Plastic Surgery 101: How Does Breast Reduction Surgery Work?

Popular culture tends to glamorize women who have large breasts but, as many women know, in reality, having very large breasts can pose many discomforts. Aside from the given fact that they can literally weigh you down, excessively large breasts can create a variety of medical problems and lifestyle challenges.

Many of the women who choose to get a breast reduction procedure - or a mammoplasty as it’s formally referred to - do so to reduce back and shoulder pain, or due to difficulty exercising. But aside from these more immediate benefits, breast reductions can also be conducted for cosmetic reasons.

A breast reduction resizes, reshapes, and lifts heavy breasts by removing excess tissue, fat, and stretched skin. The results tend to yield firmer, lighter, and higher, more symmetrical breasts. Many women even choose to reshape their areolas so that they may be more fitting to the breasts’ new size and shape.

If you’re thinking about getting a breast reduction procedure done all this may sound great, but what you’re probably wondering the most is, “how does breast reduction work?” Well, let’s go over that.

Breast Reduction Surgery: How Does It Work?

So you know the gist of it already: breast reductions remove excess tissue and excess fat along with stretched skin to result in breasts that are smaller, tighter, and firmer.

With that being said, there are different types of incisions that can be used during a breast reduction - and the incision you and your plastic surgeon decide to go with will largely determine what your end result will look like.

What Kinds Of Breast Reduction Incisions Are There?

At our plastic surgery clinic in Orlando, our board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Z works with three different types of incisions:

1. An inverted T-shaped incision, also known as an “anchor” incision.

2. A circular incision around the areola combined with a vertical incision underneath the areola to the breast crease, also know as a “lollipop” incision.

3. A circular incision around the areola, also known as a periareolar incision.

The “anchor” incision requires 3 separate incisions: one around the areola, one vertical from underneath the areola to the breast crease, and another along the crease of the breast. This kind of incision is considered the most traditional breast surgery reduction procedure. It allows for a maximum degree of tissue removal and reshaping, therefore it’s usually best for women who require a significant breast reduction and/or whose breasts sag significantly.

The “lollipop” shaped incision is great for women who are only looking to get a moderate reduction and who have a noticeable amount of sagging. This incision allows the plastic surgeon to reshape the smaller breast internally for a better appearance.

The periareolar incision is a simple breast surgery reduction procedure that is best for women who only require minimal reduction and breast lift.

The best kind of breast reduction incision is the kind that works for your specific needs. Want to learn more about how breast reductions work? Book a consultation with us and we’ll walk you through the whole thing — and if you’re not sure which incision is right for you, we’ll help with that too!