A question that I am asked by more than a few of my patients seeking a breast reduction is if they will also need breast implants as part of the procedure. Some of these women have heard either from other women who had a breast reduction or during their own consultations with a plastic surgeon that this was a necessary part of the procedure. There also are some who came across this information online.
Of course, if it is online it has to be true! Right?
So, are breast implants a necessary element for a breast reduction?
When you really think about it for more than a few seconds, does this really make sense to you?
If you want to reduce the size of your breasts because they are way too large, why would you both decrease their volume only to also increase it during the same procedure by the placement of breast implants?
Doesn’t make sense, does it?
Of course not!
If a primary breast reduction (first time breast reduction) is performed correctly there should be absolutely no reason and no need to concurrently place breast implants. This is true for all the various, well accepted techniques that are employed for this procedure. You will not find it written in respected authoritative textbooks. During my plastic surgery training, this approach was never taught, discussed or ever employed. Furthermore, in 35 years of plastic surgery practice performing a very large number of breast reductions, not once have I ever done a primary breast reduction along with usage of breast implants.
So, the definitive answer is that breast implants are not a necessary part of a breast reduction.
Now that this issue has been clarified let me add the following caveat: never say never.
Like everything else in life, there may be an extremely rare set of circumstances where placing breast implants during a primary breast reduction that is performed otherwise appropriately, may be a reasonable, prudent consideration.
Almost like seeing a unicorn in the wild.
There is one more thing that I would like to briefly mention about breast reductions and the usage of breast implants. In contrast to women who have never had a breast reduction (primary), there are definitely situations where a woman who already has had a breast reduction may benefit from the usage of breast implants as part of a later breast surgery. This may be a topic for another day.
If you are interested in pursuing breast reduction surgery, you can contact my office at the Arizona Center for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery either by calling (480) 451-3000 or by email.
Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona