Breast Reduction

Although scar placement depends on the shape and size of your breasts, the scars with breast reduction surgery are usually one of two types: A lollipop scar, which places the scar around your areola and below your nipple (along the midline of your breast) or an anchor scar which places the scar in similar fashion to the lollipop scar but also includes a scar along the base of your breast.

Breast reduction surgery is a excellent way to make uneven breasts appear more symmetrical. This is true for breasts that are different sizes and/or shapes.

Following pregnancy, weight gain, and with age, breasts can become both heavy and saggy. Fortunately, a breast reduction surgery can improve the size AND shape of your breasts by simultaneously making them much less heavy and saggy. It is a win win, giving you smaller and lighter breasts that appear much more youthful. 

Large breasts can be a real nuisance and in some cases, they can be symptomatic. In medical lingo, this is referred to as symptomatic macromastia. Here are the most common findings for those of you who struggle with symptomatic large breast:

• Grooving along shoulders from the bra strap
• Poor posture
• Chronic neck, shoulder and back pain
• Rashes along the bottom of the breast
• Breast pain
• Limitations on exercise and daily activities
• Numbness/tingling in your hands
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty sleeping

Breast reduction surgery will address most, if not all of these symptoms, and research has shown that by reducing these symptoms, there is a notable improvement in your quality of life.

Recovery times vary from person to person. In general, it takes up to 1 week to get back on your feet and return to non-physical work duties, around 2 weeks to return to normal daily activities, and 4-6 weeks to return to your normal workout schedule. Discomfort after this surgery is usually less than expected, and we have many tricks to help you feel more comfortable during recovery. This includes the use of local anesthesia during surgery and pain medications, muscle relaxants, and compression garments after surgery.

If you want smaller AND more perky breasts after surgery, there are a few tips to consider. First, the newer surgical techniques in breast reduction surgery are focused on making your breasts smaller, less heavy, AND more perky. In our clinic, we use these newer techniques in nearly every case. Therefore, you can feel confident that your breast will not appear flat and shapeless after surgery. Secondly, you should be at a manageable weight before surgery. As the removal part of this surgery occurs mostly below your nipple and areola, the fullness of your breast above the nipple and areola depends in large part on how much fullness you had there before surgery. Losing a lot of weight after surgery will definitely make your breasts appear deflated, especially above the nipple and areola. If you are really flat above the nipple and areola before surgery, we may even consider placing a small breast implant or injecting your own fat at the time surgery to get the best outcome.