. In most cases, when the breast tissue shrinks, the areola/nipple complex may drop down below the inframammary crease. Lifting the nipple above the crease will restore a more youthful look.
Will a breast lift affect nursing?
While it is possible to nurse after a breast lift, it is generally recommended that you wait at least 6 months post surgery prior to nursing. Should you become pregnant your breasts will swell or enlarge and you may lose the benefits of the procedure with the tension on the internal scars from the increased weight.
Can a breast lift be combined with another procedure?
Yes. Many patients who request a breast lift also want to have the fullness back. These patients usually decide to have implants as well. In certain instances, the augmentation with an implant helps decrease the droop. Other patients may require a breast reduction by liposuction as well as a breast lift to restore the look they desire. The best solution will be explained and chosen by an experienced surgeon and the involved patient.
How is a “scarless” breast lift performed?
Dr. Dryden’s favorite approach for breast lifting in a non-augmented individual is a “scarless” breast lift developed by Dr. Gerald Johnson in Houston. This excellent procedure is not performed by many surgeons because of it is technically very challenging. An incision is made in the patient’s armpit crease-not on the breast itself. An internal pocket is made underlying the breast and over the muscle. The breast tissue is then attached to the chest muscle and the overlying sheet of connective tissue (fascia). MOST PATIENTS also require implants in order to produce a rounded full breast. If the patient has already had breast implants, a similar type procedure can be done inside the breast with an incision beneath the breast.
HOW IS THE TRADITIONAL ANCHOR BREAST LIFT PERFORMED?
Another approach, used very infrequently by Dr. Dryden, (BUT resorted to by most cosmetic/plastic surgeons), is most commonly performed with incisions on the breast. The surgeon uses an “anchor” incision. The “anchor” incision is actually SEVERAL incisions. The first incision is made around the areola and the areola and nipple are elevated to a higher position. The next INCISIONS RUN from the bottom of the areola down to the breast crease TO ALLOW THE REMOVAL OF A PIECE OF SKIN TO HELP HOLD THE BREAST. APPARENTLY and the third incision follows the horizontal breast crease. Working through these incisions, excess skin and, perhaps, TISSUE IS removed from the lower portion of the breast. Areolas that have been stretched over time can be resized. The tissue is then repositioned to reshape the breast. The breast tissue and nipple are lifted into the higher position, and the nipple/areolar complex is repositioned.
Like many surgeries, the trend in breast lifts has been to smaller, shorter incisions resulting in less scarring. These smaller scar techniques include the “lollipop” incision which avoids the horizontal incision beneath the breast, and the “peri-areolar” or “donut” incision around the areola which avoids both the vertical incision from the breast crease to the areola and the horizontal incision beneath the breast.
Which breast lift procedure is best for me?
After examining the size, shape, and sagging of your breasts and the size of your areolas, your surgeon will discuss the technique best suited for your procedure. He will discuss possible complications and the scars that will remain from your surgery as well as your post-surgery healing period.
What about scarring after a breast lift?
The potential of scars that can be quite unattractive is the reason that Dr. Dryden prefers the “scarless” breast lift. If one prefers to have the more traditional breast lift, the size and amount of scarring is different for every patient. However, the use of silicone sheeting, topical liquid silicone or laser treatments, your scars can greatly diminished in appearance.
What is breast lift surgery recovery like?
For the first few days following any breast surgery, you may be asked to wear a bra, surgical dressings or a special post-surgical garment invented by an Oklahoma surgeon. Generally, our patient is placed into a good bra on the 1st postoperative day when you return to see Dr. Dryden. . If you have the “axillary lift” through the armpit incision, you will be advised to always wear a very supportive bra 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for six months. In our practice, we find that most discomfort associated with breast surgery can be controlled with oral medication prescribed by your surgeon. Antibiotics may also be prescribed. Most women experience some degree of swelling, bruising and tenderness. These symptoms should subside in a short time. All sutures are removed within 1 – 2 weeks when you visit your doctor. Your surgeon will advise you on a proper schedule for returning to your normal activities. Most patients are back to work within the first week.
