Younger Beverly Hills Breast Reduction Patients Increasingly Opt for Nipple-Preserving Approaches

Many younger women seeking breast reduction surgery near Beverly Hills are focusing on newer surgical approaches that will allow them to retain the function and sensation in their nipples. Dr. Grant Stevens explains how these methods are beneficial for many women with overly large breasts.

Beverly Hills, California (April 2009) – The surgeons at Marina Plastic Surgery Associates in Los Angeles have found that their younger Beverly Hills breast reduction patients are strongly favoring newer approaches that allow the patient to retain nipple function.

“Overly large breasts affect women of all ages, but for many young women retaining nipple function is almost as important as creating a better breast shape” says Dr. Grant Stevens, a breast reduction surgeon near Beverly Hills, California. “Many women in their early 20s and 30s choose breast reduction as the optimal solution to help them overcome the many barriers associated with large breasts, including back and neck pain and inability to participate in physical activities. However, many of my younger patients also recognize that loss of nipple function would pose obstacles of its own, so they are less accepting of surgeons who lack the training or experience to address these concerns effectively.”

The nipple is naturally attached to milk ducts, but older breast reduction techniques required separation of the nipple from the milk ducts, creating scar tissue that prevents the nipple from re-connecting to the duct fully. This approach, called the free nipple graft, prevents effective breastfeeding, limits nipple sensation, and poses additional risks that the re-attached tissue that will fail to thrive, causing infection or unsightly scarring.

In the case of extremely large or sagging breasts, the free nipple graft may be the most appropriate method. However, for women in their late teens, 20s, and early 30s, Dr. Stevens says that breast reduction surgery near Beverly Hills needs to create results that match the patient’s lifestyle and future plans. If those plans include having children, the free nipple graft is generally not the best choice.

“Women today recognize quite easily that not all breast reductions are the same, and they recognize that they have the freedom to choose their results” notes Dr. Stevens. “Advanced Beverly Hills breast reduction procedures like the pedicle method, for example, minimize nipple trauma and scarring by leaving a portion of the nipple attached to the blood vessels and milk ducts during the reduction surgery.”

Dr. Stevens says that the pedicle method and its variations are highly popular for this younger patient group because they offer very natural-looking results that do not damage the function or sensation of the nipple. At the same time, these methods can easily integrate cutting-edge treatments like the Stevens Laser Bra, which Dr. Stevens developed to create more permanent results that would maintain the position of the breast better in the long term. This kind of flexibility in surgical approach, he says, is one of the top criteria for many of his patients.

“If patients settle for a surgeon who does not offer methods to preserve nipple sensation and function during their breast reduction in the Beverly Hills area, they run the risk of very disappointing results,” says Dr. Stevens. “Younger women are taking the time to understand the new approaches that in many cases are more appropriate for their needs, and they want to take advantage of them. My practice offers multiple reduction techniques so women can choose the most proper method for themselves.”