Is Breast Liposuction a Better Option for Busty Women Than Traditional Reduction?
Princess 19 on 7 Oct 2011 at 9:00am
Nearly 300,000 women enlarged their breasts in 2010*, but there are ladies out there who suffer the plight of overabundance - resulting in back pain, breast sagging, and skin irritation. When one’s cup “runneth over,” there is a an option for reduction that won't leave the telling "lollipop scar."
Liposuction for breast reduction is a little-discussed procedure recently covered in the UK's Daily Mail. They say you can get similar results to traditional breast reduction without having to slice open the breast.
"It’s similar to the technique used to remove so-called moobs [man-boobs] in men, where excess tissue means they appear to have breasts," says Dr. Puneet Gupta of London's The Private Clinic, where it is called Microlipo.
He adds that "on average, the procedure reduces the breast by three or four cup sizes."
Dr. Gupta claims that Microlipo is suitable for women with cup sizes up to F/G - but he has used it for larger sizes.
"I feel that liposuction alone can be used only for a very small breast reduction where there is no significant sagging," says Louisville-based plastic surgeon, Dr. John Whitt.
They say that for larger-cup sized breasts, a simpler liposuction procedure would not give the same cosmetic outcome of a traditional breast reduction. The volume would decrease, but the sagging and excess skin would still be apparent.
To sum it up:
Liposuction Reduction
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Minimal incisions and scars | Won't correct sagging |
| Less downtime | Doesn't help asymmetry |
| Supposedly less painful | Not commonly performed |
Traditional Breast Reduction
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Removes excess skin | Larger, more visible scar |
| Corrects sagging | Longer recovery period |
| Re-size stretched areola | Stitches |
| Possible loss of nipple sensation | |
| Possible loss of breast-feeding ability |
The traditional method utilizes various cuts to remove breast tissue and fat – as well as (gasp) moving the actual nipple. The alternative procedure utilizes a smaller cannula, a thin metal tube normally used in liposuction. It is inserted into the fat layer below the skin via a tiny incision near the breasts. The surgeon literally sucks out the extra breast tissue and fat, reducing the size of the breast – just like conventional lipo.
Glad to hear your surgery went well. I am considering this also. Which provider did you use? Did your skin shirnk back? How long does it take to return to work? Would appreciate your feedback. Thanks
I was feeling better after a week, and returned to work then. the swelling lasted 8 weeks with the first 6 by far the most uncomfortable. the swelling took a good 6 months to go down. 8 months out now and feel like I sell before my period but daily no issues at all. I am sure I have said it before, I have fatty breast so this was a good option for me.
I do want women to know and understand this is not an instant fix, the healing is different (from what I have read) from traditional BR. the advantage (good or bad) is you can still have traditional BR after for maybe a better result than from TBR alone because you start with a smaller breast.
Anyway, i really am happy, this really was a good option for me. it is not for everyone and I will admit, not every doctor is comfortable doing this, maybe because so many of them are trying to give patients an ideal body. I really felt like my Dr understood exactly what I wanted and my expectations were nothing more than a smaller breast to be much more comfortable and proportionate to my body size.
I finally went bra shopping, I bought a bra at Gap Body (NEVER would I have been able to buy there before) I bought a 34D, my "better" chantelle bra is a 32C.
I know I I am one of the very few that have openly talked out having this, I am happy and I am also VERY realistic.
I hope this helps, looking back on my previous posts, it looks like 2 months for most of the discomfort to go away, 4-6 months for the better part of the swelling 6-8 months only swelling prior to my period.
So 5 months out I am someplace between a c and a D, the cheaper the bra the bigger i have to go and I am not thinking if I had worn cheap bras before I may have easily been a DDD.
YES, my breast are not "perky" they do sit where they should as a lot of the weight is gone from them and they look like a natural breast with no scars.
Like I said, I could,t be happier, this was the right choice for me, I feel like my breasts fit my frame better and cloths fit better too.
I hope you ladies are doing well, and have found the answers and doctors you were looking for. IF you have done this surgery I would love to hear how you are doing.
Hey, Fan. So happy for you that your appointment went well for you today. I have read the term vaser lipo before, but not sure what that is. How does it differ from regular liposuction?
I have to admit that I am concerned about the fatty tissue. My breasts are really dense and heavy, so I worry that there won't be enough to really make a difference, but we will see what happens. I'm also trying to lose some weight. I've yet to admit this, but since surgery I've gained about 6 pounds (crazy when everyone else is losing weight after surgery!) I don't know how I've done it. I've never really had a problem with weight gain before, so I'm going to try to get this off and who knows maybe I will shrink a bit on my own!
