Breast Reduction Surgery
Conveniently located to serve San Diego, Oceanside, CA and Carlsbad, CA
If you suffer from chronic back, shoulder, or neck pain or other medical problems due to very large breast size, breast reduction surgery may provide you with relief. Our breast reduction patients are some of our happiest patients after undergoing surgery. Dr. Gregory Park is an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon who will guide you in deciding if a breast reduction is right for you in helping to improve or alleviate your symptoms due to breast hypertrophy.
Breast Reduction in Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Diego Area
Some of the happiest patients are our breast reduction patients. After years of enduring and suffering from large, heavy breasts that cause chronic pain, breast reduction surgery is most often a solution and cure for back, shoulder, and neck pain. Women with breast hypertrophy may also experience numbness in the hands, migraine headaches, and skin irritations or rashes along the lower breast creases. Some women may have indentations in the shoulders from their bra straps. Women of all ages may feel embarrassed or self-conscious about their extremely large breasts. All of these concerns and symptoms are usually resolved after breast reduction surgery. Reduction Mammoplasty, also known as Breast Reduction surgery, is a procedure that removes excess breast tissue, fat, and skin. Breast reduction results in lighter, firmer, smaller, and lifted breasts. Large areolae are reduced in size. After surgery, women are happier with the shape and size of their breasts which are more proportioned with the rest of their body.
Your Breast Reduction will be performed by Dr. Greg Park at his office in Oceanside, CA.
Heavy breasts can lead to physical discomfort, a variety of medical problems, shoulder indentations due to tight bra straps, and extreme self-consciousness.
Incisions outline the area of skin, breast tissue, and fat to be removed and the new position for the nipple.
Skin formerly located above the nipple is brought down and together to reshape the breast. Sutures close the incisions, giving the breast its new contour.
Scars around the areola, below it, and in the crease under the breast are permanent but can be easily concealed by clothing.
With smaller, better-proportioned breasts, you’ll feel more comfortable and your clothes will fit better.
To view Before & After Breast Reduction photos, click the photos above. Individual results may vary.
Your Breast Reduction Consultation
Long-term discomfort and limitations with physical activities due to large, heavy, sagging breasts are the general reasons why patients seek breast reduction surgery. During your consultation in San Diego, it is important to express your concerns about the symptoms caused by your breast hypertrophy, your reasons for surgery, as well as your goals with surgery. Your breasts will be examined and measured which will help to determine if you are a good candidate for surgery. You will be asked about your future plans for children and breastfeeding. If you are finished having your family, then you are a candidate for breast reduction surgery as long as you are healthy. Dr Park will discuss the pros and cons of undergoing surgery, if you are still considering having children in the future.
Preparing For Your Breast Reduction Surgery
Before your breast reduction surgery, Dr. Park and his nurses will see you at your preoperative appointment. During this appointment in San Diego, you will get another opportunity to ask any additional questions you may have with regard to surgery and review all the details of surgery again. If you are over 40 years of age or have a significant family history of breast cancer, a mammogram (breast x-ray) is highly recommended prior to surgery. If your breast size is related to excessive weight or obesity, weight loss prior to surgery may help to optimize your postoperative results. You will be provided with prescriptions for medications required after surgery. You will also be provided with instructions to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on drinking, eating, smoking, and avoiding certain medications or supplements. While preparing for surgery, make sure to make arrangements to have a family member or friend drive you home after surgery. You may also want to have someone help you for a couple of days while you recover.
Your Breast Reduction Surgery
There are various breast reduction techniques, but the use of an upside-down T or anchor-shaped incision is the most common approach to reducing the size of the breasts. During the surgery in our San Diego office, excess breast tissue, fat, and skin are removed, the nipple and areola are moved into a higher position, and the breasts are recontoured to their new shape. In some patients with good skin tone and elasticity, liposuction alone can be performed to reduce the size of the breasts when the removal of breast fat alone will result in a satisfactory breast shape and reduction in size. Candidates for breast liposuction have breasts that consist of more fat than breast tissue. An examination will help to determine if you are a good candidate for liposuction alone. The advantage of liposuction is that this technique allows for minimal scarring.
After Your Breast Reduction
It is normal to have some degree of discomfort and fatigue for several days after surgery. Although most patients do not experience significant pain after breast reduction surgery, prescriptions for pain control will be provided. You will be able to shower the day after surgery. You will be instructed to wear a bra to reduce swelling and support your breasts while healing. It is important to continue self-breast exams every month starting 3-6 months after surgery. For age-appropriate patients, mammograms are continued 6 to 12 months after breast implant surgery. When scheduling your mammogram, inform the radiology department that you have had surgery to ensure an accurate screening exam. After surgery, your breasts may swell and become painful with your first menstruation. It’s not uncommon to experience random, shooting pains for a few months. Swelling that develops after surgery may result in some loss of sensation in the nipples and breast skin. The feeling usually improves over the next several months or so. However, in some patients, sensory loss may last a year or more, and on occasion, it may be permanent.
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“I did a ton of research and looked at a ton of before and afters before deciding to make a consultation with Dr. Park. I came into the consultation prepared with a few reference pictures of what I wanted. Dr. Park looked at my photos, and did my measurements. Immediately after he had known what range of cc’s would best suit me and my goals. He reviewed the entire process of the BA, as well as what he did to minimize the chance of bacterial contamination and discomfort after the surgery. That really made a difference and stood out to me. Also Doctor Park will not let you go bigger than your body can handle. He actually cares about you and your results, and he knows what will suit your body best. You have to trust that you picked a great surgeon who is gentle, caring, and perfectionistic. He wants you to look good as much as you want to look good. I am 9 days out of surgery now and feel great. There was no blood and no visible bruising. It really goes to show how precise and gentle he is during surgery. My results are amazing. Better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you Dr. Park.”
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Getting Back to Normal
Depending on your job, some patients are able to return to work within a few days to a week. Most women can return to non-strenuous work and social activities about two weeks after surgery. Exercise, stretching, and activities such as running or swimming should be avoided for at least 1 month. A comfortable sports bra should be worn for at least one month for support while healing. After a month you’ll be able to purchase your new, smaller bras. You may be instructed to avoid sex for a week or more since sexual arousal can cause your incisions to swell. You should also avoid direct contact with your breasts with your partner for about four to six weeks.
Although much of the swelling and bruising will disappear in the first few weeks, it may be six months to a year before your breasts settle into their new shape. Even then, their shape may fluctuate in response to your hormonal shifts, weight changes, and pregnancy. Scars are unavoidable and permanent. But over time, they gradually fade and in some cases are barely visible. The results of a breast reduction are immediately obvious. Some of our happiest patients at North Coast Plastic Surgery are those who undergo breast reduction surgery. In most cases there is instant resolution of physical symptoms caused by large breasts and improved body proportion. Ultimately, our patients report that they have less or no more back, shoulder, and neck pain, and they feel better about themselves and the fit of their new clothes.
How Much Does Breast Reduction Cost in San Diego?
The cost of the Breast Reduction procedure will depend on several factors. The price can be affected by body type, type of technique performed, surgical complications, and even allergies. Find out more by scheduling a consultation.
The Next Step
To find out if you are a good candidate for breast reduction surgery, call us at 760.655.1414 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Gregory Park. We look forward to helping you in achieving your goals.