02 Mar What’s the Difference Between a Breast Lift and Breast Reduction?
If you are of the persuasion that less is more, you may have heard about breast lifts and breast reductions—but what’s the real difference? Sometimes not much, but it all depends on your goals, as well as exactly what (tissue and/or skin) and where along the chest you need a reduction in mass. Dr. Shaun Parson Plastic Surgery & Skin Center offers both breast lifts and breast reductions, and a lot of the time a breast lift is very similar to a breast reduction. Let’s take a closer look at these two similar procedures and what you can expect when scheduling a consultation.
Breast Reduction
A breast reduction is designed to reduce the mass of the chest, usually including fat and/or breast tissue. Both men and women opt for breast reductions. A breast reduction is often desired if the breasts are big enough to cause pain, discomfort, or asymmetry of the body. Sometimes fat and/or breast tissue can also be located in excess on the side of the chest causing severe “bra bulge.” Just like the name implies, a breast reduction reduces the size and mass of the breast.
Breast Lift
A breast lift lifts the breasts so that they are shapelier, perkier, and more youthful. A breast lift typically removes excess lax skin that is causing sagging and an undesirable look. However, a breast lift might also require the removal of excess fat and/or breast tissue. In the latter case, this combines a breast lift with a breast reduction, liposuction, or both. As you can see, there is a lot of overlap when it comes to reducing the size of the breasts and/or improving the shape without using breast implants.
There are many reasons a patient may desire a breast reduction, breast lift, or both. For starters, it can dramatically improve the look of the breasts. Those who don’t want breast implants for any number of reasons (including being overall happy with the natural size of their breasts) might be a great candidate for a different breast surgery.
Why Get a Breast Lift or Breast Reduction?
Of course, the pain caused by very large breasts is another primary reason that patients are interested in breast lifts and breast reductions. These surgeries can relieve back and neck pain, shoulder pain, and the pain caused by bra straps digging into the skin. When a person has very large breasts, they often require large and sometimes painful bra solutions to help carry this heavy load. These straps can cause bruising, rashes, and even lacerations.
Finally, there is the emotional, mental, and social aspect of a breast lift or breast reduction. An increase in confidence and self-esteem is a great reason to think about these procedures. After the surgery, patients are often able to wear clothes, styles, and outfits that they haven’t felt comfortable in for years—or ever. In many cases, patients can even go braless if they like. Breast lifts and breast reductions mean freedom, less pain, and a healthy ego boost.
What About Scarring?
Your exact incision location will depend on a number of factors including how much tissue and/or skin needs to be removed and where. Incisions for breast lifts and breast reductions are often hidden in the natural crease of the breast. In the case of severe laxity, the nipple may need to be shifted during a breast lift, in which case an incision around the areola and likely a vertical incision to the breast crease may be necessary. However, these incisions are very thin and heal to nearly match the skin color. As you can imagine, most patients find that very subtle scars are preferable over the look and feel of breasts that are too heavy, sagging, and interfere with daily living.
Are you a good candidate for a breast reduction or breast lift? Take a look at the before and after gallery to get an idea of what kind of results you can expect. Next, give us a call to schedule your consultation at (480) 282-8386 or fill out the online form. At Dr. Shaun Parson Plastic Surgery & Skin Center, our priority is your happiness and safety.