Breast Reduction in Rockford, IL
Women who would like to decrease the size of their breasts may seek breast reduction surgery. This popular procedure helps women to achieve their ideal body proportions, as well as reduce the amount of physical discomfort they may experience due to having oversized breasts.
Dr. Pedro Rodriguez is a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in breast procedures. With breast reduction, he helps his patients to attain smaller breasts that are no less feminine or natural looking.
The Pedro Rodriguez Difference
Dr. Pedro Rodriguez is an elite plastic surgeon who performs cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. He specializes in breast, body and face procedures. Merging advanced techniques with his keen eye, he produces transformative results for his patients that are both attractive and natural-looking.
Patients in Rockford choose Dr. Rodriguez because of his outstanding surgical skills and attentive care. Through decades of experience, he understands precisely how to rejuvenate the face and achieve appealing breast and body contours. He takes pleasure in helping his patients build confidence by reaching their aesthetic goals.
Candidates for Breast Reduction
Patients who choose to undergo breast reduction are often women who:
- Have breasts that are not in proportion to their overall frame
- Have breasts that are different sizes and/or asymmetrical
- Have chronic back, neck and shoulder pain from carrying around extra weight on their chest
- Wish to cut down on rashes and irritation that are common beneath larger, sagging breasts
- Wish to expand their wardrobe options with new clothing styles
- Wish to lead a more active lifestyle but find exercise more difficult with large breasts
Breast Reduction Procedure
Dr. Rodriguez makes incisions on the breasts to remove the excess tissue. Typically, these incisions are placed where scarring can be easily concealed, such as around the outside of the areola and beneath the breast crease. On some patients, it may also be necessary to make a vertical incision from the bottom of the areola down to the breast crease.
After decreasing the volume of the breasts, Dr. Rodriguez may also adjust the nipples and areolas. This can mean reducing the size of the areolas so that they correspond with the new size of the breasts, ensuring that the nipples protrude outward rather than down for a youthful appearance or even repositioning the nipples entirely so that they sit higher on the breasts.
Although breast reduction is a different procedure from breast lift, Dr. Rodriguez incorporates elements of a lift into every reduction. This elevates the remaining breast tissue on the chest for an appealing, youthful presentation.
Breast Reduction Recovery
Breast reduction is an outpatient surgery. After a week to 10 days of rest and relaxation, patients typically feel well enough to return to sedentary work and non-strenuous activity. Pain medication can be taken to minimize discomfort during the recovery process. Women should always wear a compression garment except when bathing to help minimize swelling, hold the breasts in place and accelerate the healing process.
Although the breasts will immediately look smaller after surgery, it may take several weeks before patients can enjoy their final results and for the breasts to feel normal again. The results achieved with breast reduction are considered permanent; however, women who experience a significant fluctuation in weight or become pregnant are likely to see their breasts change shape and size again.
Breast Reduction FAQs
How do I know whether I need breast reduction?
Unfortunately, women with very large breasts often receive a lot of unsolicited advice regarding breast reduction. Some may encourage you to get breast reduction, while others believe that you should keep your breasts their natural size. However, the only opinion that should matter in this decision is your own. You may have chronic pain from enlarged breasts or be displeased with the way large breasts limits your wardrobe options. If you have contemplated breast reduction for a while but still feel uncertain, you may schedule a consultation with Dr. Rodriguez to learn more about the surgery. That should help you determine whether breast reduction is right for you.
Does health insurance cover breast reduction?
Most breast reduction surgeries that Dr. Rodriguez performs are considered cosmetic and therefore are not covered by insurance. However, some patients may be approved for coverage from their health insurance if they have a medical record that documents how their enlarged breasts have been a source of back, neck and/or shoulder pain. The total cost of your breast reduction surgery depends on the amount of skin, fat and other tissue that needs to be removed to achieve your desired breast size and shape.
What happens to the sensitivity of my breasts after breast reduction?
Most women notice a change in breast sensation (either heightened or decreased) after breast reduction. There is a low risk that these changes are permanent, and most women see their normal levels of sensitivity return once they have fully recovered from the surgery.
What other procedures can I combine with breast reduction?
Dr. Rodriguez can combine breast reduction with a wide variety of procedures, depending on your personal goals. The most common complementary surgeries include fat grafting to the breast to improve shape, tummy tuck, liposuction and body lift. These are popular choices because they help to recontour the body to ensure it is more proportional after reducing the breast size. It is not necessary to request breast lift since Dr. Rodriguez removes loose skin and elevates the breasts as part of a standard breast reduction procedure.
Will Dr. Rodriguez alter my nipples or areola?
During the consultation phase, Dr. Rodriguez confers with the patient regarding their preferred nipple/areola appearance. Although it is not necessary to make any changes to the nipples, many women choose to have the areola reduced in size so that it is proportional to the new size of their breasts. They also prefer to have the areolas repositioned higher on the breasts so that they are central and have a more youthful (but no less natural) look. If you have always wanted to improve the shape, symmetry or other aspect of your areola, please discuss that with Dr. Rodriguez so that he may incorporate that into your surgical plan.
Can I breastfeed if I have breast reduction?
Yes, most women who have had breast reduction are able to nurse their babies. That said, some breast reduction patients are at an elevated risk for producing less milk. If you intend to have children in the future, you should share this fact with Dr. Rodriguez so that he can use surgical techniques that best preserve the breasts’ milk ducts to limit any interference with breastfeeding. You may also choose to postpone this procedure until after having children.
Meet with Dr. Rodriguez to Discuss Breast Reduction
A consultation is an opportunity to meet with Dr. Rodriguez and ask all your questions about breast reduction. After learning of the aesthetic goals you have for your breasts, Dr. Rodriguez can help to devise a surgical plan that best achieves those goals.
