Introduction
In our part of the world, women of Asian ethnicity are often burdened with heavy breasts. Bearing not only embarrassment, but also clinical problems such as back pain, cervical pain. Even the best breast surgeons in Delhi/NCR will agree that sometimes women don’t know heavy breasts can cause pain. Psychological complaints are also occasionally expressed. Women often feel uncomfortable when a man is too often focused with attention on the outlook of their chest. Also it is difficult to find a large bra size sometimes.
As the taboo surrounding breast and aesthetic surgeries slowly lifts, unveiled is the new Indian woman who identifies with her own body. She is free to look and be the lady she wants to be.
Quick facts
Breast reduction is now a safe surgical procedure, that decreases the breast volume. It also lifts the drooping nipple up (with the simultaneous mastopexy). Extreme weight loss may cause reduction in breast size due to loss of fat, but it leads to sagging of breasts. Shortest way to breast reduction is surgery but it needs motivation and physical readiness. As a female plastic surgeon, I found many women struggling to hide their problems and discomfort, only because they were too shy. Or were concerned that their families would not be supportive. After counselling and surgery, when they experienced the results most of them wondered why didn’t they get it done earlier.
Few misconceptions also surround breast reduction such as risk of cancer following surgery or reduced sexual satisfaction, breast feeding issues. Breast reduction only removes the excess breast fat from the body. There is no increased risk of cancer developing in the remaining breast area, it’s the same tissue that was there before. Loss of nipple sensation is a temporary phenomenon and recovers soon after the surgery. Patient can continue to enjoy personal life as usual once the healing is complete.
In the present techniques, most of the ducts supplying milk are preserved during surgery and some of them grow back too, enabling patients to breast feed. There is still a chance though that the milk secreted would be lesser in amount than a normal breast.
Current operative procedures in breast reduction offer keeping the breast in position and prevent drooping for years to come. There are two common techniques of breast reduction. The two techniques are Inverted T technique and Vertical reduction technique. Both techniques give good results when chosen correctly. Scars are barely visible and hidden in natural creases.