I know I don't want to go through sugery again so I would be happy with any further reduction I could get without going to that extreme. I did start out as an H cup, and while I was hoping for a C, I feel a D would be enough of an improvement. I have had relief from much of my back and shoulder pain, and have started doing some jogging on the treadmill, which I've never done before, so I am happy with that. At this point I would just like to be able to walk in to a regular store and buy a bra that fits. I have bought so many bras in the 6 months since surgery and have tried on hundreds and still seem to be spilling out of most of them. I have ordered several, since I have more size options online than I can find in the stores, and have finally found one that is a 34DD that fits relatively well. It will be the one I wear almost continually until I have the lipo.
How are you feeling at this point? I know you really had a lot of disappointment because of the small amount that was taken out of your breasts for the surgery. It had to be so frustrating to go through the surgery and only be reduced one cup size. I have been completely impressed with how supportive and encouraging you have been to so many women even through your own discouragement! You truly are inspiring!
I am doing well thanks for asking. I would guess a mamagram would tell you if you have enough fat in the breast to make it worth the effort. I had 600 CC of fat removed from each breast. If you don't have enough fat to remove don't put yourself though this. I had a lot of fat which made me a good candidate.
I am 4 months out, the swelling the first 2 months was tough, painful some days and uncomfortable on on others. This is typical for lipo anyway. I would liken it to stopping breast feeding. It was a similar feeling for me. at my 6 week appointment I almost no change and the swelling would increase as the day went on.
I right now own 2 bras, a c cup and a D cup. the swelling still increases around my period so some days I am a c and others a D. My hope is to end up the c cup at the end of this, but no joke on the 6 months+ for recovery. I don't want to turn anyone off or talk them into this, it is not an instant, but it certainly is an option and at the end of all of this if I still want a lift/BR i am good to go.
I hope this answers some of your questions. I don't regret this for one second. It was worth every out of pocket penny.
Hi Fan,
I too remain much larger after my breast reduction than what I had hoped to be...still a DD. I'm scheduled for lipo on March 23 to hopefully reduce me down another cup size or two. Good luck with your consult this week!
Molly
I am going to politely disagree.
I have had lipo reduction only, granted I am 3 weeks out and still swollen so I have in no way seen anthing close to final results.
I think there are women this is a good sugrery alternative to a traditional BR. I think many Dr's don't want to do it because the result is NOT the "breast of a teenager". maybe they would recomend it more as a choice, but perfection is so sought after it may feel like a dr is not delivering perfection. that said not all of us want breast of a teen, in my 40;s I am ok with it. I think that that for some doctors if it is not perfect it is not a sucess, Dr's also know that this is NOT traditional BR, they can't sell it as traditional BR and the back lash of womem wanting perfection is not going to be ther with liop.
you do get some lift but ultimatley you are the same as before but smaller.
BR lipo is not for everyone, the more fat you have the better this will work.but all the stars and moon need to allinged.
This was the right surgery for me, I would not tell anyone that they have chosen wrong. I also still leave the option open for a lift anytime in the future if I still want one.
for me this process has been difficult. there is not a lot of information "out there" like an surgery you have to know what you are choosing and what the outcome is going to be along with the recovery.there is so little support on Lipo breast reduction, I can't find any help anywhere. I love my Dr and he has been very helpful in my recover BUT he is a man.
Kim, I am so glad you are happy with your choice, I would hope you could be happy with me for mine and for other women looking for support in choosing or reovering from Lipo breast reduction.
recovery has been harder than I thought, the swelling has been bad and uncomfortable, nothing tylonol can't take the edge off of, but still, I am well aware all day my breast are on my chest.
I am down about a 1 cup size and I fully anticipate another full cup size by the time the swelling goes down. I started a 34DD with upper ab lipo, back/bra/side breast area and touch up for flanks done 2 years ago. I had 3000cc all together 600cc from each breast, I am going to guess I will be a 32C when I am done. I also don't anticipate too much sagging with c breast, I can't say if it is better or worse right now because of the swelling. time will certainly tell, but the good news is that as c cups they will sag a lot less than a DD's and they no longer will take up my entire chest.
I totally agree with the RealSelf doctors.
Being a woman who had a breast reduction I speak from experience. There is no way that my pre surgery "DDD's" who look the way they do now if I had only had the liposuction reduction. They would still be sitting in my lap! Just a lighter version. Mine needed both the reduction and lift for the best results. And yes, the nipples needed a new placement.
The scars are not so bad. They are hidden nicely under the breasts and are totally flat and faded. The scars from moving the nipples are also fine.