Breast Reduction Surgery, A 1,000-Year History of Evolution! Who Performed the First Breast Reduction Surgery?

Hello.

This is Moms Plastic Surgery Clinic.

When people think of breast reduction surgery,

they often understand it simply as a procedure

that reduces size.

But in reality,

it is an area that has been completed through

a process in which medical concepts and techniques,

as well as aesthetic standards, have all evolved together.

Even for the same surgery,

the approach has changed depending on the era,

and today it is understood in an entirely different way.

"Surgery is not just a simple technique, but something formed within a larger flow."

Understanding these changes

provides a more multidimensional 기준 for viewing

the current surgical approach.

The origins of breast reduction surgery

date back farther than you might expect.

Around the 6th century,

in ancient Greece,

there are records of excision being performed

to treat gynecomastia.

However, surgery in this period

was a concept entirely different from today.

Because anatomical understanding was limited,

it was performed as a simple excision-focused procedure

without considering blood flow preservation

or tissue function.

In other words, rather than reducing only what was necessary,

it was closer to removing as much as possible.

When did the modern surgical concept begin to take shape?

In the 19th century,

breast reduction surgery

began to take on a more systematic form.

By recording the surgical process,

the foundation for the modern surgical concept

is considered to have been established.

This period still relied on

a resection-centered approach,

but it is meaningful in that the methods were organized

and systematized.

However, concepts such as function preservation

and aesthetic completeness

were still at a limited stage.

The emergence of the aesthetic concept

In 1903,

Eugene Hollander attempted breast reduction surgery

for cosmetic purposes,

creating an important turning point.

From this period onward,

beyond simply treating disease,

the concept of improving appearance

also began to be considered.

However, a structural design that preserved the nipple and areola

was still incomplete,

and there were still limitations

in terms of maintaining function.

"This is the point when the direction began to shift from function to aesthetics."

The development of the selective excision concept

In the 1920s and 1930s,

the surgical method advanced another step.

This was the period when the concept of moving away from reducing the entire breast

and selectively removing only the necessary tissue

was introduced.

As a result,

it became possible to precisely manage

excess tissue and sagging skin,

and the direction of surgery began to change.

Rather than simple reduction,

a flow that considered shape

began to emerge from this point.

The importance of preserving function

In the 1950s,

the concept of preserving the nipple-areola complex

was developed in earnest.

The key focus of this period was not how much to remove,

but how to move the tissue stably

while preserving blood flow and sensation.

With the introduction of various flap designs,

it became possible to consider both function and shape

at the same time.

This change became an important standard

for improving surgical safety.

The shift toward sculptural surgery

After the 1980s,

breast reduction surgery changed once again.

With the introduction of the vertical incision technique,

it became possible to reduce scarring

while expressing a natural three-dimensional shape.

From this point on, the breast began to be recognized

not as simple tissue,

but as a three-dimensional structure.

"This is the period when the concept shifted from excision to design."

Surgery gradually developed

into a sculptural approach.

Current and future directions

Since the 2000s,

a new change has emerged

through the combination of technology and design.

Through technology that analyzes body shape and proportions,

patient-specific design has become possible,

and with devices that check blood flow,

safety has also improved.

Current breast reduction surgery is no longer just about reducing size,

but has established itself as a precise medical field

that considers function, shape, and balance together.

In the future, it is expected to develop further

into a more refined approach

that includes regeneration and recovery.

Thank you.