Breast reduction

Surgery

Surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and will involve a stay of one or two nights in hospital postoperatively. On the day of surgery we will meet again and we will plan the operation by marking the new position for your nipple and the surgical incisions on your breasts. This is done with you awake and either standing or sitting. Your input for your desired size is obviously important at the stage.

The surgical wounds are closed with absorbable sutures and suture tape. We usually leave drains in the wounds which are removed before you leave hospital. You will leave hospital with a firm dressing in place or a sports bra if you able to bring one along

 

Aftercare

Dressings will remain in place for one week following surgery. After removal of dressings you can resume normal skin care and we will encourage you to moisturise the wounds on a regular basis. We will ask you to wear a firm sports bra at all times for the first month following surgery and then during the day for the second and third months. Providing you are wearing good support we will encourage you to resume physical activity as comfort allows.

Following general anaesthesia you should not drive for 48 hours but I would expect you to be driving between three and five days following surgery providing comfort allows.

In the early stages we will encourage plenty of walking to maintain physical fitness and protect against venous thrombosis. Non impact work in the lower body can be commenced as soon as comfort allows, providing you are wearing support. Upper body work can be resumed between ten and 14 days following surgery and impact work in the gymnasium between four and six weeks, with full physical activity, including jogging, being resumed after eight weeks.

I would recommend that you take two weeks off work following a breast reduction but this may of course vary depending upon the type of work that you are doing.