Breast Reduction

Women choose to have a breast reduction procedure for medical and personal reasons. Common reasons are back pain, shoulder pain, irritation and rashes under the breast, and pain from bra straps cutting into the skin. A variety of techniques are used for breast reduction. The decision of which technique to use is primarily based on the anatomy of each individual.

Vertical Scar Breast Reduction

Excess breast tissue and skin is removed and the remaining breast tissue is rearranged to "lift" the breast. The resulting scars are a midline scar from the areola to the base of the breast and a scar around the areola, which fade over time.

Anchor Scar Breast Reduction

This is the traditional technique of breast reduction in which excess breast tissue and skin is removed and the remaining breast tissue is rearranged to "lift" the breast. The resulting scars are a scar around the areola, a midline scar from the areola to the base of the breast, and an inframammary fold scar (horizontal scar along the base of the breast). The inframammary scar may be hidden in the inframammary fold in some patients.

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Free Nipple Breast Reduction

Patients with very large pendulous breasts may not be candidates for the above techniques. A free nipple breast reduction is similar to the other techniques in that the excess breast tissue and skin is removed and the remaining breast tissue is rearranged to "lift" the breast. However, the nipple areola complex is removed from the breast and then grafted onto the rearranged breast. Sensation to the nipple is usually affected and breast feeding may not be possible.