Breast Procedures
Breast Lift
Breast lift surgery is also known as a mastopexy. Breast lifts are usually performed to restore a more youthful shape to the breasts, which are often affected by weight loss, the normal aging process, and pregnancy.
Mastopexy can be performed by many different techniques. The particular technique depends on the amount of sagging or droopiness of the breast, called ptosis. Some women that need a small amount of lift can have this accomplished with a breast implant or with a small amount of skin taken from around the areola called a Benelli mastopexy. Women with slightly more sagging of the breast can get the right amount of lift by various techniques that remove excess skin from below the areola. The type of mastopexy that will give you the result you're looking for can be determined by consultation with Dr. Small at Ocean Plastic Surgery P.A.and Laser Center.
Breast lift surgery is usually a same day surgery procedure performed in a hospital or surgical center under general anesthesia. The procedure takes approximately two to three hours to complete. The recovery is about two weeks with a return to full activity at about four weeks.
» Call today to schedule your personal cosmetic consult for a breast lift.
Breast Reduction (Reduction Mammaplasty)
Large breasts can cause pain, improper posture, rashes, breathing problems, skeletal deformities, and low self-esteem. Breast reduction surgery is usually done to provide relief from these symptoms. Performed under general anesthesia, the two- to four-hour procedure removes fat and glandular tissue and tightens skin to produce smaller, lighter breasts that are in a healthier proportion to the rest of the body.
Breast reduction surgery is not recommended for women who intend to breast-feed, since many of the milk ducts leading to the nipples are removed.
During the breast reduction procedure an anchor-shaped incision is made from the new location of the nipple down to and around the crease beneath the breast. The surgeon removes excess glandular tissue, fat, and skin, relocates the nipple and areola, and reshapes the breast using skin from around the areola before closing the incisions with stitches. Liposuction may be needed to remove excess fat from the armpit area, and in cases when only fat needs to be removed from the breasts, liposuction alone is used for breast reduction.
For a few days after surgery the breasts are bound with an elastic bandage or a surgical bra and you may be given surgical drainage tubes for fluid removal. Stitches come out in a week and the surgical bra must be worn for about a month.
A little pain is normal after breast reduction, whether it's mild discomfort, swelling during menstruation, a measure of numbness or sensitivity, or random, shooting pains that may last for a few months. Swelling, bruising, crusting and slight changes in breast size are also common. Most patients return to work in about two weeks, although you should avoid heavy lifting for three to four and only gentle contact with the breasts should occur for six weeks.
Scars fade with time but will not disappear, although they can be hidden with a bra, bathing suit or low-cut top.
Risks are rare and usually minor but may include bleeding, infection, reaction to the anesthesia, small sores around the nipples, slightly mismatched breasts or unevenly positioned nipples, and permanent loss of feeling in the nipple or breast.
» Call today to schedule your personal consult for breast reduction.
Male Breast Reduction
Excess breast tissue can develop in young as well as older men and can be a source of embarrassment and low self-esteem. This condition called gynecomastia can also be a sign of an underlying medical problem, which your surgeon will thoroughly evaluate before your surgery. There are several techniques to remove this unwanted breast tissue, such as liposuction or removing the breast tissue by a small incision made around your areola, the dark skin surrounding your nipple. The procedure is typically done in a surgical center or hospital with general anesthesia as a same day surgery procedure. The procedure takes approximately two to three hours. The recovery time is about a week with a return to full activity in about four weeks.
» Call today to schedule your personal consult for a male breast reduction.