After your breast lift, you will enjoy a new, more pleasing shape, with more comfortable breasts that are in better proportion to your physique.
SCARLESS BREAST REDUCTION
Not all women think having large breasts makes them more attractive. Dr. Dryden published a pioneering, peer-reviewed study of his early findings for breast reduction with liposuction as an safer and less invasive alternative to the disfiguring of breasts with ugly surgical incisions. The study may be found as referenced here: Mellul, Steven D. DO *; Dryden, Robert M. MD, FACS +; Remigio, David J. MD; Wulc, Allan E. MD, FACS [S] Breast Reduction Performed by Liposuction. Dermatologic Surgery. 32(9):1124-1133, September 2006
In fact, Dr. Dryden sees many patients of all ages who are eager to reduce the size of their breasts to ease the discomfort, posture problems or the embarrassment of having very large breasts. For them, just the thought of squeezing into tight clothing, dancing or playing sports can be a nightmare. “Scarless” breast reductions are performed by Dr. Robert Dryden for patients who are concerned about the effects the excess weight of their breasts will have on their upper body.
In the past, having the size of your breasts reduced meant undergoing surgery that could take up to 8 hours, several days in the hospital, followed by extensive recuperation, significant pain and extensive scars. Now, Dr. Dryden performs a Tumescent Liposuction procedure to reduce breast size a few sizes with almost no visible scars or none after six months of healing. This procedure is performed in our Certified Surgery Center under sedation with local anesthesia usually in less than 3 hours. Patients go home the same day usually with only minimal discomfort. PATIENTS MAY resume work in about 1 – 2 days and are back to full activity, including sports and dancing, within approximately 3 weeks.
Liposuction for breast reduction
Tumescent liposuction involves the infusion of large volumes of a local anesthetic solution into the breasts. Your surgeon uses a small instrument, called a cannula, to carefully suction away the unwanted fatty tissue. The result is a sculpting of the breast into a more attractive size. Generally there are three or less tiny incisions in each breast that heal with little or no scar.
Who are the best candidates for breast liposuction reduction?
The best candidates for this procedure are women who desire a reduction of only a few cup sizes in the size of their breasts. Breast asymmetry caused by breasts of different sizes may also be corrected using this technique. Additional candidates would include women who fear general anesthesia, women who can’t spare the time of a lengthy recovery, women who have been rejected by their insurance company for a traditional breast reduction and women who have experienced breast regrowth after a previous procedure or weight gain..
Is a breast liposuction reduction right for you?
During your consultation with our physician, explain your goals and expectations for your surgery. Your surgeon will assess the nature of your breasts, your expectations, and explain the probable outcome of your procedure. You may be shown several before and after treatment photographs of patients having similar breasts, and your surgeon will explain the treatment you can expect to receive. A mammography (X-ray) will be required.
Are there any limitations to breast liposuction reduction?
Yes. With breast lipo-reduction we can only reduce breast size a few cup sizes and we cannot guarantee the size, lift and exact shape of your breasts following the procedure. In most cases the height of the nipple will come up about 2-4 cm and the size of the areola will shrink in proportion to the smaller breast size. Dr. Dryden has been able to reduce the size and the breast by one third in younger patients and up to 60% or more in older patients. This procedure has been a delight to many!
The breast liposuction reduction procedure
Dr. Dryden performs breast reduction by liposuction on an ambulatory surgical center outpatient basis. It is performed using light sedation and tumescent local anesthesia. Several tiny, well-concealed incisions are made above the breast crease to insert the cannula. These small incisions usually are not seen by 6 months. The fatty tissue is gently suctioned away. The entire procedure takes three hours or less. Wearing a good supportive bra following the procedure will help give greater lift and is strongly encouraged 24/7 for 6 months.
How will I feel after breast liposuction reduction?
