20 yrs old and would prefer not to have the risks and scars of a traditional reduction.Tumescent liposuction breast reduction?

Dear LaraJane,

 

Liposuction is an appealing method for breast reduction because of the small scars involved.  However, you should be aware that it will not tighten the skin envelope and lift the breast in the same way that a formal breast reduction would.  Often patients with larger breasts have a degree of droop and to remove breast volume by liposuction alone will only create more of a droop as the breasts will be more empty.

I feel that it is best used for older patients who are not concerned about the cosmetic appearance of the breasts and want the breasts to be less heavy for comfort.  They do not necessarily mind having a significant droop as this can always be corrected by wearing a bra.

Although a breast reduction gives more scars than just liposuction, the final result will, cosmetically, be better.  Find a plastic surgeon and go through some before and after photos.  Good luck.

Hello LaraJane, thanks for your question. Liposuction breast reduction is an attractive technique because it leaves very small scars. It is best for breasts that contain more fat than breast tissue and are not very saggy.

I have performed liposuction breast reductions on women your age and they were all satisfied with the results, but they were only reduced about one or two cup sizes because their breasts were very dense. 

Since you're 20 years old, your breasts are probably pretty dense and contain more breast tissue than fat, so it may not be able to reduce you all the way from a DD to a B-C. A vertical breast reduction will give you a "lollipop" shaped scar and will be able to reduce you more than a liposuction reduction.

I suggest you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon and wish you all the best!

It would be difficult to go from a DD to a B-C with liposuction alone. Also, being a young woman, the breast tissue would most likely be more fibrous and glandular and not contain as much fat. This would make it harder to remove much tissue.  You may be able to have a reduction with a vertical scar and circumareolar scar only thereby eliminating the scar under the breast

hi LaraJane:  Breast liposuction to reduce breast size is a very attractive concept and anyone would prefer no scars to any scars if the result were the same.  however as has been said, liposuction does not give any uplift to the breast (nipple position may actually drop due to deflation of the breast without skin tightening) and the amount of reduction is limited, ordinarily to one or 2 cup sizes. (and most large breasted women are under-estimating their cup size when i examine them...).

but the most critical limiting factor is that liposuction only removes fat.  Breast tissue itself is not removed by the liposuction process.  that makes it a poor option for young women who had rapid breast growth made up of firm breast tissue.  if an examination were possible, i would expect that, based on the fact that you are quite thin, your breasts are comprised primarily of firm breast tissue that is not amenable to liposuction removal. Because liposuction removes only fat, liposuction is most effective in women whose  breast texture is primarily fatty tissue.

check with your board certified plastic surgeon to see if you are even a candidate for breast liposuction and to find out what compromise to your final result you will have to make to avoid the typical skin reduction scars that breast reduction ordinarily requires.  with surgical reduction, most patients can enjoy a significant size decrease (up to 50% in volume), elevation of the nipple to a more youthful level and tightening of the skin to give a more uplifted and less droopy appearance.

Our breast reduction patients belong to one of the happiest groups of patients in all of plastic surgery....scars and all!!!

Best of luck to you! Dr. H

There is a lot of hype about breast reduction by liposuction, led heavily by non plastic surgeons. This procedure is amenable to a very small percentage of patients seeking breast reduction, perhaps from C to B cup with minimal ptosis. It is unsuitable for the degree of reduction you require and would result in sagging and misplacement of the nipple areolae complex. Breast reduction, when performed by a plastic surgeon with expertise, has one of the highest satisfaction rates of any procedure and the scarring, which will fade with time, is a reasonable tradeoff for the benefits of the procedure.

Liposuction is not the best way to accomplish a breast reduction in most patients.  In patients that have fatty breasts the volume can certtainly be reduced, but in all likelihood the skin will not tighten.  Also raising a significantly sagging nipple areola complex requires skin resection and movement of the nipple areola using a scalpel.