While many women desire larger, fuller breasts, this is not universally the case. Natural large breasts are associated with a range of potential problems, such as back pain, sagging of the breast tissue, and poor breast shape (large natural breasts have a tendency to be oblong rather than round). If you have large breasts and are experiencing any of the aforementioned issues, then you may be wondering if a breast lift or reduction is right for you.
During breast reduction surgery, both tissue and skin are removed from the breasts, often with the aid of liposuction. The breasts are made smaller in size and reshaped during this procedure, with the aim of producing rounder, perkier breasts. Sometimes the areolas are also reduced in size and/or repositioned so that they are kept properly in proportion with the new size and shape of the breasts. The end result is smaller, more shapely breasts.
How complex and invasive this procedure will be depends primarily on just how much breast tissue needs to be removed. Breast reduction surgery usually takes between 3-5 hours and is performed under general anesthesia. Small reductions can, however, sometimes be done with just local anesthesia.
A breast lift, on the other hand, is not performed with the aim of significantly reducing total breast volume. Instead, it’s recommended to patients who want to retain the overall size of their breasts, but who have issues with sagging caused by loose skin. During a breast lift, excess skin is removed and the nipples and areolas are sometimes repositioned, creating a perky, youthful appearance.
In some cases, patients may require both breast reduction and breast lift surgery. This usually occurs when a large-breasted patient is older, has had multiple pregnancies, or has breast implants that she wants removed. Such patients often have significant stretching of the skin due to the weight of their breasts, so in addition to having breast volume reduced, they also need loose skin removed.
If you’re not sure whether you need a breast lift, a breast reduction, or both, feel free to book a consultation with us at Ritacca Cosmetic Surgery & Medspa. Our knowledgeable, caring staff will be happy to guide you through the process of selecting the right procedure (or procedures) for you.