Breast reduction

The strong points

Reduction of breast volume and ptosis
Procedure covered by social security under certain conditions (removal of 300 g per breast operated)
High patient satisfaction

Description

The purpose of breast reduction is to reduce the volume of the mammary gland and to modify the shape and position of the breast.

The procedure consists of a reduction in breast volume by removing the gland located at the lower portion of the breast.

The remaining gland is then remodeled and moved up to the upper portion of the breast.

The areola and nipple are thus repositioned to an ideal position at the top of the breast.

vertical in rare cases (young patient and moderate hypertrophy)
most often vertical and horizontal: the so-called "T" or sea anchor technique, which is performed most of the time

Intervention

If you have a family history of breast cancer, you may be asked to have a mammogram and an ultrasound.

Breast reduction is performed under general anesthesia. This requires a pre-anesthetic consultation at least 48 hours before the procedure.

In the majority of cases, the operation is performed in conventional hospitalization (entry at 1 pm, exit at 11 am the next day) but can be perfectly envisaged in ambulatory surgery (entry at 8 am, exit at 6 pm).

The operation is not very painful, but the post-operative care requires you to stop working for 5 to 7 days.

Our Specificities

Unlike the majority of our French colleagues who use a superior pedicle technique, we use a specific operative technique (superior-internal pedicle technique) described by a Canadian surgeon (Elisabeth Hall-Findlay).

This technique has the great advantage of not separating the areola and the nipple from the underlying gland. This allows :

Avoid almost all risk of areola and nipple necrosis (5% of cases with the superior pedicle technique)
greatly improve the postoperative sensitivity of the areola and nipple and preserve this erogenous zone
to be able to consider breastfeeding after a breast reduction (impossible with the upper pedicle technique)

This technique also allows to limit the important tissue detachments and to allow an ambulatory breast reduction surgery without placing a Redon drain.

Questions / Answers

What are the possible complications of a breast reduction?

The main complication is the alteration of the sensitivity of the areola and the nipple. This occurs in about 30% of cases and can persist over the long term.
A hematoma or blood clot may occur on the evening of the operation but this is extremely rare.

In the case of extremely large breasts, a suffering of the areola can occur in 5% of cases requiring a graft of the areola during or the day after the operation.

The scars are initially thick and inflammatory for the first 3 months, then decrease significantly up to 18 months after the operation.

What is the post-operative care?

Post-operative care is relatively simple.
The day after the operation, the drains are removed by the nurse and the care is done after the shower.
They consist of a disinfection of the scar followed by the placement of dressings or compresses in the sports bra.
This care is repeated every day at your home for 15 days, possibly with the help of a nurse during the first few days.
The support bra is to be kept on permanently until 3 weeks after the operation.

What will my cup look like after the procedure?

The majority of patients requiring a breast reduction have a cup size larger than an E.
In order to maintain a harmonious breast shape, it is necessary to keep a breast volume equivalent to a C cup.

Some women want a B cup, but they should be warned that the breasts may be a little flat and less aesthetic.

Can I breastfeed after the operation?

This is strongly discouraged.
Indeed, since breast reduction surgery separates the areola from the underlying gland, the milk ducts are cut.
There is a very high risk (more than 80%) of breast engorgement during the milk supply, which can develop into an infection.

How much does a breast reduction cost?

The health insurance covers breast reductions with a glandular resection of more than 300g per operated breast.
This corresponds in practice to a large D cup.

In these cases, I charge additional fees that vary between 2,000 and 3,000 euros, which may be covered by your health insurance.

If the planned glandular resection is less than 300g, the prices correspond to those of a simple ptosis cure (from 4500 to 5500 euros)