Breast Reduction in Los Angeles

Many women desire large, shapely breasts. However, many women have breasts that are too large, cumbersome, and cause chronic pain. In various cases, the breasts are disproportionately large when compared to the body’s natural build. If you have overly large breasts, you may suffer from chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain as well as emotional discomfort. Dr. Kao’s breast reduction technique is designed to eliminate excess breast tissue and reshape the breasts to provide natural-looking, lifted breasts that are proportionate to your frame.

Candidates

Ideal candidates for breast reduction surgery are in good health and have realistic expectations about their results. Women seeking breast reduction surgery have overly large breasts that are disproportionate to the rest of their body. They often have excess breast fat, glandular tissue, and skin. The cumbersome nature of their breasts may cause one or more of the following:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Skin irritation (under the breasts and around your bra)
• Embarrassment
• Trouble engaging in physical activities
• A limitation in clothing options
• A lack of confidence in your body’s appearance

The Procedure

Dr. Kao’s breast reduction technique is unique because he focuses on providing support to the breasts for long-lasting results. Dr. Kao performs all of his breast reductions with the patient under sedation or general anesthesia for a safe and painless procedure. While most surgeons remove a triangular shape of tissue from the lower breast, Dr. Kao preserves the lower breast tissue. He mobilizes the tissue so that he can lift it and attach it to the chest wall. This achieves an internal bra-like structure that supports the breast and creates fullness in the upper pole of the breast.

Incisions

• Inverted-T Incision: Dr. Kao uses an inverted-T incision, which begins at the bottom of the areola and extends vertically down the breast tissue and along the inframammary crease. Dr. Kao’s meticulous incision technique minimizes the appearance of scarring. His incisions are pencil-thin, follow the curvature of the breasts, and are hidden within breast folds when possible. Dr. Kao uses five layers of sutures to control any tension at the bottom of the incision that may cause stretching. This combination of techniques significantly minimizes the appearance of scarring.

• Lollipop Incision: Dr. Kao may choose to utilize a lollipop incision, which runs along the entire outer edge of the areola and vertically down the breast, ending at the inframammary crease. He usually reserves the lollipop incision for patients who require less tissue removal. During your consultation, Dr. Kao will determine whether the lollipop incision is the right choice for you.

Reducing Breast Size

Rather than simply excising triangles of excess tissue, Dr. Kao shaves away fat and sculpts the breast mound to create a rounder, more natural breast shape that has a fuller top and curved edges.

Liposuction of the Axilla

Many women with larger breasts have fat accumulations at the sides of the breasts that encroach on the armpits. This creates unsightly deposits of fat around the axilla. Dr. Kao uses liposuction to remove axillary fat. In some cases, he will use direct excision to ensure total fat removal from the axilla area.

Nipple Relocation

The realistic appearance of the breasts relies not only on shape but also on the placement of the nipples. Dr. Kao submerges the nipple-areola complex in the breast tissue before closing the incisions. He then sits the patient in an upright position (while the patient is still under anesthesia) to see how the newly sculpted breasts fall. Dr. Kao identifies the most natural location for the nipple and makes a small incision. He then brings the nipple-areola complex out of the breast tissue and sutures it into position. Dr. Kao ensures that nipples are in the right position, symmetrical, and round to help create a natural breast appearance. This technique results in almost no visible scar.

Asymmetrical Breast Reduction

Asymmetrical breasts are a common problem for many women. This condition is characterized by one breast being a different size or shape than the other. Dr. Kao can perform breast reduction on only one breast to create more symmetrical breasts. In these cases, Dr. Kao uses a circumareolar incision so there is no visible scar.

Recovery

All of Dr. Kao’s patients have the option to stay at an aftercare facility. Serenity is a post-surgical care facility situated just one block from your surgical facility and located in a federally and state-licensed healthcare center.

During your surgery, Dr. Kao administers an anesthetic block which will prevent pain for approximately three days. Any remaining discomfort can be controlled using pain medication. Drains will be placed that will remain for one week to remove excess fluid buildup and reduce stress on the stitches. Your breasts will also remain bandaged for one week, after which you will wear silicone sheeting on your incisions for eight weeks. After your drains are removed, you will wear a surgical bra for one week and then a non-underwire bra for another three months.

Most patients return to work within one week and resume their regular exercise routine after four to six weeks. Most major swelling should begin to subside after six weeks.

If your large, cumbersome breasts are causing you unnecessary pain, schedule your breast reduction consultation today. Dr. Kao is a board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. He and his helpful, friendly staff are available to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Contact our office at 310-315-9211, or fill out our online contact form for additional information.