Breast Reduction

Q: Dr. Eppley, Does a breast reduction include them being lifted? Is there a way to make my areola smaller? Will my stretch marks go away if they are lifted? Is a reduction what you suggest or just a lift? I am only 19 and I feel like my breast look like Im 40 and have had kids already.

A: Thank you for your inquiry. I would agree that for a young women that is too much breast tissue with a lot of sag for you to carry around as well as from an aesthetic standpoint. You are an dial candidate for a breast reduction and your questions about such surgery are common. Let me clarify some basic concepts about breast reduction. Every breast reduction includes a full breast lift. While a breast lift can be done with a reduction, a breast reduction can not be done without doing a lift. In almost every breast reduction the diameter of the areola is reduced significantly, usually done to 40mm to 44mm diameter. Stretch marks that lie within the excised skin of the breast lift are removed. Any stretch marks that lie outside of that zone remain but often look better because of the lifting effect.