A breast reduction means different things to different women
According to ASPS, breast reduction procedures have one of the highest patient satisfaction rates. How could it not? For many women, a breast reduction addresses more than just their cosmetic concerns. It can also address things like back pain and neck pain; things that affect personal function on a day-to-day basis. If you take away someone's pain and improve their quality of life, they will more than likely be ecstatic.
Maybe you've previously thought about getting a breast augmentation but are hesitant about the surgery. If you are not 100% sure about what a breast reduction entails in Australia, here are some of the things you need to know.
There are many acceptable reasons to have a breast reduction
From years of experience, Dr Moradi has noticed that there are key frustrations that can provoke a woman to get a breast reduction. Most of the time, it will be multifactorial. Patients will commonly say that they want smaller breasts to:
Eliminate their back and neck pain - women with heavy breasts will generally find that it puts excess pressure on their back and neck. Particularly, many patients complain about how their bra strap digs in and leaves a little divot inside their shoulder line.
Make it easier to find clothing that fits comfortably - having larger breasts can make it more difficult to find clothing that fits properly around their chest and specifically avoid styles of clothing.
Improve overall function - this is in terms of exercise, work or even a patient's family life. Having large, pendulous breasts can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks that would be simple to do otherwise.
It's not just about reducing the size of your breast
As the name suggests, a breast reduction essentially reduces the size of a breast. However, if you think of it simplistically like that, you miss the focus of the procedure. You're not only trying to reduce volume; you are trying to reshape and reposition the breast. If you do one thing without the other, it may compromise the finished result for the patient.
For example, if you have an E or G sized breast and we just make them smaller and don't reposition them higher on the chest wall, you're not going to achieve a very aesthetic outcome.
Breast reduction before and after photos
What your breasts look like after surgery will depend on the preoperative goals that you discuss with Dr Moradi prior to your surgery. We encourage you to view Dr Moradi's Breast Reduction before and after gallery to get a better idea of what you would like your breasts to look like post-op.
You cannot get a breast reduction through the public sector in NSW
Unfortunately, as far as public hospitals are concerned, a breast reduction is deemed a cosmetic procedure. This is because they want to save public hospital waiting times for more important cases such as breast cancer or major breast reconstructions.
You may be able to get a Medicare rebate
You read correctly! Although you cannot get a breast reduction in a public hospital, you may still be eligible for a Medicare rebate. Yes, there are aesthetic benefits from a breast reduction however, Medicare and other government bodies have agreed that a breast reduction can improve a person's function.
Depending on your policy, you may also be covered by your insurance. However, even after this, you can expect to be a GAP fee. If you have private health insurance and get a rebate from Medicare, a breast reduction performed by Dr Moradi will cost anywhere between $10,000 - $12,000. Without private insurance, the procedure will roughly cost $15,000 - $17,000.
Breast reduction recovery times vary from person to person
How long it takes to recover from your surgery will depend on your lifestyle. If you are a very active person or have a vigorous job, then it may take you longer to get back into your regular, every-day routine. As a rule, most procedures take two hours and being a day surgery, you can expect to go home on the same day.
Should you be lucky enough to have private health insurance, you may have the opportunity to stay overnight. If you do not have private insurance, you may incur an extra $1,000 in hospital fees to stay overnight. This is why Dr Moradi usually encourages patients without private health insurance to go home on the day of your surgery.
In terms of recovery, ideally, you would want to take one to two weeks off work to allow for ample recovery. What end of the spectrum you lie depends on your occupation. If you work in an office, or sit at a desk, know you'll be able to wear a good, supportive bra and normal clothing, and will probably only need one week off work.
On the other hand, if you happen to be a physiotherapist, a personal trainer or any other industry that involves a lot of movement, it will be beneficial for you to allow a larger amount of recovery time before you go back to work.
Breast Reduction Sydney
We know, this is a lot of information to take on board. It is likely that you have even more questions now, than what you started with. The best way to have all your questions answered is to book a consultation with Dr Moradi. As a specialist plastic surgeon, he has ample knowledge and experience to answer your questions and give you realistic expectations about the surgery.