The breast reduction surgery is the procedure that women with overly large breasts can resort to in order to get breasts that are more proportionate with the rest of their body. When the breast reduction surgery is performed, the plastic surgeon will make incisions at the level of the breasts and detach the skin envelope to get access to the tissue of the mammary gland. The excess of glandular tissue is excised from both breasts before the mammary gland is centered and elevated on the chest wall and the incisions are sutured. In many cases, the nipple and areola complex will also have to be reduced and positioned on a correct anatomical position on the breasts after breast reduction was performed.
The procedure is rather complex and requires a certain level of preparation. This means that after the initial meeting with the plastic surgeon and until undergoing the breast reduction procedure, you need to adopt a certain behavior. The preparation period for the breast reduction surgery actually starts a month before the procedure is performed and the plastic surgeon will advise you to stop the birth control pills, in case you are taking any. A side effect of taking birth control pills is the formation of blood clots, a complication that has an increased risk of occurring after surgery.
More than this, at this point you should also stop any diets you might be keeping to lose weight. Also, overeating before surgery is not recommended. In the month before the surgery is performed, the patient should keep a balanced, healthy diet as the body needs to be in top physical condition to be able to go well through the surgery trauma and have a fast and smooth recovery.
Other precautions to take before a breast reduction surgery are related to making sure that you are in good health before undergoing the procedure. This means that if you have any kind of infection, it can be something like a tooth bothering you, the recommendation is to go and have it treated well in advance of the surgery date. Also, it can be something as simple as a cold that could have your procedure rescheduled, so better keep an eye on your health the month before the intervention is performed.
At the same time, the plastic surgeon will ask you to stop taking any anti-inflammatory medication about two weeks before the procedure is performed. Certain anti-inflammatory medication has a blood-thinning effect that can lead to excessive bleeding during and after surgery. If the bleeding happens during the operative time, the plastic surgeon has the means to stop it; however, if it occurs post-operatively, it can lead to anemia and the patient feeling tired and without energy. Aside from the anti-inflammatory medication, the patients undergoing breast reduction surgery should also avoid taking natural supplements for the exact same reasons. Some supplements can also lead to excessive bleeding, so better be avoided until after the surgery when the plastic surgeon says it is safe to take them.