Post-operatively, most patients experience minimal discomfort. They are only in the recovery room for about one hour and then they go home. Patients are encouraged to resume normal activities as soon as they feel up to it and strenuous exercise after three weeks. The results of breast reduction surgery are usually permanent but breast size may change due to weight gain or pregnancy.
Your new figure after breast liposuction reduction
Breast reduction can make a dramatic change in your appearance, your health and your outlook. A breast reduction can make your breasts smaller and firmer. Many patients find new enjoyment in sports, exercise, dancing or even just walking.
SCARLESS BREAST REDUCTION
Not all women think having large breasts makes them more attractive. Dr. Dryden published a pioneering, peer-reviewed study of his early findings for breast reduction with liposuction as an safer and less invasive alternative to the disfiguring of breasts with ugly surgical incisions. The study may be found as referenced here: Mellul, Steven D. DO *; Dryden, Robert M. MD, FACS +; Remigio, David J. MD; Wulc, Allan E. MD, FACS [S] Breast Reduction Performed by Liposuction. Dermatologic Surgery. 32(9):1124-1133, September 2006
In fact, Dr. Dryden sees many patients of all ages who are eager to reduce the size of their breasts to ease the discomfort, posture problems or the embarrassment of having very large breasts. For them, just the thought of squeezing into tight clothing, dancing or playing sports can be a nightmare. “Scarless” breast reductions are performed by Dr. Robert Dryden for patients who are concerned about the effects the excess weight of their breasts will have on their upper body.
In the past, having the size of your breasts reduced meant undergoing surgery that could take up to 8 hours, several days in the hospital, followed by extensive recuperation, significant pain and extensive scars. Now, Dr. Dryden performs a Tumescent Liposuction procedure to reduce breast size a few sizes with almost no visible scars or none after six months of healing. This procedure is performed in our Certified Surgery Center under sedation with local anesthesia usually in less than 3 hours. Patients go home the same day usually with only minimal discomfort. PATIENTS MAY resume work in about 1 – 2 days and are back to full activity, including sports and dancing, within approximately 3 weeks.
Liposuction for breast reduction
Tumescent liposuction involves the infusion of large volumes of a local anesthetic solution into the breasts. Your surgeon uses a small instrument, called a cannula, to carefully suction away the unwanted fatty tissue. The result is a sculpting of the breast into a more attractive size. Generally there are three or less tiny incisions in each breast that heal with little or no scar.
Who are the best candidates for breast liposuction reduction?
The best candidates for this procedure are women who desire a reduction of only a few cup sizes in the size of their breasts. Breast asymmetry caused by breasts of different sizes may also be corrected using this technique. Additional candidates would include women who fear general anesthesia, women who can’t spare the time of a lengthy recovery, women who have been rejected by their insurance company for a traditional breast reduction and women who have experienced breast regrowth after a previous procedure or weight gain..
Is a breast liposuction reduction right for you?
During your consultation with our physician, explain your goals and expectations for your surgery. Your surgeon will assess the nature of your breasts, your expectations, and explain the probable outcome of your procedure. You may be shown several before and after treatment photographs of patients having similar breasts, and your surgeon will explain the treatment you can expect to receive. A mammography (X-ray) will be required.
Are there any limitations to breast liposuction reduction?
Yes. With breast lipo-reduction we can only reduce breast size a few cup sizes and we cannot guarantee the size, lift and exact shape of your breasts following the procedure. In most cases the height of the nipple will come up about 2-4 cm and the size of the areola will shrink in proportion to the smaller breast size. Dr. Dryden has been able to reduce the size and the breast by one third in younger patients and up to 60% or more in older patients. This procedure has been a delight to many!
The breast liposuction reduction procedure
Dr. Dryden performs breast reduction by liposuction on an ambulatory surgical center outpatient basis. It is performed using light sedation and tumescent local anesthesia. Several tiny, well-concealed incisions are made above the breast crease to insert the cannula. These small incisions usually are not seen by 6 months. The fatty tissue is gently suctioned away. The entire procedure takes three hours or less. Wearing a good supportive bra following the procedure will help give greater lift and is strongly encouraged 24/7 for 6 months.
