Many women have large and pendulous breasts that may adversely affect their sense of beauty and femininity. Not only can overly large breasts cause psychological symptoms and make women self-conscious and uncomfortable with their body-image, but heavy breasts can cause physical symptoms as well. Back and neck pain, painful grooves on the shoulders from bra straps, and even tingling fingers can all occur from excess breast weight on the chest. Some women with large pendulous breasts have rashes, yeast infections, and non-healing skin wounds where their breasts rub on their chest or abdomen. The constant moisture and rubbing of the bra against this area can be very troublesome, especially in the hotter summer months.

Breast Reduction Surgery is a highly successful procedure that removes fat, glandular tissue and skin from the breast to alleviate the physical symptoms of pain and skin irritation. However, the surgeons at The Institute of Facial & Cosmetic Surgery also endeavor to restore a woman's sense of femininity and natural beauty by restoring the breasts to a more elevated, youthful, and aesthetically pleasing shape that is balanced with the patient's body. Thus, a truly successful Breast Reduction, not only reduces the size of the large breasts, but also lifts them to a higher position, reduces the size of large areola (the circular colored part of the nipple), and provides a more youthful feminine and balanced shape.

There are several techniques for Breast Reduction; however, all of them address the excess breast gland, the excess breast skin, and the abnormally low nipple position. Dr. Constantine will discuss which technique is best for you. The most common technique for very large breasts will leave a scar around your nipple, straight down the breast below the nipple, and under the breast hidden in the breast fold.

Some women are good candidates for "limited scar" or "short scar" techniques that can eliminate either the scar in the fold of the breast or the vertical scar from the areola down to the breast fold (inframammary fold).

Liposuction may be used to remove excess fat from the armpit area or in very select cases to perform the Breast Reduction.