Liposuction and Plastic Surgery Information - Black women seeking breast reduction turn to liposuction

Black women seeking breast reduction turn to liposuction

Thursday, 08 February 2007

Black women seeking a breast reduction are finding that having the procedure conducted by liposuction instead of the traditional method have reduced scarring after the procedure.

Because darker skinned patients are more prone to excessive scarring following surgery, many black women avoid breast reduction surgery, even when overly large breasts can cause them to suffer back pain and physical restraint. However, a recent study published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) says that liposuction breast reduction offers black women a scarless alternative.

Sherwood Baxt, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and author of the study said, "African American women, like all women, want relief from the physical ailments associated with overly large breasts; the difference is that darker skin is prone to develop keloid and hypertrophic scars."

"Through this less invasive procedure, patients experienced no scarring, a decrease or elimination of physical symptoms, and an increase in self-esteem and quality-of-life. However, liposuction reduction is not appropriate for women whose primary concern is to lift overly large, sagging breasts."

Baxt's study examined the cases of 17 black women who presented with overly large breasts and were seeking relief of the physical symptoms caused by the large breasts. The study focused on women seeking a breast reduction and excluded those that were seeking a breast lift. All of the women in the study had previously sought to alleviate the pain using non-surgical treatment such as chiropractic care, physical therapy and back strengthening exercises to no avail.

The study examined these 17 patients six months after the liposuction breast reduction procedure and found that all of the study group now experienced alleviation or significant relief in back, shoulder and neck pain. Their quality of life was said to have significantly improved, along with their self esteem and overall health. The use of liposuction to perform the procedure also resulted in an absence of adverse scarring. There were no complications arising from any of the procedures.

Liposuction breast reduction only removes the fat present in the breast and does not remove the glandular tissue. Consequently it is more suited to patients whose condition is primarily caused by being overweight. With patients with naturally large breasts but who are not overweight, liposuction breast reduction surgery is not suitable. In addition, the procedure does not reduce the size of the breast as significantly as a conventional breast reduction procedure.

"Be aware this procedure is a compromise," said Walter Erhardt, MD, ASPS Public Education Committee Chair. "Those considering the procedure should know that while physical ailments and scarring can be improved, their breasts will not be exceptionally smaller or lifted."

Breast reduction is one of the top three requested plastic surgery procedures for black Americans, who made up 8% of the 10.2 million cosmetic surgery procedures conducted in 2005. The two other most requested procedures requested by black patients are nose reshaping and liposuction.

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