Pratt Plastic Surgery

Friday, March 27, 2009

Questions About Breast Reduction Surgery

Who is a good candidate for a breast reduction?

The ideal candidates for breast reduction surgery are women whose activities are limited or who experience neck, shoulder or back discomfort due to their large breasts. We advise women to be at least 18 years old, healthy both physically and emotionally, and not pregnant or breast feeding.

What are some problems associated with excessively large breasts?

Oversized and heavy breasts can cause pain in your back, shoulders and neck, as well as uncomfortable shoulder strap grooving and skin rashes. Excessively large breasts can also attract too much attention, thereby increasing a women's self-consciousness.

What can I expect with breast reduction surgery?

In breast reduction surgery (also known as reduction mammaplasty), Dr. Pratt removes excess breast tissue in order to decrease the size of the breasts; then the breasts are reshaped. This surgery is performed under general anesthesia in our Kirkland, Washington office Surgicenter and takes about three hours. Following your surgery, you will be wrapped in gauze and ace bandages, and you will come out of anesthesia within an hour or so, but remember that all patients are different when it comes to reaction to anesthesia. You will be given very specific post-operative instructions that will include what activities must be limited or stopped altogether and how to care for your breasts following this procedure. Feel free to contact our office at any time to ask questions or get clarification on the post-op instructions. We are here for you.

To learn more about breast reduction surgery, please schedule a cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. David F. Pratt today. Pratt Plastic Surgery serves patients in Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, and Bellevue, Washington, and we would be happy to schedule a consultation to address your cosmetic surgery goals.