Breast Reduction: Reduction Mammaplasty | American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Breast reduction glossary

Areola: Pigmented skin surrounding the nipple
Breast reduction: Also known as reduction mammaplasty, the surgical removal of breast tissue to reduce the size of breasts
General anesthesia: Drugs and/or gases used during an operation to relieve pain and alter consciousness
Hematoma: Blood pooling beneath the skin
Intravenous sedation: Sedatives administered by injection into a vein to help you relax
Liposuction: Also called lipoplasty or suction lipectomy, a procedure that vacuums out fat from beneath the skin's surface to reduce fullness
Local anesthesia: A drug injected directly to the site of an incision during an operation to relieve pain
Mammogram: An x-ray image of the breast
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): A painless test to view tissue, similar to an x-ray
Reduction mammaplasty: The surgical removal of breast tissue to reduce the size of breasts; also known as breast reduction surgery
Sutures: Stitches used by surgeons to hold skin and tissue together