Breast Reduction

WEBVTT 00:00:07.298 --> 00:00:09.925 For patients who may be seeking breast reduction surgery, 00:00:10.008 --> 00:00:12.344 and they may want to know what types of breast reduction procedures 00:00:12.427 --> 00:00:15.972 are available, it really depends upon what your starting anatomy is like. 00:00:16.055 --> 00:00:21.200 Typically, all breast reducing procedures do involve performing a breast lift. 00:00:21.283 --> 00:00:25.063 We do a breast reduction surgery, there are different ways that we perform 00:00:25.146 --> 00:00:29.108 the operation to make sure we maintain blood supply to the nipple and the areola, 00:00:29.191 --> 00:00:31.902 and to make sure we minimize wound healing complications 00:00:31.985 --> 00:00:33.987 where the incisional edges come together. 00:00:34.070 --> 00:00:37.448 I perform a pretty particular type of breast reduction technique, 00:00:37.531 --> 00:00:40.351 and I am always happy to educate patients on why I think 00:00:40.434 --> 00:00:43.210 this technique is a better technique than some of the other techniques 00:00:43.293 --> 00:00:46.080 that are available in breast reduction surgery that tend to lead 00:00:46.163 --> 00:00:51.376 to more common, less optimal outcomes like upper pole hollowing 00:00:51.460 --> 00:00:52.794 and scar widening. 00:00:52.877 --> 00:00:55.296 Candidates for breast reduction surgery are typically patients 00:00:55.379 --> 00:00:57.840 who have breasts that are larger than they want them to be. 00:00:57.923 --> 00:01:00.967 I would say the most common complaint that I from patients who have breasts 00:01:01.051 --> 00:01:02.927 that they feel are too large for their frame 00:01:03.011 --> 00:01:06.847 or just that they feel their breasts are too large for their frame. 00:01:06.931 --> 00:01:09.016 Usually, that's an indication that these breasts are interfering 00:01:09.099 --> 00:01:12.185 with their ability to perform active activities 00:01:12.269 --> 00:01:15.313 like athletic activities, outdoor activities, 00:01:15.396 --> 00:01:17.398 wearing clothing that fit appropriately. 00:01:17.481 --> 00:01:19.108 Sometimes I'll have a lot of patients who say, 00:01:19.191 --> 00:01:22.193 I feel like I look like I weigh 30 pounds more than I do, 00:01:22.277 --> 00:01:23.560 and it's all in my breast. 00:01:23.643 --> 00:01:27.573 These are all indicators that you may benefit from a breast reduction surgery. 00:01:27.698 --> 00:01:30.742 In choosing a breast reduction surgeon, number one, you want to make sure 00:01:30.826 --> 00:01:34.280 that this surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. 00:01:34.363 --> 00:01:36.956 You also want to make sure that this surgeon has admitting 00:01:37.039 --> 00:01:39.708 privileges in a hospital, a local hospital, 00:01:39.791 --> 00:01:42.085 where if a patient would need to be transferred, 00:01:42.168 --> 00:01:43.628 that surgeon can follow you there. 00:01:43.711 --> 00:01:47.089 Both of these are indications that that surgeon is, at least at minimum, 00:01:47.173 --> 00:01:50.092 a safe surgeon that the hospital deems to be safe enough 00:01:50.175 --> 00:01:52.093 to have privileges in that hospital. 00:01:52.177 --> 00:01:55.304 Beyond that, I would recommend asking to see before and after photos 00:01:55.388 --> 00:01:57.473 to make sure that the scar quality is good, 00:01:57.556 --> 00:01:59.975 but also that the overall shape of the patient's breast 00:02:00.058 --> 00:02:03.160 and areola are nice-looking and esthetically pleasing. 00:02:03.353 --> 00:02:05.229 I think that choosing a breast reduction surgeon 00:02:05.313 --> 00:02:07.815 who has a strong passion for doing good breast reduction 00:02:07.898 --> 00:02:09.983 surgeries are also very important. 00:02:10.067 --> 00:02:14.070 Sadly, because insurance does pay for some patients' breast reduction surgeries 00:02:14.153 --> 00:02:18.032 in very rare circumstances, there are some surgeons that treat it 00:02:18.115 --> 00:02:21.284 like a lesser surgery because they're only going to be paid by the insurance 00:02:21.368 --> 00:02:22.720 a certain amount of money. 00:02:22.803 --> 00:02:25.997 I would highly recommend choosing a surgeon who is very passionate about 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:29.357 getting great results with their breast reduction surgery outcomes. 00:02:29.440 --> 00:02:32.002 Breast reduction surgery, when I perform it, typically takes me 00:02:32.085 --> 00:02:33.717 about three hours to perform. 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:36.297 It's usually about 2 hours and 40 minutes or so of operating, 00:02:36.380 --> 00:02:40.050 and the rest of that time is spent putting the patient to sleep and waking them up. 00:02:40.133 --> 00:02:42.844 Usually, you go home the same day, and we typically see our patients 00:02:42.927 --> 00:02:46.180 here one week after surgery, after the day after surgery, 00:02:46.264 --> 00:02:48.932 and then at two weeks, at six weeks, and three months.