Breast reduction

What you may expect after surgery

Immediately after surgery your breasts will be swollen and the breasts may be more pert than you will see in the long term. As the swelling reduces the tissues will soften and the breasts will drop into a more natural position. For the first three to six months the surgical wounds will be red and possibly raised. As the tissues mature the scars will flatten and fade over a period of six months to one year.

Nipple sensation is likely to be affected by breast reduction. Most people experience some change in sensation in the nipple, with more than half of patients undergoing a breast reduction losing all feeling in the nipple. This is not usually a problem, providing that patients are aware of this occurrence, particularly as large breasts tend to have reduced nipple sensation due to stretching of nerves.

You should not expect to be able to breast feed following a breast reduction. In an inferior pedicle technique the nipple is separated from the glandular tissue and you are therefore unlikely to be able to breast feed in the future. In the superior pedicle technique segments of breast tissue are removed with the remaining tissues maintaining continuity with the nipple. The ductal system is therefore likely to be preserved and breast feeding should be possible, although this should not be relied upon.

 

Breast size

The exact size of your breasts cannot be guaranteed but your desired size is usually achieved. Variations of one cup size either side of your intended breast size may be the outcome.

 

Breast screening

You should continue with routine breast screening by mammography. Surgical changes will be recognisable on a mammogram but these are usually distinct from changes which may indicate cancer. You should, of course, tell the Radiographer that you have had a breast reduction. It would be wise not to have a mammogram in the first three months following surgery as your breasts will be rather uncomfortable during the procedure.