Breast Reduction Surgery Sydney
Your complete guide and quick links to everything you want to know about Breast Reduction Surgery in Sydney!
The Potential Benefits of Breast Reduction Surgery
Breast Reduction Surgery can deliver major benefits for women with overly large breasts. Aesthetically, a reduction of breast size will allow you to enjoy a more active lifestyle and enable you to more easily fit into the clothes of your choice.
However, apart from the aesthetic benefits, Breast Reduction Surgery can also alleviate physical symptoms from large breasts such as neck, shoulder and upper back pain.
Who Is Suitable For Breast Reduction Surgery?
Women of any age can have Breast Reduction Surgery. However, in the case of teenagers with developmentally large breasts, it is advisable they defer a Breast Reduction until the breasts are fully developed.
We also recommend that patients wait until childbirth and breast feeding are completed before having Breast Reduction Surgery as it could affect their ability to breast feed.
What Does Breast Reduction Surgery Involve?
Breast Reduction Surgery is an extremely rewarding procedure for women troubled by overly large breasts.
Typically, overly large breasts are pendulous and hang well below the natural crease under the breast.
They also tend to have larger-sized areolas from stretching of the breast skin envelope.
Breast Reduction Surgery involves the following three surgical elements:
- Excess breast tissue and skin are removed to deliver a breast size in proportion to your body.
- The breasts are moved up to a more attractive position on your chest wall.
- Stretched areolas are reduced to a normal size.
How Is It Done?
Breast Reduction Surgery in Sydney is performed in a Licensed Hospital under General Anaesthesia administered by our Specialist Anaesthetist. Usually, an overnight stay is required but you can go home the following day the doctor has checked you.
Breast Reduction Surgery Designs & Techniques
Various patterns of Breast Reduction Surgery are possible depending on each patient’s needs. They are:
Vertical or ‘Lollipop’ Pattern
This may be an option for those with only a moderate excess of breast tissue and who still have a reasonable degree of skin elasticity.
In this technique, the breast is opened with an incision around the areola and down the midline of the breast. Through this incision, excess breast tissue and skin are removed. The areola and nipple are then re-located to a higher, more aesthetic position on your chest wall.
This design is not suitable for all cases, and it sometimes requires touch-up surgery to correct minor skin irregularities in the fold under the breast.
‘Anchor Pattern’ of Breast Reduction Surgery
Named after the pattern of the incisions made on the breast, this is by far the commonest design used for Breast Reduction Surgery.
The scar pattern resembles an upside-down ‘T’ or anchor, hence its name.
The incision starts around the areola, then continues down the midline of the breast to meet a horizontal incision in the fold under your breast. Through this incision, excess breast tissue and skin are removed, and the breasts lifted to a higher, more aesthetically pleasing position on your chest wall.
The Scars After Breast Reduction Surgery
Every Breast Reduction technique will leave some scars. The final pattern of scars will depend on the design of the surgery performed as shown in the illustrations above.
Breast Reduction scars will initially be pink but over time they should fade to white and be less conspicuous. Hypertrophic (raised) and keloid scars could occur if you are prone to them. If you have brown or Asian skin, you are at higher risk of developing pigmented scars.
Potential Risks & Complications of Breast Reduction Surgery
Although surgery and anaesthesia nowadays are considered generally safe, both do have potential risks and complications which include:
Specific to Breast Reduction Surgery:
- Post-operative bleeding and possible hematoma formation which could require a return to Theatre for drainage.
- Infection
- Seroma (fluid collection under the breast skin) requiring one or more aspirations.
- Fat Necrosis (death of fat tissue) within the breast leaving hard lumps for investigation.
- Asymmetry of the breasts or nipples.
- Numbness of the breast or nipple, usually temporary, rarely permanent.
- Partial or total loss of Nipple & Areola
- Raised & thickened incision scars if you are prone to them, or pigmented scars if you have brown or Asian skin.
General Risks:
- Allergic reaction to medications, sutures, dressings, or antiseptic solutions.
- Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) and its potential to cause life-threatening Pulmonary Embolism. To reduce the risk of DVT, Calf Massagers can be applied for the entire duration of your surgery to prevent the blood in your leg veins from pooling and clotting.
- Adverse Reactions to Anaesthesia or Medication: The safety of anaesthesia nowadays in Australia is well established. Nevertheless, potential risks exist with all anaesthesia and unexpected reactions can occur. These may include nausea, vomiting, and allergic reactions ranging from minor to severe. Respiratory failure, heart failure, heart attack and stroke are rare but documented risks of any general anaesthesia.
Which Breast Reduction Surgery Technique Will I Need?
Unfortunately, there is not a ‘one-technique-fits-all’ for all Breast Reductions. The most appropriate technique for you will depend on a number of factors including the current size of your breasts and how much smaller you wish them to be.
This can only be determined after a detailed assessment of your breasts at an Initial Consultation. Our Specialist Breast Surgeon will recommend whichever technique they believe will deliver the best result.
Liposuction Alone For Breast Reduction
Liposuction alone as a method of breast reduction is rarely performed and would only ever be offered if you needed a very minor reduction only and you had exceptionally good skin elasticity.
Liposuction is rarely a treatment option because most patients in need of Breast Reduction Surgery have both a considerable excess of breast tissue and stretched skin.
Liposuction can only reduce the amount of fat in a breast. It cannot tighten the stretched skin envelope. Therefore, performing liposuction on a patient in need of Breast Reduction Surgery, will only deliver deflated and more pendulous breasts with looser skin than before!
Watch Our ‘Breast Reduction Surgery’ Animation Video
Breast Reduction ‘Before and After’
Correction of Asymmetry
Correction of Asymmetry
Liposuction to the Axilla and Lateral Chest Wall
Correction of Asymmetry
Correction of Asymmetry
Correction of Asymmetry
Correction of Asymmetry
Liposuction to Lateral Chest Wall
Breast Reduction Surgery Cost
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Breast Reduction Surgery Sydney
- Surgical Fee: From $14,000 depending on the extent of the surgery.
- Additional costs will include Hospital & Anaesthetist Fees.
- We will provide you with an itemised quotation at the end of your Initial Consultation once the technique and duration of your surgery have been determined.
- Follow-up appointments up to 6 months are included.
Can I Claim a Medicare or Private Health Insurance Rebate?
Surgical procedures for purely, or primarily, cosmetic reasons are not eligible for a Medicare Rebate.
Unfortunately, only those patients who meet Medicare’s stringent criteria of eligibility are able to qualify for a partial Medicare Rebate.
If you meet those criteria and you also have Private Hospital Cover, you may also be able to claim a variable portion of your Hospital Fees depending on your Fund and Level of Cover.