Your breasts may feel firmer and look rounder. Breast reduction may change the normal feeling in your breast. But in time, some feeling may return. Keep in mind that it may take time to get used to your breasts after your surgery.
Following breast reduction surgery, breast shape and size changes may occur over the six months following surgery. Since the breasts are raised higher during the procedure, the scarring will remain hidden even though the crease below the breasts is also positioned higher.
For sensation to gradually increase after the cosmetic surgery, the damaged nerves need time to regenerate. For some patients, nipple sensation has been reported to return within 2-3 months, but this can vary. Although surgeons will try to preserve the nerves, 20-30% of patients lose some sensation.
Three-to-four months
By the end of three or four months, your breasts will have fully healed and settled. At this point, you can see the final, shapely and smaller results. Break out the cute bras and smaller tops and enjoy the results of your breast reduction!
1 to 2 Weeks After Surgery
You can expect your breasts to feel tight and swollen for about one week – many women compare this feeling to when their bodies start producing milk for breastfeeding. Throughout this time, you should not have too many issues moving around.
If you have undergone a reduction or implant removal and don't wear your compression bra you may end up with more excess, sagging skin around your breasts.
Typically, most reductions bring the cup size down one to two sizes, though in cases of extremely large breasts, more drastic results may be achieved. For example, a woman who is a DD but wants a reduction to reduce discomfort, especially during physical activity and exercise may be able to go down to a B-C cup.
After breast reduction with an inverted T scar and sometimes with mastopexy the tightening of the skin envelope means that the point of maximal tightness is in the midline between the nipple and the inframammary fold. Occasionally this may lead to some fullness laterally which gives a flat, rather square appearance.
One of the most significant advantages of weight loss after breast reduction surgery. Most women report feeling much more capable of exercising and maintaining their weight after the operation. It's common for women to lose between 10 and 20 pounds in the months following surgery.
Breast reduction risks can include:
Blood clots. Breast asymmetry. Breast contour and shape irregularities. Changes in nipple or breast sensation, which may be temporary or permanent.
Because a breast lift is typically less invasive than a breast reduction, it is generally less painful and has a shorter recovery. Loss of sensation to the nipple area is a risk with either procedure but is pretty rare with a lift.
The most common breast reduction complications are infections, loss of nipple sensation and breast reduction scars. Most patients have a lollipop-shaped scar that circles the nipple and includes a straight line down to the crease under the breast, or an anchor-shaped scar along the fold under the breast.
During your recovery, your activity level will be significantly reduced. This decrease in movement can lead to fluid retention, increasing your swelling and bloating symptoms. Without being able to engage in the physical activity you usually would, you may even recognise a small weight gain. This is completely normal!
The procedure can significantly reduce your breast size, and the removed breast tissue doesn't usually grow back after the surgery. In some cases, your breasts may become larger or appear bigger after reduction mammoplasty because of pregnancy, hormonal changes, weight gain, or ageing.
It is critical that patients wear their supportive unwired medical bra at all times for the first 1 – 2 weeks after breast lift surgery. At this point, you may be able to sleep without a bra, though most patients find it more comfortable to continue wearing an unwired bra around the clock for several more weeks.
The breast shape will not look quite right for several weeks because of the breast lift that is done as part of the reduction procedure. It leaves the breast looking a little flat on the bottom and a little wide and these changes resolve in a few weeks.
People rarely regret breast reduction surgery.
I couldn't have been happier with my decision to get a breast reduction—and according to plastic surgeons, most patients feel similarly. “Breast reduction is a very commonly performed breast surgical procedure, with arguably the highest patient satisfaction,” Sachin M.
Generally speaking, most women seek to reduce the size of their breasts by at least one or two cup sizes. Ideally, the amount of breast tissue you eliminate should create a natural-looking silhouette, meaning that the proportions of your body will be evenly balanced.
Typically, most women drop one or two cup sizes with breast reduction surgery. This is usually sufficient to alleviate the many problems associated with overly-large breasts, while still maintaining an attractive and proportionate body shape.
How much weight a breast reduction surgery removes depends greatly on the size of the reduction; patients in need of a larger reduction will lose a greater quantity of breast tissue, fat, and skin. However, in general, the amount of weight removed falls between 2-8 pounds (0.9-3.6 kg).
Take it easy for one week. Take short walks, move slowly, take care of yourself, eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water. Do not try to exercise, diet or do anything more than rest and recover. You will need to sleep on your back for at least 2-3 weeks.
You should expect some discomfort after the procedure as your breast tissue will be swollen and bruised. You may also temporarily lose sensation in your breast skin and nipples. Most women can handle post-op discomfort well with the help of pain medication.
Not only can it reduce or eliminate upper back, shoulder and neck pain from heavy breasts, a reduction can also help enhance self-esteem, get you back to exercise and improve the fit and shape of off-the-rack clothing and bras.