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Typical Volume After Breast Reduction?

I am having a breast reduction in 6 weeks. What is the typical breast volume remaining once the procedure is finished? I'm currently 141 lbs, 5"3" and wear a 34DDD (on a medium frame).

Asked 28 months ago by Becky1 in San Diego, CA
Sort 13 expert answers by:
+4

Breast reduction and final size.

You should discuss this with your surgeon. Sizes can vary tremendously. The size of the resulting breast will depend on the agressiveness of the procedure. However, agressiveness comes at a cost. The more you reduce a breast, the more you risk compromising the blood supply to the skin and nipple...
Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Size After Breast Reduction?

Thank you for the question. Unfortunately, there is no direct correlation between the amount of tissue removed and the ultimate cup size that a patient will wear after breast reduction surgery. Before undergoing the breast reduction procedure it is very important to communicate your size goals with your surgeon. In my practice, the use of photographs of “goal” pictures (and breasts that are too big or too small) is very helpful. I have found that the use of words such... more
Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Final size after reduction

For women with extremely large breasts, I try to bring down the volume so that they fit a "C" or even  a "D" cup. Remember, in order for the skin flaps to heal adequately and the pedicle of tissue that supports the nipple and areola to survieve as well, they need to have a certain volume of tissue attached to maintain the blood supply.
Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Good to aim for a C cup after breast reduction.

Hi There is no typical volume left after breast reduction.  It depends on what you want.  In New York City, most women choose a C cup, but some choose a B, and others pick a D.
George J. Beraka, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast size after Breast Reduction Surgery

This is a very good question and one that is often asked. The key to any breast reduction is for the surgeon and the patient to discuss the patient's goals, the patient's anatomy, and what the surgeon feels he can safely create. The goal is not to remove a certain amount of tissue or to achieve a certain cup size, but rather to reduce the size of the breasts in an effort to alleviate the upper back and neck symptoms, while still creating an aesthetically pleasing shape to the breasts... more
Shahram Salemy, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Size after breast reduction surgery

The amount of tissue removed in each breast reduction case will vary depending on your specific body type and breast size/shape. The goal of breast reduction is to give you a smaller, more proportionate breast size while providing you with lifted and better shaped breasts. This will help alleviate any back and neck pain caused by excessively heavy and pendulous breasts. Also, it will help give you better posture and your clothing will fit better. Cup size is extremely inaccurate and how... more
Bahram Ghaderi, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast volume after reduction

Dear Becky One thing I never do is tell a patient how much tissue I will remove nor how much will remain. I also will not say exactly what size they will be after reduction. The goal is to reduce the breast enough to remove symptoms and give the breast an aesthetically pleasing appearance and have it be proportional to the body habitus. Most women can go down to at least a mid to full C and still look very proportional. A good deal of how much to remove and the final shape depends upon... more
Steven Schuster, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

No typical breast volume left after breast reduction is finished

There is NO "typical breast volume after breast reduction." Instead, there is a range from the high B's to the low D's. It all depends on what your preoperative volume, the insurance requirement for volume removal and the way your frame appears which would guide your surgeon in how much to remove. For the most part, you would PROBABLY end up with a full C cup. Good Luck.
Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon
+1

No Typical

The amount removed, and therefore the amount left depends on initial size of the breasts, and the desired endpoint. This will vary widely from individual to individual. You should discuss you goals carefully with your surgeon, and be sure you both understand them to be the same. It is terrible to go through an operation, have a great result, and you not be happy with it.
Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

There is no typical residual volume

What remains after a breast reduction is hopefully what you will be happy with. This is dependent on size, shape, position, weight, and consistency of the remaining breast. Most women are concerned with relief of discomfort that translates into a certain amount of reduction in weight of the breast but is also dependent on the support and position of the breast on the chest. But they are often just as interested in an attractive breast and that varies from patient to patient. Make sure you... more
Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction volumes vary

The amount of tissue removed varies from patient to patient. What is left behind is what will create the breast form and shape for the rest of your life. It is like sculpting and no 2 surgeons are alike. Make sure you like the many postop photos your doctor should have shown you and that you are on the same page as to what you want in the end.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Volume after Breast Reduction

There is no typical or set volume after reductions.  This is a question that you should discuss with your plastic surgeon.  In order to meet insurance requirements, assuming your procedure is covered, your post-op cup-size will probably be around a C.
John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1

What a surgeon leaves is as important as what is removed.

Becky, please be explicit with your surgeon. Your insurance company may have a weight requirement (gm/side), which your surgeon will discuss with you. It seems that you will meet the height/weight guidelines for most insurance company sponsorship, however we all accept that bra size varies with manufacturer. If you have been busty all your life, reduction to a B may be too much of a body image shift. Depending on the technique used and the composition of the breast, you would be well... more
Lavinia Chong, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon
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