Life in Long Island, NY is one based around outdoor living and activities like walking the beach or riding bikes on miles of trails or along the boardwalk. If you are inhibited physically by large, heavy, or oversized breasts from doing such activities, it may be time to consider looking into a breast reduction surgery. This procedure can improve your quality of life and get you back to doing the things you love. At our Long Island plastic surgery center, we help women of all walks of life live a better life through this transforming surgery. So what is breast reduction surgery, why do women need it, and are you a candidate?
About Breast Reduction Surgery
Breast reduction surgery, also known as reduction mammoplasty, is a plastic surgery procedure where excess breast tissue, skin, and fat is removed to reduce the size of the breast. Women with large or extremely large, heavy breasts (also known as macromastia) deal with many physical limitations. In addition, they struggle with everyday issues such as finding the right clothes that fit, self-esteem worries that people might be staring at them, and aesthetically dreaming of simply wanting smaller breasts that are more proportionate to their body. Severely large breasts can also cause underlying health issues like poor circulation, poor posture, or breathing problems.
So let’s take a look further into this surgical procedure and why some women should consider it. More importantly, how it can improve YOUR life.
Why do breasts big or small even sag?
Gravity is not our friend. A woman’s breast is really an external organ on the body. It does not contain any muscle or ligaments, therefore, no form of exercise can improve their shape. Over time, a woman’s breast will change in size or volume due to aging or having children. Post-menopausal women lose estrogen, which affects the body’s tissue, which includes the breasts. Tissue loses it elasticity with age and gravity causing a woman’s breast to naturally sag or have ptosis. Also, pregnancy affects a woman’s breast. A pregnant woman’s hormones cause the breast to swell or expand with the increase of milk glands as well as the weight gain that typically occurs. Finally, genetics play a huge role. Many women who have large, oversized breasts often come from a long line of women before them with the same issue.
Women with larger breasts have more mass associated with their breasts, so sagging, ptosis, and all of the symptoms mentioned above, are typically why women opt for breast reduction surgery.
Are you a candidate?
There are several reasons why women throughout the Long Island, NY area decide they need a breast reduction. It is not only for aesthetic reasons that women consider reducing their breast size. Larger breasts are heavy in volume and mass and can cause neck and shoulder pain as well as headaches and poor posture. Due to severe breast sag, there are dermatological issues such as chafing skin under the breasts or indentations also called “groves” on the shoulders due to bra straps. Large breasts also sit on the lungs of the chest cavity and can inhibit lung capacity, therefore, making it difficult to breathe at times. Just doing normal day-to-day activities like going for a run, putting on your seatbelt, or trying to sleep on your stomach can all be hindered by having large breasts. Weight gain from the inability to exercise is also a problem. Some women with extremely large breasts simply find it uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing to incorporate a normal workout routine into their lives.
So if you experience one or more of these issues and have breasts that could be reduced by 2 - 3 cup sizes (or more), than you are likely a candidate for breast reduction surgery. Let's look at the next steps to this process.
I’m ready to improve my life! What’s next?
You have decided to improve your quality of life and help your emotional and physical health by having a breast reduction surgery. The board-certified plastic surgeons at Romanelli Cosmetic Surgery offer some suggestions to help get you started towards achieving your goals.
The first step is to schedule your private consultation with a reputable, experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon. This will involve a detailed discussion of your symptoms and goals, as well as a medical exam of the breasts as there are varying degrees of ptosis (sagging) from mild to severe which can depend on a person’s age, number of pregnancies, if you smoke, and your current BMI (Body Mass Index). Plastic surgeons look at the inframammary fold or line where the bottom of the breast meets the chest. They also look at the position of the nipple as in severe cases the nipples point downward. Each breast is also measured to determine the mass or volume of each. This helps the surgeon determine how much tissue and fat can be removed for physical and aesthetic reasons. Another step in this process is sharing medical history with your doctor. Is there a family history of breast disease or breast cancer? Any allergies or medical concerns regarding surgery? Are you allergic to any medications? Do you smoke? Do you plan to have children? Breastfeed? All of this information is gathered to give the doctor a better idea of how to get the best results and get you back to activities you enjoy.
During the consultation, your surgeon will be able to explain everything from how much of a reduction you can expect, what cup size is appropriate and medically possible to achieve, and other aspects such as breast lift surgery, which is usually a part of a reduction, and much more. You will be able to see before-and-after photos and get an idea of the type of results you may have and begin to get excited about what is to come!
Insurance coverage?
Another reason to consider breast reduction surgery–it is one of the few cosmetic or plastic surgery procedures that may be covered by health insurance. A woman with at least 500 grams (3 cups sizes) or more needed to be removed is likely a candidate for this procedure with insurance covering a portion of it. Insurance coverage for such a procedure can vary, but if you are experiencing neck and shoulder pain with no relief from physical therapy sessions or basically have any of the issues mentioned above then you could be considered for this procedure and possibly have your health insurance cover it.
Our team at Romanelli Cosmetic Surgery works with women every day and we understand how to work with your insurance provider so that we can get optimal coverage for your procedure.
Breast reduction surgery is a procedure that can alter a woman’s quality of life for the better. You will find yourself able to do more and be more comfortable with yourself physically while improving your self-confidence. For many women, it is truly a life-changing surgery. To learn more about breast reduction surgery, contact Romanelli Cosmetic Surgery in Long Island, NY to schedule your consultation appointment today.
