Non-Surgical Breast Reduction Liposuction

Conveniently located to serve San Jose, CA

Female breast liposuction can result in both a significant breast reduction and a noticeable breast lift. The state of art liposuction technique can minimize postoperative pain and scaring, and help for rapid postoperative recovery. Oversized breasts can be decreased in size up to 50 percent and lifted significantly from the reduced weight of the breast. The reduced weight allows the breasts’ natural elastic properties to contract and elevate its shape. However, female breast liposuction does not change the breast’s original shape or produce young perky breasts; it simply makes a smaller version of the original shape. If a patient wants her breast reduction with an improvement on breast shape, breast liposuction can be combined with a fat transfer procedure.

Who Needs a Breast Reduction?

Women who have excessively large breasts can develop physical impairment and psychological problems in addition to chronic pain and suffering. In order to compensate the large breast weight, back and neck posture changes permanently which can lead to chronic pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. Also, chronic pressure from bra straps can cause permanent indentations of the shoulders. Another common issue for large breasts is candida yeast infection in areas where the skin rubs together, such as between the breasts and beneath the breasts.

Besides the above medical concerns, women who have very large breasts may regard them as cosmetically undesirable. Finding well-fitting clothes and bras may be very challenging. Athletic and/or physical activities can also unfortunately be limited.

Learn about Female Breast Liposuction

Traditional surgical-excision breast reduction has many known complications and problems such as keloids, large scars, possible nipple damage, fat necrosis, and so on. In addition to the listed concerns, the recovery time is significantly long and painful. Unlike surgical-excision breast reduction method, the advantages of breast liposuction are speedy recovery, minimum scar (virtually invisible), and much less risk of postoperative complications.

Dr. Jane typically uses extremely small incisions that are only 1 to 2 millimeter in diameter for microcannulas. The incision marks become invisible after 6 to 12 months. Some patients with darker skin color can expect to have some tiny incision spots of increased pigmentation. Normally, this post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation disappears within 1 to 2 years.

Who is a Good Candidate and Who is Not a Good Candidate?

Good candidates for breast liposuction are typically the older females who have breasts that contain a large proportion of fat. Normally, breasts of older women who have passed through menopause have a large proportion of fat then teenagers’. At older ages, much of the glandular tissues in the breasts are replaced by fat. Some young women who have menstrual periods and are somewhat overweight could also be good candidates if their breasts have a significant amount of fat. The amount of breast fat can be assessed by a mammogram. For the good candidates with realistic expectations, the results of breast liposuction can be extremely satisfying.*

*Individual results may vary.

Some females are not good candidates for liposuction breast reduction because their breasts have more glandular tissue than fat and too much loose skin. If breasts look too saggy and droopy, their fat content is very minimal. To achieve more satisfactory cosmetic improvement, their breasts require traditional breast reduction surgery.

Some thin young females with large breasts are not good candidate either for liposuction breast reduction. Their breasts contain mostly glandular breast tissue with little fat. For these females, breast liposuction will not give a significant reduction.

For some females who need a reduction in more than 50% of breast size, a traditional surgical breast reduction is more suitable and gives a more satisfying results.

In summary, liposuction is a very effective method for breast reduction for breasts that have a good proportion of fat. If breasts have mainly glandular breast tissue, a traditional surgical breast reduction method is recommended.

Things You Need to Know

Mammograms before and after breast liposuction are recommended in order to screen any malignancy and to establish a up-to-date baseline mammogram with which future mammograms might be compared. Mammograms detect breast malignancies by showing tiny calcifications within the breast tissue. Any breast surgery can result in postoperative calcifications that could make the breast malignancy detection more difficult. Usually, calcifications caused by surgery typically look different from calcifications due to malignancy. Regardless, any new breast calcifications from the surgery should be documented by post-operation mammograms in order to prevent any confusion with evidence of breast malignancy.

Any significant breast mass must be evaluated with a mammogram and possibly a breast biopsy prior to breast reduction liposuction. Until the surgeon has established that there is a minimal likelihood of breast cancer, any cosmetic breast surgery should not be performed. Breast surgery in any patient with a significant family history of breast cancer requires very careful consideration and detailed informed consent.

If a woman becomes pregnant after breast liposuction, most likely she can be able to breast feed. In contrast with surgical breast reduction techniques, breast liposuction produces very little damage to the glands and ducts that produce milk.

Breast reduction liposuction can be done completely by local anesthesia with virtually no pain. Local anesthesia is usually safer than general anesthesia.

With any type of breast surgery there is a risk for pneumothorax from an unexpected puncture by needle or cannulas on the lining of the lung. A pneumothorax is more dangerous if it occurs during the use of general anesthesia because the high pressures associated with mechanical ventilation cause a more rapid air leak.

Post-operative Healing and Care

A breast liposuction patient should expect a gradual decrease in postoperative swelling within first two to four months after surgery.

Unlike traditional breast reduction surgery, very little, if any, bruising may occur after breast liposuction. The use of open-drainage technique and proper compression garments prevents excessive bruising.

Occasionally, breast liposuction patients can experience temporary lumpiness after surgery. The temporary lumpiness is part of the normal healing processes which can be resolved in three to six months after surgery. Normally, the lumpiness is not visible but it can be felt with the fingers. To minimize the occurrence of temporary lumpiness and accelerate the healing process, special breast compression garments can be worn for first few days to weeks. Also, the compression garments can help to reduce post-operative pain, swelling and bruising.

General guidelines for breast compression garment usage:

  1. To minimize the risk of post-operative hematomas and limit the amount of bruising, a relatively intense compression is necessary for first 12 to 24 hours after surgery.
  2. The compression level can be adjusted to a moderate level until all drainage ceases. Usually, it take between 24 to 48 hours after surgery.
  3. The compression level can be readjusted after all drainage has ceased to a sufficient level that can give support and comfort.

Post-operative Activity and Shower

Dr. Jane advises her patients to have a short walk about inside or outside their home on the day of the surgery. The short walk will enhance drainage through open adits and minimize swelling. There is no post-operative activity restriction. However for one or two days, absorptive pads are applied to absorb the drainage and are held in place by an elastic compression garment until the drainage stops. An adequate compression will help to prevent bleeding and excessive bruising. Her patients are expected to take a shower at least once or twice daily beginning the next day of surgery. The typical breast liposuction patient can return to work and normal social activity within two to three days after surgery.