If you’re someone who lives with the complications of large breasts, you may want to consider breast reduction surgery. Having large breasts can cause back, shoulder, and neck pain, limited clothing options, and rashes. Breast reduction surgery is a great way to reduce these issues. However, it is important that you know some more details when considering this kind of surgery.
Will Breast Reduction Reduce Pain?
Once you have the surgery, most patients experience immediate relief from back, shoulder, and neck pain. While you may feel a bit uncomfortable right after surgery and for a week or two while you recover, you will quickly see a marked improvement in your symptoms.
What is Recovery Like After Breast Reduction?
Breast reduction surgery is done in an outpatient setting and, generally speaking, only takes around three hours. You will not have any drains and will be able to go home the same day. All the sutures are dissolvable and there are no dressings to change. Before you have your surgery, it is a good idea to plan for a few days off work. You will be encouraged to go about your normal routine as soon as possible after surgery, but you should not do any heavy upper body exercise or lifting for about four weeks. Taking your time and allowing your body to recover will let you have a better overall experience.
How Much Will a Breast Reduction Lower Cup Size?
When you have breast reduction surgery, you might not end up with the exact cup size you want. This is because there is so much variability between bra manufacturer sizing and how bras fit. There is no standard cup size at all anymore. Typically, when having breast reduction surgery, you will go down one or two cup sizes. Rather than setting a goal of a specific cup size, it is best to consider an overall breast size and shape that will reduce your symptoms and flatter your proportions. Speak with your plastic surgeon about what you want, and they will make every effort to accommodate your wishes.
Does a Breast Reduction Lift the Breasts?
When you have breast reduction surgery, you will also get a breast lift. Your doctor will remove skin and excess tissue to help make your breasts smaller and. Once this is done, your nipples will also be raised. This will help to give your breasts an improved shape.
Does a Breast Reduction Cause Scars?
You will have some scarring after breast reduction surgery. Most people see the scars fade considerably over the course of a year or two, but they will still be there. A breast lift plastic surgeon can do what they can to minimalize the scarring, but in most cases, there will be some evidence of having breast reduction surgery.
Does Breast Reduction Cause Decreased Nipple Sensation?
Right after surgery, you may experience changes in nipple sensation – this can be increased OR decreased. It can take up to 6 months for normal nipple sensation to return. It is very uncommon to have any permanent changes in nipple sensation, although this is always a possibility with any surgery on the breast.
Will I Be Able to Breastfeed After Breast Reduction Surgery?
Most women are able to breastfeed after breast reduction surgery. It is always possible women may experience breastfeeding issues after a breast reduction, but there are many factors that can contribute to breastfeeding problems, so it is difficult to ever know whether this is related to previous breast reduction surgery. If you are planning on having more children, this is something that you will want to discuss with your plastic surgeon. However, difficulty breastfeeding is not common following this type of surgery.
Schedule a Consultation
If you are interested in having breast reduction surgery, call board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Emile Brown at the Aesthetic Center at Woodholme for a consultation. He will be able to help determine whether you are a good candidate for breast reduction surgery.
Dr. Ira D. Papel is certified in Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Papel earned his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and his M.D. from Boston University of Medicine. He completed a residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and a fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Papel is considered an international expert in rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty, and facial aesthetic surgery.