Breast Reduction

What does this involve?

Breast reduction is carried out under a general anaesthetic and usually requires a one to two night stay in hospital. 

There are various techniques that surgeons can use to perform this operation. Your surgeon will advise which is the most appropriate in your case, and will explain how your breasts will appear afterwards. Excess breast tissue is removed through incisions on the lower part of the breasts and the nipples are repositioned. The skin is reshaped and once surgery is complete, the incisions are closed with stitches.  When you wake at the end of the operation there will be some discomfort which will last for two or three days. Drainage tubes are frequently used and will be removed within a short period of time. You may need to remain in hospital for three to four days 

Following the procedure you will be taken from the operating theatre into the Recovery Suite where you will be looked after until you are fully awake following the anaesthetic. After this, you will return to your room, where nursing staff will check your dressings and monitor your pulse and blood pressure at regular intervals.

Your anaesthetist is likely to prescribe painkillers to reduce any potential discomfort and you should take these regularly for the first few days. Pain can slow down your recovery, so it is important to discuss any discomfort with the nursing staff.

You will have wound dressings in place and a supportive dressing around your breasts. You may also be wearing your support bra.

Until the affects of the anaesthetic have passed, you will need to rest. In the meantime you will be visited by your surgeon who will assess your progress and answer any questions or concerns you may have. Your nurses will also give you advice on getting out of bed, personal hygiene, and diet.

Hospital contact details will be provided should you require any advice once you have returned home, and a post-operative follow-up appointment with your surgeon will be arranged.

When will I recover?

The stitches will normally be removed between ten to fourteen days and you will be tired and require help at home for a period of time, from two to six weeks depending on your age and general fitness.

A well-fitting bra will need to be worn following surgery but because of the post-operative swelling the final size of your breasts may not be obvious for several weeks. There is likely to be some tenderness and lumpiness of the breasts for several weeks or even months following surgery but there is no reason why you cannot sunbathe and go swimming once the scars have fully healed 

You will receive a post-operative telephone call from the Cosmetic Surgery Specialist Nurse one to two days after your discharge home to ascertain your progress and well being.

At your post-operative follow-up appointment your surgeon will assess your progress and give advice on when you can resume your normal activities.

Very few women are able to breast feed following breast reduction surgery as the nipples are separated from the underlying milk ducts and at the time of pregnancy the milk supply will gradually dry up, sometimes with the assistance of hormone treatment. Breast reduction is no contra-indication to pregnancy but young women may well wish to take the fact that they are unable to breast feed into account before embarking on this procedure.  The nipples are likely to be very much less sensitive following surgery due to the nature of the cuts and the nerve supply and it is quite possible that numbness will extend over part of the breast as well

What risks should I know about?

Any major operation with a general anaesthetic carries a small risk of chest infection particularly among people who smoke and there is also a small risk of thrombosis in the veins of the leg, particularly for patients who are taking the contraceptive pill. 

Occasionally, heavy bleeding can occur after the operation is finished which may need a further operation and a blood transfusion and infection from germs harbouring in the ducts of the breast can be troublesome. Infection can be treated with antibiotics but it will delay the healing process, scars are likely to be worse to start with and there may be a need to re-stitch them at a later date.

Occasionally, skin can become sloughy and form a scab which gradually separates to leave a broad scar. The nipple disc and the skin where the scar meets underneath the breast are parts most likely to be affected. People who smoke are at greater risk of this happening. Usually the scars settle well to end up as white lines but they will always be noticeable. However, some people have an inborn tendency for scars to stretch and sometimes they can stay thick, red and irritable for a long time.

When reducing large breasts it may occasionally be necessary to adjust the folds of skin at the end of the scar, both between the breasts and at the sides. This can simply be carried out under local anaesthetic several months later.

Circle care

Mammoplasty is carried out at CircleBath, our state of the art hospital, which provides you with the best facilities and superb patient care.  We have a dedicated team of Cosmetic Surgeons and Nurses who will guide you through the process from first consultation to after-care and will be available to answer any questions or queries you may have.