Risks and recovery of breast reduction?
I am a 38 EE and very interested in a breast reduction. I am only 5’4 and finding the weight hard on my back and uncomfortable in general. I have heard the surgery is much more complicated than implants and harder on the body. What is the downtime for this surgery and is there any risks of my breasts growing back after the surgery?
American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Dear Sophia,
Thank you for your clinical
post. All cosmetic plastic surgery
involves some risks. The risk is divided
into uncommon and common, serious or minor.
Any uncommon complication that is serious can occur after any
surgery. Bad reactions to anesthethic,
pneumonia, heart arrhythmias, strokes, deep venous blood clots, pulmonary
embolus and even death can occur after even the simplest surgical
procedure. The risk of these uncommon
and extremely rare events are in the order of 1:25,000 to 1:2,000,000. Most patients make good decisions for
elective surgery such as breast reduction on the more common things that may or
may not dissuade them from having surgery.
The more common but manageable complications following breast reduction
surgery include unwanted or unattractive scars.
The scars around the areola, under the breast can be large, red, raise,
keloidal and unattractive. There may be
other surgical treatments and lasers required to modify those scars. Other complications of breast reduction
include asymmetry, delayed healing, loss of sensation, loss of nipple sensation
and function, inability to breastfeed as well as dissatisfaction of the
cosmetic result. Wound breakdown, necrosis
and loss of the nipple areolar complex are rare and more serious complications.
In the vast majority of circumstances
breast reduction surgery heals in an uncomplicated fashion and most patients
are extremely happy. It is very
important to understand the nature of the scars and the position of the scars
following breast reduction surgery so that the benefits that is reduction size
of the gland and reduction of symptoms of the large breast is balanced by an
acceptance of the breast scars required.
There are a series of complications
such as breast scars that can be managed with non-surgical techniques and for
the most part well-educated patients who undergo breast reduction surgery are
extremely happy.
I hope this information is of some
assistance and best of luck. For more information, visit: https://www.spamedica.com/cosmetic-plastic-surgery-toronto/breast-cosmetic-surgery/breast-reduction-toronto/
R. Stephen Mulholland, M.D.
Certified Plastic Surgeon
Yorkville, Toronto