How will I feel after breast liposuction reduction?
Post-operatively, most patients experience minimal discomfort. They are only in the recovery room for about one hour and then they go home. Patients are encouraged to resume normal activities as soon as they feel up to it and strenuous exercise after three weeks. The results of breast reduction surgery are usually permanent but breast size may change due to weight gain or pregnancy.
Your new figure after breast liposuction reduction
Breast reduction can make a dramatic change in your appearance, your health and your outlook. A breast reduction can make your breasts smaller and firmer. Many patients find new enjoyment in sports, exercise, dancing or even just walking.
Gynecomastia, a medical word from the Greek words for “woman-like breasts,” affects one out of every ten men. Enlarged breasts on young boys last only a few years and are generally resolved by age eighteen. Enlarged breasts on a man can be uncomfortable, as well as socially and psychologically devastating. Gynecomastia may be associated with obesity, genetics, hormonal metabolism imbalance, liver disease or medicinal causes.
In today’s competitive job market, it’s important to look your best. More and more men are electing to have cosmetic surgery. This increase in male surgical procedures reflects a trend that studies have shown is tied to career advancement.
One study revealed that 84% of men surveyed believed that physical attractiveness was important for power and success on the job.
Prior to choosing a surgical solution to gynecomastia, a period of diet and exercise is recommended. Should that fail, male breast reduction is performed to treat this condition.
Is male breast reduction surgery for you?
During your conference with Dr. Dryden, please explain your goals and expectations for your surgery. He will assess the nature of your breasts and the elasticity of your skin to determine the cause of your breast enlargement as it may be caused by fatty tissue and/or glandular tissue.
At your consultation, you may be shown several before and after treatment photographs of patients having similar breasts. Your surgeon will explain the treatment you can expect to receive and the surgical outcome you should anticipate.
The male breast reduction procedures
Male breast reduction is performed on an outpatient basis using local anesthesia with or without sedation. The procedure can last from 1 – 3 hours depending on the extent of the correction needed…
Liposuction for Gynecomastia:
If your gynecomastia is primarily caused by fatty tissue, liposuction is usually the procedure of choice. Liposuction surgery is a procedure used to actually remove unwanted localized deposits of fat cells from the body. A straw-like cannula is inserted through a tiny incision placed in an inconspicuous location on the skin. Using a vacuum system attached to the cannula, excess fat cells are sucked out. You may have breast tissue that needs to be excised also. The result is a sculpting of bulging breasts into more attractive contours.
Traditional Surgical Excision for male breast reduction
If your gynecomastia is the result of a glandular disorder, liposuction alone is not likely to be adequate. Traditional surgical excision may be a better option. Your surgeon will advise you on your options.
The excision may be performed alone or in conjunction with liposuction. Typically, the incision is placed on the edge of the areola (colored area of the nipple) or in the underarm area. Your surgeon will work through these incisions to cut away the excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin from the breast. If your breast reduction requires the removal of significant amounts of tissue, larger incisions may be required.
If your gynecomastia is extreme, and large amounts of fat and/or glandular tissue have to be removed, excess skin may also have to be excised.
What is recovery from male breast reduction surgery like?
After male breast reduction, walking is encouraged. You will experience some pain for several days. For the first few days following your surgery, you will wear a special compression garment. This compression garment will be worn for about three weeks. Most discomfort associated with breast surgery can be controlled with oral medication prescribed by your surgeon. Antibiotics may also be prescribed. Most men experience some degree of swelling, bruising and tenderness. These symptoms should subside in a short time. Within about 2 weeks, all sutures are removed, if present. Your surgeon will advise you on a proper schedule for returning to your normal activities. Most patients are back to work within the first week, but discouraged from vigorous exercise for 3 weeks.
AFTERWARDS
Following your breast reduction surgery, you will enjoy a new, more pleasing shape. Many of our patients say their surgery really enhanced their self-confidence.
