Breast Reduction in Palo Alto
Breast enlargement, known as macromastia or breast hypertrophy, is a result of breast gland development and enlargement. There are numerous causes of macromastia, and this can develop during different phases of life. Breast hypertrophy can cause actual breast pain, rashes under the breast, neck, back and shoulder discomfort, even nerve dysfunction due to the weight and pull of the enlarged breast while limiting your daily activities and ability to exercise. Breast reduction patients most commonly notice a dramatic relief, once the weight is removed and the breast is lifted and supported by a tighter skin envelope. In some patients, breast reduction is requested for cosmetic reasons to improve the breast shape and size to better fit their body image and style.
As with most plastic surgery procedures, there are multiple options for Breast Reduction. Dr. Papalian performs the most current procedures, including the newer minimal incision techniques, and can offer the full variety of choices. Discussing your concerns with Dr. Papalian will allow you to have all the options presented, not simply one.
Dr. Papalian has performed hundreds of breast reduction procedures. He performs the traditional Wise pattern (Anchor incision) Reduction Mammaplasty, the vertical, short-scar Brest Reduction (Lollipop incision) or LeJour method, and the scar-less Breast Reduction with liposuction only or combined with a Peri-areolar Mastopexy. The choices available to you are numerous and primarily based on your particular anatomical findings and your desires for correction. It is important for you to have a comprehensive consultation at The Plastic Surgery Center on Woodside with an experienced surgeon, in order to best evaluate your current anatomical findings and develop a treatment plan that best fits your body and desires. Each patient is different and a different set of choices will be presented.
The Breast Reduction procedure, or Reduction Mammaplasty, will both reduce the size and weight of the breast, as well as tighten the skin envelope, firming and supporting the breast while lifting the nipple position to a more pleasing level. The more current techniques can achieve this with a minimal scar or even scar-less manner for the appropriate candidate.
Under certain conditions, Breast Reduction procedures may be covered by the patient’s healthcare insurance company. Each company has different requirements for approval. Most companies will list their particular requirements on their websites in the Medical Policies Section. Dr. Papalian’s office can certainly assist you in identifying the requirements, but it is always good to review them for yourself prior to your consultation. Most insurance companies will require a predetermination letter prior to surgery. Preoperative photographs and your medical/breast history will be submitted. Importantly, the amount of tissue to be removed per side is paramount to their decision on coverage. Each insurance company differs in this requirement. Typically, for insurance approval, a substantial hypertrophy needs to be present and a commensurate amount of tissue needs to be removed for coverage to apply. The patients requiring these larger reductions covered by insurance are usually best served with the traditional, Wise or anchor pattern reduction.
Having a comprehensive and trusted consultation by Dr. Papalian, with 20 years of plastic surgery experience, will ensure you that you are going to have all of the options presented in a thoughtful manner. You will have all the information needed to make the right decision for you. At the time of Your Consultation a personalized treatment plan will be developed and when appropriate we will coordinate with your insurance carrier for coverage.
More information about Breast Reduction can be found at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons website.
Call 650-364-6060 to schedule a consultation today!
