ever had breast reduction? maybe u can help?

Question

how long does it take for the swelling to go down? i had my operation 2 weeks ago, and either my minds going or they aint actually went down much!! i know i'll swell and that but swelling from what was meant to be a c cup to little off my natural size ff is that not lets say just a tad too much??

Answer 1

Patience. Swelling can take months to go away.

Answer 2

Ive had 2 friends that had breast reductions 1 had severe problems and her breasta re ruined forever. The other friend was fine in two weeks but the swelling went down in 4 weeks completely. Good luck keep a good watch on them.

Answer 3

Breast reduction, or reduction mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure which involves the reduction in the size of breasts by excising fat, skin, and glandular tissue; it may also involve a procedure to counterract drooping of the breasts. As with breast augmentation, this procedure is performed most often on women, but may also be performed on men afflicted by gynecomastia.

Breast reduction surgery is oriented toward women with large, pendulous breasts, since the weight of their breasts may cause neck, back, shoulder, circulation, or breathing problems. The weight may also cause discomfort as a result of brassiere straps abrading or irritating the skin. Even if physical discomfort is not a problem, some women feel awkward with the enormity of their breasts in proportion to the rest of their bodies. Reduction mammoplasty affords the recipient smaller, lighter, and firmer breasts. The surgeon may also reduce the size of and change the shape of the areola or nipples.

Although not advocated as a cancer risk reducing procedure, a woman's risk of subsequently developing breast cancer will be reduced proportionately to the amount of breast tissue left. It is recommended that patients receive new baseline mammograms 6-8 months after breast reduction to accommodate expected radiographic changes and give a new basis to compare future imaging studies to.

Except in unusual cases, this procedure is performed on individuals with fully developed breasts. It is not recommended for women who desire to breastfeed, as it can impair the likelihood of success and the volume of breast milk produced due to disrupting the lactiferous duct system within the breast. Interestingly, a number of studies have demonstrated a similar ability to breast feed when breast reduction patients are compared to control groups. The Inferior Pedicle technique is believed to preserve the lactation potential better than other techniques. The Free Nipple Graft technique is most likely to impair lactation, although some women have been known to successfully produce some amounts of milk.

Doctors almost always perform breast reductions while the patient is under general anesthesia. During pre-operative visits, the doctor and patient may decide on new (usually higher) positions for the areolas and nipples.

The most common procedure involves an anchor-shaped incision which circles the areola (aka. "Wise-pattern" reduction). The incision extends downward, following the natural curve of the breast. Excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin is removed. Next, the nipple and areola are moved into their new position. Recently there has been increasing interest in limited scar techniques which leave only a vertical or vertical with a shorter horizontal scar.

In some extreme cases, the areola and nipple may need to be completely removed for relocation and replaced as a skin graft (aka "free nipple graft"). In these cases, sensation from the areola area will be lost.

Patients may take a few weeks for initial recovery, however it may take from six months to a year for the body to completely adjust to the new breast size. Some women may experience discomfort during their initial menstruation following the surgery due to the breasts swelling.

Scarring from this procedure may be extensive and can be permanent. Initially the scars are lumpy and red, but gradually subside into their final smaller sizes as thin lines. Though permanent, the surgeon can generally make the scars inconspicuous to the point that even low-cut tops may be worn without visible scars. Other common problems include: asymmetry, delayed wound healing, altered nipple sensation, fluid retention in the breast, altered erogenous function, late changes in shape and recurrent ptosis (breasts) (drooping.)

With respect to the currently present section that reads: "In some extreme cases, the areola and nipple may need to be completely removed for relocation and replaced as a skin graft (aka "free nipple graft"). In these cases, sensation from the areola area will be lost."

This should be changed to:

Although in the past, and based entirely on some arbitrary parameters it was deemed safer to remove the nipple and replace it as a "free graft." This is much less commonly performed. It is no longer the choice approach for a variey of reasons, not the least of which is the loss of nipple sensation, and loss of the ability to nurse in a significant percentage of patients. Nipple grafting is currently reserved for special cases where nipple survival is deemed tenuous on the operating room table, and not as a planned technique.

Reference:

Gerzenshtein J, Oswald T, McCluskey P, Angel MF. Avoiding free nipple grafting with the inferior pedicle technique. Ann Plast Surg. 2005 Sep;55(3):245-9.