(Follow your instructions carefully. Failure to do so could seriously affect the outcome of your surgery.)
The breast reduction procedure -- because oversize, pendulous breasts can often cause medical problems like lower back pain -- is often covered by insurance. This usually involves pre-certification based on a consultation, physical examination, and the filing of a letter of medical necessity (perhaps accompanied by photos) to the insurance carrier.
Breast reduction can be accomplished in an outpatient setting or in the hospital with a one day admission, depending upon insurance coverage. The procedure usually takes about 4 hours, depending upon the amount of reduction to be accomplished. The amount of breast tissue removed depends on the patient’s build and this is discussed rather extensively during the pre-surgery consultation. Dr. Kelly usually devotes between one hour and an hour and a half to this meeting, so that all the patient’s questions and concerns can be addressed. The reduction is not done to “order,” and while the results vary patient to patient, the “reduced” breasts are usually about a “D” cup.
Following the surgery, patients are followed weekly for about three weeks. The sutures are removed at two weeks. At this point in the recovery, the breasts look somewhat flat, so the patient is instructed to wear an underwire bra to help the breasts settle into their new shape -- which takes about six weeks.
The reduction scar looks like an anchor -- with a circle around the areola in the center of the breast with a line straight down and under the natural fold. The lines will fade in time, but will never go away completely. It does take some time for the scars to fade. IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT THE PATIENT NOT SMOKE PRIOR TO AND FOLLOWING SURGERY. Smoking can seriously compromise the results ***(see the alert --LINK?).
Recovery instructions are the same as for breast augmentation.
