Breast Reduction Scars

The Minimal Scar Breast Reduction procedure, also called a vertical mammoplasty or lollipop breast reduction, achieves the goal of a smaller breast without the extensive scars of a traditional “anchor” breast reduction technique.

Why Choose Breast Reduction

Women who have heavy, large breasts often live with a number of negative side effects, including pain and discomfort. Surgical removal of excess breast tissue can be life-changing for people struggling with overly large breasts. Neck and back pain, shoulder grooving, tingling in the hands, poor posture, headaches, or spine strain can all be reversed by reducing the amount of breast tissue.

The challenge in breast reduction surgery is in both relieving discomfort as well as reshaping and restoring a beautiful breast without visible scarring. The Minimal Scar Breast Reduction procedure is designed to reduce while reshaping the breast. This goal is not to make the smallest breast possible, but to create a beautiful breast that is more proportional to the body, causes no discomfort, and is free from breast reduction scarring.

Advantages of a Vertical Breast Reduction compared to a Traditional Surgical Procedure

There are three main benefits to choosing a short scar breast reduction:

1. Reshaping first: Lollipop breast reduction is primarily a breast lifting and reshaping procedure. The traditional procedure is designed for tissue reduction.
2. Minimizing Scar is the priority: Lollipop breast reduction does not use a long horizontal scar that can show in the cleavage or extend under the arm.
3. Preserving Shape: Tissue that causes hanging is always removed first; the shape is preserved over time.

What Are Scars Like After Breast Reduction?

Scars are the consequence of surgical incisions. Sometimes, fatty tissue can be removed with minimal scars, as in a liposuction procedure. A breast reduction procedure has the additional requirements of repositioning the nipple to a more “perky” location on the breast mound and removing excess skin. It involves the tailoring of the skin and the removal of the breast volume to permit reshaping.

The vertical mammoplasty or Minimal Scar technique creates only a periareolar and vertical scar. These scars fade with time and can be treated to avoid the buildup of visible scar tissue. The shape of the breast remains stable with this technique and there is no “bottoming-out.”

In some cases, Dr. Ditesheim may offer scar gel to ensure positive results after an incision heals. The process and technique can help prevent the need for scar removal procedures later on after the initial scar.

Traditional breast reduction techniques use a skin “pattern” or template to mark the area for skin excision. Breast tissue under this pattern is removed during the surgery. This two-dimensional approach is a common tailor’s approach. It is the technique taught to surgical residents in training and is effective in making very small breasts. Its drawbacks are that not every woman who has large breasts wants to be very small, say a B cup. (A breast this small would not likely be proportional to the rest of the body). There are also more scars that are harder to conceal and often do not heal as well.

Dr. Ditesheim has used this technique exclusively for more than 20 years to achieve significant scar reduction after the healing process is complete. Anyone with very large breasts can have a breast reduction with this technique. 

Schedule a Consultation

To learn more about breast reduction surgery, schedule a consultation with breast reduction surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Ditesheim by calling our office or contacting us online.