Breast reduction surgery is an operation performed under general anesthesia in a hospital setting. It takes 2.5-4 hours on average and you stay in the hospital for 1 or 2 nights. After the operation, a special bra corset is used. The surgery can be performed in different techniques according to the size of the breast and the scar that will remain changes according to the technique. In breast reduction surgery, the excess breast tissue, skin and areola, that is, the brown part where the nipple is larger than normal, can be narrowed, and the downward nipple is pulled to the position wherre it should be above. No matter which technique is used for breast reduction, there will always be a straight scar around the nipple and going down from here. These scars fade and become indistinct within an average of 1 year and remain completely in a bra or bikini. You can do your own self-care very easily 2-3 days after the operation, and if you are working, you can return to work after an average of 10 days. There is no certain age limit for such an operation unless you have an additional disease, but it is generally recommended to wait at least 18, where the average breast development is completed.
Another curious issue about breast reduction surgery is breastfeeding. Anxiety about not being able to breastfeed after surgery is the biggest reason for postponing the surgery in the younger age group. Studies have shown that the rates of women who cannot breastfeed after breast reduction surgery and women who cannot breastfeed without any surgery are equal. This shows us that this surgery does not directly affect breastfeeding according to the technique to be performed. The dramatic situation is that patients who wait for breastfeeding and then plan such an operation complain that they have difficulty even breastfeeding their children due to the fact that the breast is too large.
Will I get cancer after breast reduction surgery? Answer is no. When you decide on such an operation, your familial predisposition to cancer is questioned before the operation and a few tests are requested from you. Excess breast tissue removed during the breast reduction procedure is sent for pathological examination whether you are at risk or not. However, although at a very low rate, sometimes new-onset cancer cases at the cellular level that could not be detected by radiological examinations. In such a case, since the cancerous tissue is removed, you already have your treatment, but still, directions are made for detailed examination and further treatment.