In the field of female breast reduction, there are two elements that are important to consider and this very old operation has been considerably renewed on a technical level:
- safety and survival of the preserved mammary gland were achieved almost in 100% of cases;
- the length and importance of the residual scars were reduced as much as possible, rather by reducing the horizontal submammary component of the scar.
These elements, which have made the difference over the last 30 years in the surgical methods of treatinghypertrophyhypertrophy breast, also concern major breast asymmetries. It is necessary to point out that these breast reduction techniques have been applied for the treatment of the healthy breast when it comes to treating breast cancer on one side with a need for contralateral symmetrization.
The fact remains that preparation for the operation and the various elements which concern the perioperative period, then the follow-up of the intervention cannot be ignored by patients. Moreover, the preoperative consultation aims precisely to answer the legitimate questions of women who are going to be operated on.
Have professionals changed their minds regarding the ideal age to have surgery?
The answer is “yes” because, currently, it is accepted that breast hypertrophy in the form of gigantomastia is a strong argument for operating on patients very early, almost in the post-pubertal period; in fact, the relief brought by breast reduction and symmetrization of the breasts, sometimes even correcting some malformationsmalformations such as tuberous breasts, is of immense interest to the patient both in terms of physicalphysical that psychological! Thus, sporting activities become possible again and better self-confidence appears when practicing social activities, while preserving the safety of the operation and the possibility of subsequent breastfeeding.
How have breast reduction techniques evolved?
It is mainly a question of preserving the safety of healing of the mammary gland and the skin, but also of reducing the length and importance of the scars. Modern surgeons, under the leadership of a colleague from Nice, Doctor Claude Lassus, have favored breast reduction using a longer vertical scar under theareolaareola to try to avoid the horizontal scar.
This technique has also been modified by us (“tail of tail” technique). fishfish » and also according to the original Buddha technique drawing), and also by Rami Selinger who is the apostle of the “Bamaco technique”.
According to these techniques, the horizontal scar (the one which was formerly the most visible and the ugliest, and which blocked the thorax horizontally) is reduced to almost nothing. There will remain a scar of a few centimeters and sometimes almost nothing. All this, however, with a very satisfying and much more erotic shape than before, because we avoid the flat breast which was fashionable in the 1960s and 1970s.
What is the risk of recurrence of breast enlargement?
This risk is not zero, I have personally seen it occur in around 5% of cases, having followed patients for 40 years after the successful operation. In other cases, the breasts have shrunk considerably, which in exceptional cases even required the replacement of breast prostheses!
But, more often than not, the result has been stable. In less than 10% of cases, there is a possibility of recidivismrecidivism breast hypertrophy at the time of menopause or when there is considerable weight gain. Moreover, in these cases a simple liposuctionliposuction retouching of the breasts can sometimes allow you to obtain a good result.
What about the carcinogenic risk after breast reduction surgery?
There is no carcinogenic risk after standard breast reduction surgery.
In some cases, breast reduction can even remove breast cancer that was not apparent. This diagnosticdiagnostic is then affirmed by the examination at microscopemicroscopeall anatomical parts that are removed must be analyzed by a laboratory specializing in anatomicalpathologypathology. As a surgeon, we say to ourselves that we have done the patient a service with this operation which made it possible to remove a cancer which was invisible on the x-raysx-rays and who had no obvious clinical signs.
The study of all patients operated on for a reduction mammaplasty shows that there is no increase in the carcinogenic risk by this operation, which is why it is very often also performed to symmetrize the breast remaining too much. big, when a woman presented a breast cancerbreast cancer on the one hand, because the request to have a symmetrical chest is completely legitimate and is generally accepted, and covered by Social Security as part of the treatment of surgical breast cancer.
What is the main benefit of breast reduction?
The vast majority of patients (practically 95% of them) report that their daily life has been greatly improved both in terms of painpain that they can experience at the level of the spinal axis (which is relieved by the reduction in the weight of the mammary glands), and also at the psychological level: because the fact of reducing the chest, but also above all of raising it to treat ptosis which is most often associated with breast hypertrophy, constitutes an element of well-being, now scientifically proven.
Are there alternative techniques to surgical breast reduction without a scalpel?
Quite frankly, the answer is “no” because unfortunately we do not have any medical technology (radiation by laserlaserultra-frequency, ultrasoundultrasoundetc.) which allows a reduction of the chest without scarring.
There is, however, a possibility of reducing the breasts by liposuction, which should not be neglected when the x-ray shows that the breast hypertrophy is mainly made up of fatty tissue with few dense glands. The liposuction method makes it possible to remove approximately 400 to 500 grams of fatty tissue from the breasts through very small scars which will therefore not disturb the patient’s aesthetics!
