Many women experience pain in their back and shoulders or experience discomfort because their breasts are disproportionately large for their frame. Often they develop rashes or “notches” on their shoulders, it is challenging for them to find clothes that fit properly and they often experience unwanted attention, even from a young age.
A breast reduction can help these women get relief from all these issues but it does require surgery. Breast reduction surgery is safe and effective and offers a fairly comfortable recovery time but it does leave visible scarring. Some women may qualify for a procedure called a scarless breast reduction because it leaves only a tiny scar.
What Is A Scarless Breast Reduction?
A scarless breast reduction is a procedure performed by a cosmetic surgeon to reduce the size of a woman’s breasts using liposuction instead of the traditional breast tissue removal during a surgical procedure.
It is called “scarless” because liposuction only creates a small puncture wound that leaves a tiny almost imperceptible scar if any.
Who Is A Candidate For a No-Scars Breast Reduction?
Scarless breast reduction will not be an appropriate solution for everyone. Candidacy will depend on several factors including:
- The degree of reduction necessary;
- How much sagging is currently present;
- If the patient’s nipple and areola are in a favorable position;
- If there is no breast lift required;
- If the patient has good skin tone and elasticity;
- If the patient’s breasts contain a significant proportion of fat in relation to breast tissue;
- If the patient has a significant understanding of the limits of the procedure and realistic expectations.
How Is A Scarless Breast Reduction Performed?
A scarless breast reduction is done with the use of liposuction. The breasts are numbed with a special solution that is made up of saline and anesthetic.
Different techniques of liposuction can be used to help break up the unwanted fat deposits but the extraction of that fat takes place through a special small hollow surgical tube called a cannula. This tube is inserted into a very small puncture wound and is gently moved back and forth to break up excess fat and vacuum it away. The small puncture created by the cannula does not require stitches.
The removal of the excess fat will reduce the size of the breast and the skin directly surrounding the breast should shrink to fit the smaller breast volume.
How Many Cup Sizes Can You Go Down With?
Most women have approximately 61% to 74% of fat contained in their breasts. Liposuction during scarless breast reduction can usually reduce a woman’s breast size by approximately 2 cup sizes. Normally, the fat reduction will also cause the nipple and areola to elevate by as much as six centimeters (a little over 2 inches).
What Are The Benefits Of Breast Liposuction?
For qualifying candidates, scarless breast reduction can offer the following benefits:
- Offers a quick recovery – most patients can return to work in 3-7 days;
- Fewer complications & risks;
- Improved breast shape;
- Elimination of back, neck, or shoulder pain due to breast weight and size;
- Clothing will fit better;
- Virtually scarless – only two tiny punctures are created on the breast for insertion of the cannula;
- Breastfeeding is still possible;
- No loss of sensation in the nipple or areola area;
- Mammograms may be easier to conduct and read due to excess fat removal;
- Scarless breast reduction costs less than surgery;
- Can be used on patients who can not tolerate invasive procedures or surgery.
Does Insurance Pay For A Scarless Breast Reduction?
Unfortunately, insurance companies still consider scarless breast reduction a cosmetic procedure and not a medical procedure so it is not covered.
Traditional surgical breast reduction is usually covered by major medical insurance companies for patients who meet certain criteria. The good news is most cosmetic surgery practices offer financing options that can break down the cost of scarless breast reduction into affordable monthly payments.
How Much Does Lipo Breast Reduction Surgery Cost?
Because scarless breast reduction surgery is not covered under most medical insurance, it is considered a self-pay procedure. Currently, the national average scarless breast reduction cost is about $4,500 but the final cost of your procedure will depend on many factors including:
- Geographical location;
- Surgeon;
- Type of facility used: surgical center, hospital, etc.;
- Type of sedation used: local or general.
Surgical Breast Reduction vs Scarless Breast Reduction Chart
to see the entire table
| Surgical Breast Reduction | Scarless Breast Reduction |
|---|---|
| Scarring | |
| Scars from traditional breast reduction are usually shaped like an anchor and run under the areola then vertically down the center under the breast, and into the breast crease. The scars are substantial but typically fade over the years to appear as a fine white line. | A breast reduction done using liposuction is considered “scarless,” because there are only tiny puncture size places in the breasts that are used to insert the cannula. When healed, they are virtually invisible. |
| Recovery | |
| Side effects of general anesthesia use may create nausea, vomiting, or extreme fatigue.
The patient may be given a prescription for pain medication although many women do not experience much pain after a reduction. Post-op incision and drain care may be necessary. Normally requires four to six weeks for swelling and bruising to resolve. The patient’s physical activity is limited for 4-6 weeks. Patients must wear a special compression garment with no underwire for about 8 weeks Scars will slowly fade over time, hidden when wearing tops, bras, or swimsuits. |
If local anesthesia is used there will be no side effects associated with general anesthesia.
Normally, patients feel very little pain, if any, after the procedure. The patient will experience slight to moderate swelling and bruising for several weeks. The patient must wear a soft bra without an underwire for at least six weeks. Light exercise can resume after about 3 weeks and patients can resume their normal routine in about 6 weeks. |
| Results | |
| Exceptional results are achieved and patient satisfaction is high.
Breasts are reshaped and lifted to appear more youthful and natural looking. Pain in the back, neck and other discomforts are eliminated due to the reduced weight. Scarring is visible and can not all be hidden. Some patients experience numbness or reduced sensation in their nipples or breasts. |
Scarless breast reduction reviews from candidates who have had the procedure are very favorable.
The Patients’ breasts look virtually the same after the procedure except more proportionate to their bodies. Breasts may be slightly saggy depending on the patient since no breast lift was done. Virtually scar free. No reduced sensation in nipples or breasts. |
| Candidates | |
| Women who have overly large breasts that are very heavy and require a significant size decrease.
Candidates whose breasts sag, or hang down possibly with misshapen, or overly large nipples that point to the floor. A breast lift is required to correct these issues. Candidates that have dense glandular breast tissue that contributes significantly to the size and weight of their breasts |
Women who only need a moderate reduction in size and their breasts have only minimal sagging.
Candidates will have good skin tone and elasticity. Candidates will have a high ratio of fat to glandular tissue in their breasts. Women who qualify for the procedure and are self-pay will benefit from the lower costs. |
If you are interested in learning more about breast reduction surgery, contact Surgicare Arts & Aesthetics to set up a consultation today. Dr. Angelina Poestoev, a triple-board certified cosmetic surgeon can answer all your questions, and together you can choose the procedure that works best for you.
