Reduction Mammoplasty

Mammary Prosthesis

Lipoaspiration

Minilipo, Lipolight e HLPA

For whom it is prescribed

The reduction mammoplastyis prescribed for women who suffer from excess in volume of their mammas and those who are not satisfied with their appearance or suffer from asymmetry or backaches due to the weight of the mammas, resulting in constraint and sometimes an excess of clothes to hide them.

During puberty mammas are rigid due to the quantity of glands. As time goes by, this quality decreases, causing increase of fat and ptosis of the mamma (mamma dropping). Pregnancy also helps to accelerate ptosis. In this case, reduction mammoplasty is indicated.

The reduction of the mamma entails the removal of the excess of the mammary tissue and their modelling and lifting.

This intervention may be done from the age of 15, when development has already reached its maximum stage.

During the mammoplasty reduction surgery, the mammas can have their volume increased through the surgery. Besides, it is intended to improve its consistency and shape through the surgical intervention. This is how, in this case, a new volume can be chosen, because we have available various sizes of mamma prosthesis (silicon) to be placed, what gives us a greater option regarding aesthetical results.

Surgical techniques

Epidural and local anaesthesia are used, and sedation or general anaesthesia in some cases.

There are three surgical techniques for mammoplasty which will define the shape of the scar of the plastic surgery: in L or inverted T or even periarolar (around the areola).

The bigger the skin excess and flaccidity, the bigger the scar.

Hospitalisation length

Reduction mammoplasty or mastopexy is a simple surgery which last about two hours and the hospitalisation length is 24 hours.

Evolution of the mamma in the post-operatory

The flaccidity and the original shape of the mammas are corrected. However, "the new mammas" go through many evolutionary stages:

Stage 1: Lasts until the 30th day. In this period, though the mamma presents a well-improved aspect, its shape is still beyond the planned result, because, until a definite shape is reached, "small initial apparent defects" arise (inevitable in every case), which tend to disappear in time. Remember this observation: Usually, no mamma becomes perfect in the immediate post-operatory.

2nd stage: It is from the 30th day to the 6th month. During this period, the mamma starts to present some evolution which tends to the final shape.

A certain insensibility or hypersensibility of the mammilla are not rare during this period, besides a smaller or bigger degree of swelling in the mammas, furthermore, their shape haven´t reached a definite shape yet.

Despite some initial euphoria in most patients, it is in this period that the result will get even better because this will have the characteristics of the 3rd stage (late).

3rd stage: It is from the 6th to the 18th month. This is the period in which the mamma reaches its definite aspect (scar, shape, consistency, volume, sensibility). It is in this period that we usually photograph the operated cases in order to compare them to the pre-operatory aspects of each patient. The degree of elasticity of the skin, as well as the volume reached, have great importance for the final result. The balance between both varies from case to case.

The effect of the mamma reduction surgery lasts forever, however, if the patient gains body weight, or if the patent gets pregnant, the mammas can increase in volume again.

After a given time, the scars gain the aspect of a whitish line, very discreet.

Surgery Complications

The complications of the mamma reduction surgery are rare, but the commonest are: hematomas, dehiscence (suture rupture), infection, keloids, and problems with anaesthesia.

Cuidados para o seu pós-operatório

Avoid effort in the first eight days.
Do not move the arms excessively, always following the advice of your plastic surgeon.
Avoid wetting the dressing, until you are authorised to do so.
Do not expose yourself to sun or cold until you are told it is safe.
Normal diet from the second day mainly based on protein and vitamins.
Wear a modulator bra for 2 months.
Physical exercise is permitted after 1 month.