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Fat necrosis with pain. What are my options? (photos)

firegypsyNov 20, 2015
Is it common for fat necrosis post-reduction to be painful? I had a reduction June 15th. My R breast has two large areas of necrosis, that are visible and make the breast look deformed. I am having difficultly lifting my arm above my head, stretching or reaching with the right arm, as the pain is quite severe. One area is above my nipple, larger than a golf ball, and lifting my breast up from the chest wall. I have been massaging for months, with no real change. What are my options?

Answers (4)

From board-certified doctors and trusted medical professionals
Dr. Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA
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Dr. Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
4.7 | 53 Reviews
Answered on Nov 23, 2015
Answer
1 person found this helpful
Dr. Sheila S. Nazarian, MD
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Dr. Sheila S. Nazarian, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
4.8 | 89 Reviews
Answered on Nov 28, 2015
Answer
Dr. Norman M. Rowe, MD
Dr. Norman M. Rowe, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Answered on Nov 23, 2015
Answer
1 person found this helpful
Dr. Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Dr. Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Answered on Nov 23, 2015
Answer
1 person found this helpful

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Sheila S. Nazarian, MD

Every surgeon has his or her own post op protocol so ask your surgeon. In general, I suggest that my patients take it easy for at least the first week. Best, Dr. Nazarian

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Sheila S. Nazarian, MD

You will need to call your insurance company and ask if they cover breast reductions and if so, find out what the criteria are. Then, schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon in your area (link below) to discuss. Best, Dr. Nazarian

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As you can see from below, many surgeon's use dermabond on the surface, on top of the sutures for a final layer of support. Hope this helps, Dr. Nazarian

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Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA

 Thank you for your pictures. It looks like more than 200 to 250 g can be removed in my opinion. You must rely on your plastic surgeon's judgment and physical examination for the final determination on what he or she believes it is the right amount to remove for an excellent results and...

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Sheila S. Nazarian, MD

Yes, this is quite common during the healing process, but things should return to normal once everything in the area calms down and the swelling subsides. Best, Dr. Nazarian

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Sheila S. Nazarian, MD

The issue is that due to your weight, your BMI is high. And patients with a high BMI are much more likely to encounter complications from surgery. If you can't lose the weight with a plan like Weight Watchers, perhaps consider bariatric surgery. Sorry for your frustration. Best, Dr. Nazarian

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