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NEW SHORT SCAR BREAST REDUCTION TECHNIQUE
 Our culture prizes women with larger breasts and yet at some point a woman’s breasts can be too large. For these women the extra weight causes back and neck pain, grooves in their shoulders from bra straps and makes it difficult to do everyday tasks.
The answer for this problem is to make the breasts smaller. The perfect breast reduction would make the nipple/areola area smaller if needed, put it in the right position (usually higher on the breast mound) while maintaining sensation, have the least amount of scarring possible and provide a lasting reshaping of the breast. In addition it would be a safe procedure with little to no chance of compromising the blood supply to the Nipple.
Does such a procedure exist?
Not entirely. But we are closer now than we have been in the past. The most common type of breast reduction was based on a bra pattern from the garment district in New York. The pattern was transferred to the breast skin. It was actually the skin that held the breast in position. It is known as the Weiss pattern, inverted T or anchor incision technique. All breast reduction techniques rely on leaving some breast tissue intact connected to a blood supply (a pedicle) which allows the Nipple/Areola to be moved to a new position. In the Weiss technique, the pedicle is connected to the inferior portion of the breast. After the excess breast tissue and skin is removed, the incisions are closed leaving you with scars that run around the nipple, down the front of the breast AND under the breast from one side to the other. Usually these scars fade well after a year, but sometimes the one under the breast can remain large and visible. In addition the breast shape may look “boxy”.
In the last ten years several surgeons have promoted techniques that reduce the amount of scarring and still allow a naturally shaped breast. In our opinion, the best of these is the technique developed by Dr. Elizabeth Hall-Findlay of Canada. It bases the pedicle towards the middle of the chest and relies on suturing the breast tissue into a new shape instead of the skin alone maintaining the shape of the breast. There is still a scar around the nipple/areola and down the middle of the breast but there is no scar from side to side. The scar that runs up and down fades very well. Patients typically find that they have little pain with this procedure and that nipple/areola sensation is maintained and sometimes even enhanced. There is a small amount of wrinkling of skin beneath the breast that resolves with time. This procedure is very safe and when combined with liposuction of excess tissue under the arm results in a very natural appearing breast. It is the latest step to achieving the perfect reduction.
Breast reduction surgery offers a dramatic change in appearance for women and often relieves back and neck pain that may be associated with large breasts. The procedure is done under general anesthesia and takes approximately two hours to perform.
Safety is our number one concern and should be yours also. We insist on doing all of our surgeries in a hospital owned facility with state of the art equipment, specialized nurses and staff, and board certified anesthesiologists. You deserve nothing less.
Cosmetic Surgery Associates
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