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Breast Reduction ClinicConveniently located to serve Fairhope and Mobile, Alabama

The Consult

When you make an appointment for a Breast Reduction consultation you will be making an appointment to see me first. I will become your personal guide through all curves of the road ahead of you-consultation, examination, insurance approval, pre-op, surgery, recovery, and post op appointments. Over the years I have become an expert at breast reduction consultations, and I take pride and joy in discussing this surgery, examining you, and helping you to feel comfortable about the possibility of a procedure that will change your life!

At your first consultation appointment we will discuss the surgical procedure in great detail. Have all of your questions ready because I will be ready to answer them! Photos will be taken of you for insurance purposes only. I will examine you and take many measurements which are necessary to submit to your insurance company in order to obtain insurance approval. After the physical examination I will discuss in more detail about your current size, what size you would like to ideally be, and how much I feel can be removed safely while leaving you cosmetically beautiful. Certain plans allow us to submit your measurements online and you may know within minutes whether you have been approved allowing us to schedule your surgery and pre-op appointment with one of our surgeons before you leave your appointment! Some insurance companies require us to mail a letter with your measurements and pictures. If we have to mail a letter it can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to get an answer from your insurance company. Once you have heard that you have been approved you can then call our office to schedule your surgery and pre-op appointment. We do require a current mammogram within 1 year as well as a BMI <40 and preferably <35.

Your pre-op appointment will be with one of our renowned surgeons, Dr. Christopher Park or Dr. Ryan Rebowe. During this appointment you will be examined once again by the surgeon performing your surgery, and they will welcome any questions you have before your big day. Consents for surgery will also be signed by you this day and you will receive any medications you will need post-op. At this appointment we will make sure you are ready for your surgical procedure.

Your surgery can be scheduled at any of the facilities where we operate-Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, Springhill Hospital, Gulf Coast Surgical Center, Providence Hospital, USA Children’s and Women’s, Thomas Hospital, or TMC. Usually the facility is dictated by the day of surgery you desire and with whom your surgery is scheduled. The actual surgery usually take around 2 ½-3 hours. All of the facilities offer impeccable care and we will be there to help comfort and relieve your anxiety. Breast reduction surgery is an outpatient procedure which means you can be discharged with your loved ones the same day. Spending the night in the hospital is a possibility if one of us feels it is necessary though. You will be sent home from the surgical facility in a bra or breast binder, so you do not need to purchase many bras before your surgery. If you want to have an extra breast garment at home for after your surgery we recommend a soft, non-wired bra and one that fastens in the front. You also may have a drain placed during surgery to remove any excess fluid during your post op time. It will be important for you to record the drainage output and bring that record with you for your 1 week post-op appointment. The medical facility will give you a drain log and post op instructions. Feel free to call our office if you have any questions though. We are always happy to answer your questions. I will see you back at our office approximately 1 week post-op. I will remove your steri strips and your drain if you have one at this time. Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt to remove your drain! Dressings will be reapplied and we will discuss your activity limitations and what to expect for the weeks ahead. Recovery time for a breast reduction is usually around 2 weeks off of work and 4-6 weeks until you are back exercises and resuming normal activities. We like to see you 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year post op to examine your results, answer questions, and to hear about your fantastic results. We never hear complaints about this surgery and our patients always have smiles on their faces because their lives have been forever changed!

Complications

Patients always ask what complications we see from breast reduction surgery. While this is considered a major surgery, there are few complications we typically see after surgery. There is always risks associated with surgery and general anesthesia, but we treat you as one of our own family members and aim at keeping you as safe as possible throughout your surgery. Sometimes a patient may get a small “T” wound where we pull all 3 skin edges together at the base of the breast. Most of the time local wound care including antibiotic ointment or wet to dry dressings will heal this area up within 1-2 weeks. You may experience irritation from the steri strips, change in sensitivity to the nipples (usually slightly more sensitive), or even discoloration of the skin especially the areolas in African American patients. These complications are not common, but we do see them from time to time. We are here for you if you do experience any of these complications and we will do all we can to get you completely healed as quickly as possible.

Other Cosmetic Procedures

Many patients also ask about adding other cosmetic procedures at the same time as their breast reduction surgery. It is very common for us to perform other surgical procedures at the time of a breast reduction. Some of the other common procedures include liposuction, abdominoplasty, and body contouring. We would love to discuss these other add on surgeries with you!

I hope that I have been able to answer some of your questions and calm your fears regarding breast reduction surgery. I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite surgeries because the results are immediate and I get to see how much this can change a patient’s life. I look forward to meeting you in person and guide you throughout your journey!

 

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