Breast Reduction

What's It All About

To reduce the size and proportion of your breasts.

How Much Will It Cost Me

You are looking at it costing from around £4500 to over £5000 to have a breast reduction staying for one night in hospital. If you were to stay for two nights you are looking at between £5000 to £6000.

The main factor in all this is the provider. You may find it is cheaper to go with a independent surgeon and his own private practice than with a major cosmetic surgery provider, however this extra cost may come with a more comprehensive aftercare program that an independent surgeon may be able to offer, such as free follow-up consultations.

What Happens In Theatre

Breast reduction is a surgical procedure to remove fat, glandular tissue and skin from the breast. The operation can last between two and four hours and takes place under a general anaesthetic. You will be required to stay in hospital for up to two nights.

The surgeon will make an incision around the areola (the brownish area around the nipple), vertically down the breast and then along the natural crease beneath the breast (creating an anchor scar when healed). They then remove any excess tissue and skin from the breast and move the nipple and areola into their new positions. Skin from both sides of the breast is then pulled down and around the areola, making the new shape of the breast and then any excess fat can be removed.

In most cases during surgery, the nipples remain attached to their blood vessels and nerves as they are being moved. However, if the breasts are very large, the nipples and areolas may have to be completely removed and grafted into a higher position - this may result in a loss of sensation in the nipples and areola.

It is a normal requirement that you stay in hospital for two nights, you should take up to two weeks off work and should avoid lifting and physical exercise for about a month after surgery. It is important that the breasts are well supported by means of a firm dressing initially and then by a supportive bra. The sutures will be removed between one to two weeks and it is important to keep the scars out of the sun for one year to prevent damage while healing.

The Results

After surgery your breasts will be smaller and better proportioned than before. With smaller, better proportioned breasts, you'll feel more comfortable and your clothes will fit better.

Risks & Complications

Having a Breast Reduction will leave you with permanent scars (in the shape of an anchor as stated before) which initially may be red but which normally fade close to your natural skin colour over several months.

It is important as with all surgery that you do not smoke after the surgery as this will affect your scarring and will reduce the healing process and leave you with more noticeable scarring compared with someone who doesn’t smoke.

In some circumstance the procedure may leave you with breasts that are not both the same size (this can normally be corrected with a minor revision surgery). Other risks may include asymmetrical nipples, permanent nipple loss, loss of feeling in your nipples or breasts and you may also be unable to breastfeed in the future.

Thinking Ahead

Women with very large breasts may experience a variety of medical problems caused by the excessive weight of their breasts. These problems can include back and neck pain and can extend to skin irritation and even skeletal deformities and breathing problems. Bra straps may leave indentations in your shoulders. And unusually large breasts can make a woman or a teenage girl feel extremely self-conscious.

Therefore if you do have very large breasts it may be possible to reduce their size by taking part in regular exercise, although the results will take a number of months to notice compared with having a Breast Reduction. The upside being that you will be left with no scarring.

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