Breast reduction surgery (mammoplasty)

What is breast reduction surgery? 

Breast reduction surgery, also known as a reduction mammoplasty, is a plastic surgery procedure that decreases the size of your breasts. It can provide relief from the problems that large breasts might be causing you, like back and shoulder pain or difficulty exercising. 

Performed under general anaesthetic (while you are asleep), the procedure involves making an incision around each nipple and down the front and under each breast, before removing excess breast tissue, fat and skin. Our surgeons will then reshape your breasts and reset your nipples to look natural and symmetrical for their new size.  

Our plastic surgeons at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals are leaders in their field. We offer one of the largest plastic surgery services in the UK, with our specialists performing both routine and complex procedures on the skin, face, breast, and body. 

Why might breast reduction surgery be performed?

Some women may want breast reduction surgery because they’re unhappy with the large size of their breasts. However, others may choose this surgery due to the physical problems their large breasts are causing. 

Large breasts can cause problems like:  

• chronic back, shoulder and neck pain 
• rashes and irritation under the breasts 
• nerve pain 
• struggling to be physically active due to ill-fitting sports bras 
• difficulty fitting into bras and clothing
  

We also offer male breast reduction for gynaecomastia (excess breast tissue growth).

Who is suitable for breast reduction surgery? 

Breast reduction surgery might suit you if you are unhappy with your large breasts and they are causing you physical or emotional discomfort.  

However, we may not recommend breast reduction surgery if you are a smoker or overweight.  

You may also wish to postpone breast reduction surgery if you’ve not had children yet, as pregnancy can change your breasts and make breastfeeding potentially challenging.  

Similarly, if you plan to lose weight, this may change your breasts’ size and shape, so it might be best to wait until you’re at your goal weight before continuing.  

Your breasts must be fully developed before you undergo breast reduction surgery, as once they’re healed, they can continue to grow.  

It’s also worth considering the scarring that breast reduction surgery can cause. Generally, you’ll have some scarring around your breasts – even after you’re healed – so you must accept the possibility of permanent scarring.  

If you would like to discuss breast reduction surgery with one of our plastic surgery consultants, contact our team to book an appointment.  

Preparing for breast reduction surgery 

Before having breast reduction surgery, our surgeon will discuss your desired results and medical history during a thorough consultation. They’ll also explain the risks and benefits of surgery so you can make a more informed decision. 

Our surgeon will examine your breasts and take photos for your medical record. Examining your breasts ensures your desired results are realistic and possible.  

We’ll always tell you what’s achievable with your current breasts and health as we put your wellbeing over appearance.  

We may advise you to stop smoking for at least 6 weeks beforehand and adjust specific medications. Do not stop your medicine unless our surgeon instructs otherwise.

What happens during breast reduction surgery? 

We perform breast reduction surgery under general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep throughout.  

First, our surgeon will make an incision around each nipple and down the front of each breast. Next, they carefully remove excess breast tissue, fat and skin.  

Sometimes, we perform liposuction to remove excess fat as well. This involves a vacuum tool being inserted under the skin to suck out the fat.

Our surgeon will reshape your breasts and reset the nipple to look natural. Depending on your breasts’ size, your nipple may stay attached to your breasts during surgery and we’ll lift them alongside the rest of the skin. However, larger breasts may require the nipple to be removed and grafted back on as a new nipple. 

Our surgeons will ensure your breasts are symmetrical, natural-looking and as close to your desired results as possible.  

Once the procedure is finished, we’ll close the incisions with internal dissolvable stitches and cover them with dressings. They may place a drainage tube under each of your arms as well, to drain any excess fluid and blood. The team will also put a surgical bra over your chest to keep your breasts in place and promote healing.

How long does breast reduction surgery take? 

A breast reduction can take between 2 and 3 hours to complete, depending on the size of your breasts and the extent of the operation.

What happens after breast reduction surgery? 

Breast reduction surgery is generally undertaken as a day-case surgery, so you would go home the same day. Sometimes in larger breast reductions your surgeon will advise an overnight stay in our hospital.  

You’ll likely experience some pain and discomfort for the first few days, but we’ll give you effective pain relief. 

Your breasts will be swollen and may feel lumpy at first. The swelling can take up to 3 months to reduce entirely, which means you might not see your final results until then.  

However, your stitches will dissolve, so you won’t need to return to have them removed.  

You cannot drive yourself home, so arrange transport before your surgery. It can take a minimum of 2 weeks before you can drive again.  

We’ll explain how long you need to wear a supportive sports bra during your recovery – generally, you’ll need to wear it 24 hours a day for up to 6 to 8 weeks.

What is the recovery time for breast reduction surgery? 

It can take up to 6 weeks to fully recover from breast reduction surgery, and you’ll most likely need up to 2 weeks off work. You must avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for up to six weeks as well.  

Always contact our team if you’re unsure when to resume certain activities. We’ll be happy to help.  

Benefits of breast reduction surgery 

Breast reduction surgery has many possible benefits for women with larger breasts.  

Mainly, it can significantly reduce the pain and discomfort of larger breasts. Once the discomfort from surgery has gone away, you’ll notice an immediate and drastic reduction in strain on your shoulders, neck and back. 

Many women also experience a boost in self-esteem after surgery if their confidence is affected by having large breasts.

You might be able to fit into bras and clothes more successfully as well, and find that exercising becomes easier due to having smaller breasts.

Risks of breast reduction surgery 

All operations have potential risks, including breast reduction surgery.  

Some of the possible risks of breast reduction surgery can include:  

• scarring 
• difficulty breastfeeding 
• losing sensation in your nipples and surrounding skin (this is rare and can be temporary or permanent)
  

Although risks are possible, our highly experienced plastic surgeons take every precaution to minimise them. 

If you would like to speak to one of our plastic surgeons about the benefits and risks of breast reduction surgery and if it’s right for you, get in touch with our team to arrange an appointment.