Breast

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*Individual results vary

Breast Reduction Dallas

Breast reduction provides Dallas/Fort Worth, TX women with a way to improve their body contour, relive neck, back and shoulder pain, and alleviate other musculoskeletal symptoms caused by heavy, overdeveloped breasts. It’s a procedure that meets or exceeds the very high expectations of our Dallas patients who are not only looking for pain relief, but also a younger, trimmer body shape and new confidence.

If you live in or around Dallas and breast reduction is something you’re considering, learn more about the potentially dramatic impact it can have on your life. Click to request $100 off your consultation, and come in to talk with Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. Steve Byrd.

Why Choose Dr Byrd

He has performed approximately 4,000 breast and body procedures.
He leaves the nipple attached to the breast gland.
He uses a 3-layer suture closure to help minimize scars.
He combines lateral liposuction to define shape.

Meet Dr. Byrd

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Before & After Photos

See real results of actual patients treated by Dr. Byrd.

Answers to Common Questions

Does insurance cover breast reduction?

Sometimes insurance plans cover breast reduction. There is a guideline called the Schnur Scale. It indicates how much breast volume needs to be removed in relation to the patients height-to-weight (or body surface area) ratio in order to receive insurance coverage. Dr. Byrd and his staff can assist you with this determination. If you have a documented history of back pain, neck, or shoulder pain that has been treated, along with recommendation for surgery from that physician and your OB/GYN, then this will help make a stronger case with your insurance.

Will I lose nipple sensation? Is the nipple detached?

The nipple/areola is not detached from the breast. It is moved up into a new position while remaining connected to its underlying breast tissue. Depending on the volume of breast tissue removed, there will be some loss of nipple sensation. Most patients have approximately 85% of their nipple sensation back after about one year post-surgery.

How long is the recovery? When will I be able to go back to work?

The procedure does not necessarily require an overnight stay, but Dr. Byrd prefers that patients stay overnight so that they can easily remove the drains and change the dressings the next day. Sutures are removed 6 to 7 days post-op. Another visit 10 to 14 days later is also scheduled to check healing and begin scar care therapy. Most patients take about 10 days off work. No lifting for 3 weeks.

How can I reduce the appearance of scars?

Apply silicone gel sheeting to the incisions as soon as they have adequately healed (usually about 2 weeks post-op). Protect the scars from sun/tanning bed rays for at least 4 months, if not indefinitely.

Will a breast reduction affect the accuracy of future mammograms?

Essentially, no. Depending on age and family history of breast cancer, you should have a mammogram before your reduction and one year post-op. This provides a baseline picture of the breasts’ architecture. If questions related to mammograms arise in the future, the doctor can compare the new films to the baselines.

Breast Reduction In-Depth

Learn more about this procedure on our blog.

Dr. Byrd’s Approach

The nature and type of incision used in breast reduction depends on the breast size and the amount of sag or droop in the nipple. Moderate to large breast reductions generally require an incision around the nipple as well as an incision extending vertically down from the nipple and out into the fold beneath the breast. This incision is referred to as an inverted “T” or anchor incision. Its purpose is threefold:

Reduce the size of the breast
Allow upward positioning of the nipple
Shape or “cone” the breast into a more natural-looking projecting form

Are You a Candidate?

Candidates for breast reduction share many of the same characteristics and symptoms, including:

Neck pain
Shoulder pain
Back pain
Pain in the breast area
Large breasts disproportionate to body size
Deep and sometimes painful grooves in the shoulder from bra straps
Intertrigo (rash and inflammation) on the underside of the breast
Occasionally, numbness in the fingers

Cosmetic surgery patients who have reasonable expectations concerning their body shape and who can accept the necessary scars as a reasonable trade-off are good candidates. Many of the benefits are immediate, but it takes some time for the incision sites to lighten so that the scars aren’t as visible. If you plan to lose weight or are in the process of doing so, complete your weight loss before undertaking your breast reduction surgery. For some people, breast reduction can be combined with a tummy tuck to improve the overall body contour.

How the Procedure Is Performed

The Consultation

Breast overdevelopment, while fairly simple to diagnose, is not as simple to treat. In some cases, women may need to combine breast reduction with a breast lift for best results. It is imperative that the pre-surgical consultation provides information for both the patient and the plastic surgeon.

The patient must be made aware of the benefits and trade-offs surrounding the surgery. Benefits include improvement in pain and other symptoms following your Dallas plastic surgery. Possible negatives include:

Visible scars on the breast
Some loss of sensation in the nipple
Inability to breastfeed
Asymmetry
Recurrent sagging

Once you start talking with the surgeon at your consultation, be sure to provide enough information so he or she can:

Note any asymmetries that must be allowed for during surgery
Determine the amount of tissue to be removed
Define the new and ideal nipple position

Day of Surgery

Prior to sedation, measurements will be confirmed and marked to indicate the incision sites. The nipple will need to be re-positioned on the new breast. This area will be marked prior to surgery as well.

Surgery

Incisions are made at the predetermined sites. The exact location of scars varies depending on techniques, but most involve an inverted “T” or anchor incision with scars circumscribing the nipple-areola area and then extending down from the nipple to the fold beneath the breast. Skin formerly located above the nipple is brought down and together to reshape the breast. Sutures close the incisions forming the breast’s new contour. After surgery, the breasts are higher and firmer, with sutures around the nipple and under the breasts. Patients often say that the soreness and tightness they experience after surgery are similar to those feelings after childbirth when the onset of milk begins.

Breast reduction surgery carries little risk and can be done in any accredited facility using general anesthesia. The patient will spend one night at the surgery center. The majority of my cases are done at the Dallas Day Surgery Center. The staff is exceptional and extremely skilled, and the facility is very comfortable for our patients and their families.

Routine medications include an antibiotic and an oral analgesic (pain medication).

Recovery: What to Expect

Days 1–5	Patients wear a supportive bra for the first three months. Limit activity that creates strain or pull on the pectoral muscles. Showers can begin after the first 48 hours. Take pain medications as directed. Take antibiotics as directed for the first 5 days.
Days 5–7	Sutures removed. Scar management instructions confirmed. Bra use and exercises reviewed.
Days 7–10	Return to work.
Week 3	Routine checkup, ready for new bra fit. Ultrasound if any firmness. Resume low-impact exercise.
Week 6	Resume higher-impact exercise (jogging, horseback riding), using support bra.
Month 3	Routine checkup.
Annually	Routine checkup.

Most of our breast reduction patients wish they had their plastic surgery sooner to relieve physical and emotional distress. Don’t wait. Make an appointment today for a consultation in our office on North Central Expressway downtown. Request $100 off your consultation, and come in to talk with Dallas plastic surgeon Dr. Steve Byrd, or call (214) 821-9662 for an appointment.

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