Well-proportioned breasts are key elements of a beautiful, shapely body. The size and shape of a woman’s breasts can have a significant impact on her self-image and self-confidence. Some women may feel disproportionately small, while others may feel that their breasts are uncomfortably large. Still others may be troubled by the shape of their breasts or by asymmetry. Men who have developed an overgrowth of breast tissue often suffer shame and discomfort silently. For these men and women, breast surgery may be the answer.

A breast lift, or mastopexy, is performed to restore a more youthful shape to the breasts. Breasts that have sagged as a result of weight loss, pregnancy, loss of the skin’s natural elasticity or simply the effects of gravity and age can be lifted. Breasts of any size can be lifted. The procedure can be combined with breast augmentation to add volume and firmness. Large areola size (the dark skin surrounding the nipple) can be reduced at the time of a mastopexy. Whenever possible, Dr. Greenspun employs the minimal-incision vertical technique to reshape and lift the breasts. This technique allows him to lift and shape your breasts with a minimal amount of post-operative scarring. A breast lift can be performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia in combination with sedation.

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Large breasts may cause physical and emotional discomfort. Women with large breasts may find that they alter their physical activity (eg. avoid exercise) because of discomfort. Improper posture, back and neck pain, indentations from bra straps, skin rashes, breathing problems and skeletal deformities are also associated with disproportionately large breasts. Breast reduction surgery is usually done to provide physical relief from these symptoms. Although relief of symptoms is one goal of breast reduction surgery, Dr. Greenspun focuses on producing natural and aesthetically pleasing breasts. Dr. Greenspun generally performs breast reduction surgery with the patient under general anesthesia to sculpt smaller, lighter breasts that are in healthier proportion to the rest of the body. Your insurance carrier may cover the cost of this procedure.

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Modern surgical techniques make it possible to reconstruct a natural-looking breast after mastectomy. Women who have undergone a mastectomy or have had damage to a breast may feel self-conscious about their appearance. Following mastectomy, women may experience not just the physical stress of the loss of a part of their body, but also considerable emotional stress. Women sometimes describe a loss of the sense of “wholeness” that adversely affects their feelings of self-worth, sense of attractiveness, femininity and their sexuality. Breast reconstruction can restore the form of the breasts, and not surprisingly, many studies have demonstrated important emotional and psychological benefits to undergoing breast reconstruction after mastectomy

Breast reconstruction procedures are sometimes completed immediately following mastectomy so that a woman undergoing treatment for breast cancer need undergo only one surgery experience. Alternatively, reconstruction may be done after a woman recovers from her initial breast cancer surgery. Many different techniques of breast reconstruction are available. Some techniques such as the Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous flap (TRAM flap) or the Deep Inferior Epigastric artery Perforator flap (DIEP flap) utilize your own tissue, while others may use a breast implant. Dr. Greenspun is a microsurgeon specializing in perforator flap breast reconstruction techniques including the DIEP, SIEA and GAP flaps.

Perforator flaps allow a woman to realize all of the potential benefits of a tissue-based breast reconstruction without the potential for the negative consequences that are associated with traditional flaps, such as the TRAM flap, that remove muscle from the donor site. The primary perforator flaps used in breast reconstruction are the DIEP flap, the SIEA flap, and the GAP flaps; each of these flaps is discussed in detail below.

Detailed information about the Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator, the Superficial Inferior Epigastric Artery and the Gluteal Artery Perforator flaps can be found in the Breast Reconstruction section of our website.

As a result of the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, health insurance carriers will generally cover the expense of breast reconstruction. Insurance may also cover the expense of surgery on the opposite breast if it is necessary to create symmetry. Click here to read the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998.

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