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Breast Reduction

What is it?

A reduction mammaplasty (the proper name for breast reduction) involves the surgeon removing excess skin and fat tissue to reduce the size of your breasts.

After the operation, the surgeon repositions your nipple and areola (the dark pink area surrounding your nipple) to give your breasts a more uplifted, firmer and younger appearance.

What can it do for you?

Some women develop large breasts from puberty, whereas others develop them as a result of weight gain, pregnancy, the menopause or HRT.

The majority of women who opt for breast reduction surgery do so because their breasts are so large they cause physical pain, discomfort, bad posture, rashes (underneath the folds of your breast or where bra straps dig in), embarrassment and self-consciousness. Large breasts can sometimes restrict the types of clothes you can wear - and if you play lots of sport they can cause even more discomfort.

Breast reduction can also be used to even up breasts where one is much bigger than the other.

The procedure

The operation is performed under general anaesthetic and takes anywhere between two and five hours, depending how much you have taken away.

Surgeons make an incision in the breast, usually in the shape of an anchor. They cut around the nipple, all the way down to under the fold of the breast and horizontally along the underneath of the breast.

The nipple is then moved, while still attached to the breast, and the surgeon cuts away excess skin and fat (the amount depends on the patient's size and how small they want to go) and tightens up the whole area.

Then the nipple is repositioned higher up your breast and the surgeon stitches you back up, leaving an anchor-shaped scar.

Cost

Breast reductions cost from £4,000 to £6,000.

Recovery time

Recovery varies from patient to patient, depending on how much skin and fat has been removed (the more taken, the more discomfort you'll feel and the longer you'll need to heal and recover).

Either way, you'll need to stay in hospital for one or two nights, plus you'll have to take a couple of weeks off work.

You're likely to feel bruised and sore, so you'll be given painkillers to help relieve this.

Following the surgery, you must wear an elastic bandage or a surgical bra over a gauze dressing. After five to seven days, you can start wearing a support bra instead. After a week or two, your stitches will be removed, but you'll still have to wear the support bra for several weeks afterwards and sleep on your back.

You're also advised to avoid sex for about three weeks and any heavy exercise involving arm movements (including housework and driving) for several weeks.

What can go wrong?

The biggest risks are infection and problems with the healing process - a reduction leaves you with more scars than an enlargement.

An infection in the breast will mean your scars can become wider, remain red and lumpy for months and are less likely to fade. It's rare, but there's also a chance you could be left with slightly uneven nipples or breasts.

You probably wont be able to breast-feed after a reduction because your nipples have become separated from the milk ducts during the operation.

So if you're planning to get pregnant and breast-feed, consider waiting until after the birth and make sure you discuss it with your surgeon.

Patients may lose some feeling in their nipples and breasts after a reduction. However, some patients say their nipples are no longer able to become erect afterwards. While sensation often returns after about a month, there's a chance it won't come back at all.

How long does it last?

The results are meant to be permanent, but if you put on weight or become pregnant you'll probably go up a cup size or two.

 


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