Breast Reduction Questions

A breast reduction procedure is an elective (though sometimes necessary) surgery to decrease the size of a person’s breasts. During this procedure, a doctor removes breast tissue, fat and skin. It is intended to help individuals who have pain or other health problems caused by oversized breasts.

If you have any of the following issues or concerns, you may want to discuss the possibility of  breast reduction surgery with a qualified surgeon:

• Back, neck or shoulder pain, 
• Shoulder grooves, or
• Breast discomfort while exercising.

You may also consider a breast reduction if you would simply like to have smaller breasts that are more proportionate to your body.

There are risks with any surgery, no matter how major or minor. This is no different for a breast reduction. Of course, these risks are less likely when you use a trained and certified surgeon.

Occasionally, an individual may experience breasts that are slightly uneven in size after a breast reduction. They may also experience surgical scars that remain dark and raised even after they have completely healed.

Very rarely, a woman may experience a loss of breast tissue due to inadequate blood flow after the surgery. This is more common in women who smoke.

Unlike most other breast surgeries, breast reduction surgery may qualify for insurance coverage if the surgery is to help relieve any medical problems, including back, neck or shoulder pain. Check with your insurance company to find out what type of coverage you have and what type of referral you would need in order to get the charges approved.

We recommend taking 1.5-2 weeks off of work to recover entirely, although some patients return to work a week after surgery. It all depends on your physical comfort level. 

Here are some more specific restrictions you should be aware of. You should:

• Not drive for at least one week.
• Not exercise for at least 3-4 weeks. This includes certain everyday movements like bending over and lifting your arms over your head. You can walk for exercise but should not engage in anything more vigorous.
• Be prepared to wear a bra with no underwire all day and night for approximately 6 weeks post-surgery. You can take the bra off to shower and to wash it but should otherwise keep it on 24/7.
• Avoid underwire bras for about 3 months after surgery.
• Plan to sleep on your back as much as possible. You will definitely not want to sleep on your stomach. Back sleeping is the most conducive to healing from your surgery.