Why is breast reduction surgery an outpatient surgery?

It's actually safer to discharge a patient home after a breast reduction.  That's because there's no medical reason to monitor the patient closely and pain is minimal.  Patients typically need prescription strength pain-killers for only a couple of days, and usually only to sleep.  Furthermore, going home will force patients to walk around and resume with activities of daily living immediately after surgery, which not only decreases the risk of developing a blood clot in the legs or chest, but will help speed along the recovery process in general.In order to get a qualified, ethical, and expert opinion on your surgical options and expectations, schedule an in-person office consultation with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Best of luck,
Keith M. Blechman, MD
New York, NY  

Breast reduction, as with most other plastic surgery procedures, is an outpatient surgery because the benefits of going home the same day far outweigh the risks. Staying in the hospital after a surgery like this increases the risk of infection and other complications, and it doesn't improve the recovery time or experience. It would simply be an unnecessary cost and inconvenience. Once anesthesia has worn off, breast reduction patients don't need around-the-clock monitoring. You should plan to have someone with you that first night, and maybe the next day after surgery. Follow-up visits are perfectly sufficient, and most patients enjoy being in the comfort and privacy of their own homes while they heal.

I appreciate your question.

I perform a liposuction breast lift that removes tissue from the areas you don't want such as near the armpit and the lower portion hanging near your stomach. Once I use this to shape the breast I then remove the skin to tighten the breast and create a better shape with nice cleavage. Since I perform this less invasively the recovery time is faster audits performed as an outpatient procedure. The size would depend on the proportion with your body versus going for a cup size. It works very well if there are asymmetries. I can also use the removed fat as a natural breast augmentation by grafting the fat back into the breast to create more projection or into the top to create more cleavage. This procedure can also be combined with an implant if needed or wanted.  It should not affect nipple sensation, mammograms, cancer risk or breast-feeding. In fact, most women have more sensation after the procedure. If you gain or lose weight, the transferred fat can do the same.

The best way to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.  Please see a board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic plastic surgery.  

Best of luck!    

Dr. Schwartz 

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

#RealSelf100Surgeon 

#RealSelfCORESurgeon