© 2008-2010 Dr. Glynn Bolitho, M.D.
Though not presently as common as breast augmentation, breast reduction surgery is being performed with increasing regularity as women with overly large breasts realize that the procedure not only has cosmetic and psychological benefits, but clinical value as well, by virtue of its potential to relieve chronic back, neck and shoulder pain.
For those reasons, according to Glynn Bolitho, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S., a leading San Diego plastic and reconstructive surgeon, women with hypertrophy, or overly large breasts, should consider this life-enhancing surgery.
From a medical standpoint, women who are not overweight and have large breasts can experience a great deal of pain and discomfort in the back, neck and shoulders due to the weight of the breasts. The excess weight can also cause grooving or indentations to appear on the shoulders from tight bra straps, and can deter women from participating in sports, exercise and physical activity. Some women even develop skin irritations or fungal infections in the natural creases underneath the breasts.
Psychologically speaking, many patients are acutely aware of the size of their breasts and are sensitive to teasing and off-handed remarks. As a result, they are reluctant to wear clothing that is the least bit revealing and often confide that they are embarrassed about their appearance. They become even more self-conscious, and ultimately, less outgoing.
And from a cosmetic point of view, Bolitho explains that the procedure can dramatically improve a woman's overall appearance, which has a direct impact on their attitude, confidence and behavior. Essentially, when a woman believes she looks good, she is more comfortable and feels much better about herself, which in turn enhances her everyday life.
"Of all the procedures we do, breast reduction may be the one in which the patients are the most uniformly satisfied," he said.
In general, Bolitho says that women who undergo breast reduction surgery are very practically-minded and often give the procedure a great deal of thought before agreeing to it.
"The longer prospective patients think about the procedure, the better candidates they become because they invariably make better decisions when they have time to think about them," explained Dr. Bolitho. "Women who have this surgery are almost 100% satisfied."
Interestingly enough, a surprising number of cases involve mothers and daughters. Myrna Ernst and her 18 year-old daughter, Courtney, had the surgery performed and both are delighted they did. Courtney was experiencing shoulder and back pain and felt hindered in her ability to perform simple daily activities. She felt she couldn't wear the stylish clothing that many of her friends wore.
"Now that I've had the operation, I don't feel as self-conscious about myself and I'm more pleased and comfortable with my body," she said. Having undergone the surgery herself, Myrna had an influence on her daughter's decision by pointing out the many benefits, as well as some of the risks, of the procedure. The possibility that she wouldn't be able to breast feed was a concern for Courtney, but ultimately, it was the chronic pain that led her to seek relief through Dr. Bolitho.
Dr. Bolitho explained that the breast reduction procedure, which takes about two hours and requires an overnight hospital stay and one to two weeks of recovery time, is one that is particularly gratifying because he knows he will get a good result and his patient is going to be pleased.
But despite the excellent success rates, there are a few unavoidable side effects that women must carefully consider before agreeing to the procedure. The surgery does cause some scarring on the breast, a chance that the woman may not be able to breast feed, and a loss of nipple sensation. The most conventional surgical technique involves incisions around the nipple, vertically down the front of the breast to the crease underneath, and then horizontally beneath the breast following the natural crease.
With a new trend toward minimizing incisions on the breast, Dr. Bolitho has been working for years on new ways of reducing scarring and loss of nipple sensation. He developed his own "short-scar" technique, which utilizes a short, rather than long, incision. He has written articles and also produced a video on the subject so that other plastic and reconstructive surgeons might adopt his short incision technique.
Most insurance companies will cover the breast reduction procedure for suitably qualified candidates. They will generally approve coverage for pre-qualified patients who are not overweight, have hypertrophy, and present with related symptoms like back, neck, shoulder or breast pain or skin abnormalities.
© 2008-2010 Dr. Glynn Bolitho, M.D.
