Alleviate Back Pain With a Breast Reduction

Beautiful breasts come in all sizes, and bigger is not always better. Large, heavy breasts can be a burden on the back, shoulders and neck, causing chronic pain for some women. They also can create furrows where bra straps dig into the skin. In addition, disproportionally large breasts may interfere with sports activities and make it difficult to find clothes that fit. Alan Greenberg MD, a Frisco board certified cosmetic surgeon as well as a board-certified OBGYN, suggests that a breast reduction may be the solution to eliminating back pain and increasing self-confidence in women as well as men.

Setting breast reduction goals

Dr. Greenberg meets with patients to identify the composition of their breasts and to advise on the amount of tissue and fat to remove. Heavy breasts often sag due to stretched skin and tendons, but they can be lifted and reshaped while becoming lighter. Breast reduction surgery also addresses asymmetrical or uneven breasts. He also will ask about your personal goals regarding family planning and breastfeeding. You may want to wait to undergo the procedure until the timing is right. Our Frisco cosmetic surgeon will provide you with options for your unique situation.

Addressing balance or back pain

Breast reduction procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, in the convenience of an accredited operating room inside our office. It is performed using a local tumescent “awake” anesthesia in combination with IV sedation.

Dr. Greenberg performs three different breast reduction procedures.

Liposuction. If clients have perky breasts with exceptional skin elasticity, liposuction may be sufficient to remove a moderate amount of fat to improve proportions and balance. Scarring is minimal because fat is removed through a small incision. Note that liposuction cannot correct drooping (ptosis), but that can be addressed later with a breast lift (mastopexy).
Traditional breast reduction surgery. If breasts are large enough to cause back pain, Dr. Greenberg will recommend traditional breast reduction surgery, which includes a breast lift component. Both methods involve incisions from the areola to the crease below the breasts (inframammary fold). They may involve lollipop- or anchor-shaped incisions, depending on the amount of tissue, fat and excess skin to be removed. Large nipples and stretched areolas can be minimized at the same time. Although both procedures will leave scars, they should fade over time with proper care and should not be visible under clothing or swimsuit tops.
Implant revisions. Ask about reducing the size of your current implants by replacing them with a smaller size.

Reducing breasts on men’s chests

Breast reduction surgery is not just for women. Men with swollen-looking breasts have gynecomastia. This common problem is attributed to genetics, illness and other issues. Gynecomastia surgery may involve liposuction or removal of the glandular tissue through a small peri-areolar incision to create a flat chest. The goal is to minimize scarring since men’s chests are often exposed.