Inventor of the SPAIR Technique

SPAIR Technique Inventor

Based on the needs of his own patients, Dr. Hammond developed his SPAIR short scar technique that reduces the amount of scarring and greatly improves the post-operative aesthetics of the breasts. He is now world-renowned for this special one-of-a-kind technique! He speaks regularly to teach other plastic surgeons about this technique and many doctors have adopted the SPAIR as their own technique.

What is the SPAIR Technique?

For years, breast reduction procedures resulted in a long scar which ran along the underside of the breast from the lateral chest wall over to the mid-portion of the sternum. There was an additional scar which ran up the center of the breast and around the nipple and areola. This operation successfully reduced the size of the breast, but it was often associated with unsightly scarring in the inner and outer portions of the scar under the breast. Also, the shape created at the time of surgery was often lost as the breast settled and created what is referred to as a “bottomed out” appearance.

For this reason, Dr. Hammond developed a new operation for breast reduction, the SPAIR technique. His procedure takes advantage of rounded contours of the breast and reduces breast volume while maintaining the beautiful, natural soft curves of the breast. In the SPAIR technique, tissue is removed from around the nipple and the areola in a semi-circular fashion and the breast is reshaped in a manner which maintains the natural soft curves running from the outer portion of the breast over to the inner chest wall. At the same time, the breast maintains appropriate and pleasing projection. All this is accomplished with one simple scar that passes around the nipple and areola and then straight down to the inframammary fold. The wide scar that previously ran along the underside of the breast is eliminated. Another significant advantage to the SPAIR technique is that the breast maintains its shape over time and creates long-lasting, beautiful results, with less scarring, and a faster recovery with fewer complications.

Dr. Van Pelt and Dr. Kath have mastered the SPAIR technique and offer this short scar breast surgery to their patients as well. View photos of our patients using the SPAIR breast reduction technique»