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When is a Good Time to Have Breast Reduction Done?

asked 3 years ago by blueskys09 in Sandpoint, Idaho
Latest answer by Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS
Question viewed 879 times
Tags: breasts, breast feeding, breast size

I would like to know when it is a good time to have a Breast reduction. I have wanted to have a Breast reduction for a number of years. I used to have a 36 DD on a frame of 5'7" and 145 pounds. I recently had a baby (2 months ago) and am not breast feeding, nor do I plan to do so anytime in the future, if I have more children. I am still maintaining a very large breast size (36 G) and would like to know if I should wait longer to consider having the surgery in hopes that my chest may shrink down some more.

15 answers to When is a Good Time to Have Breast Reduction Done?

Timing for Breast Reduction Following Pregnancy

I wold wait a minimum of 6 months following pregnancy to make sure your breasts have stabilized and are not changing any more. At that point you would be a good candidate for Breast Reduction .Here are some generalizations as to who are good candidates: Candidates for Breast Reduction surgery are women who wish to have smaller breasts to achieve a more proportional appearance or to alleviate physical discomfort. Breast reduction can correct symptoms from excessively large, heavy... more

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Timing of Breast Reduction?

Thank you for the question. Breast reduction surgery is one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform. By removing “excess” breast tissue, adipose tissue, and breast skin this operation reduces and lifts the breasts to a higher position on the chest wall. By doing so, patients often find improvement in neck, back, and shoulder discomfort and find it easier to form their activities of daily living and exercise. Timing of the operation will depend on the... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Breast reduction following pregnancy

From your description, it sounds like you will be an excellent candidate for breast reduction surgery. However, I always encourage my patients to wait a minimum of six months after delivery to have any breast surgery. In fact, I will have them wait even longer if they are actively breast feeding (at least six months after completing breast feeding). A woman's breasts change a great deal over a 40 week gestation and it commonly takes about the same amount of time for them to decrease... more

Kevin Brenner, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Ideal Timing for a Breast Reduction

ANY body shaping is best done when the person has reached STABILITY; in her weight and in her life. There is no point in putting expensive windows in walls that will be changed or torn in 1-2 years. If you are planning on further pregnancies, if your weight will fluctuate widely or if you are not ready psychologically I would postpone the surgery until these factors have been met. As regards to pregnancy, although Breast Reduction could be done earlier, it is best to wait 6 months... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Breast reduction after pregnancy

Many surgeons prefer that you wait a minimum of 6 months following pregnancy. There is some variation in the anatomy of one woman versus another, so I would recommend a consultation for recommendations for your specific body type and overall situation.

Deason Dunagan, MD
Huntsville Plastic Surgeon

Ideal time for a breast reduction

The ideal time for a breast reduction is when a woman is no longer breast-feeding and is that a stable and ideal weight. Patients who participate in losing a significant amount of weight are encouraged to delay their breast reduction until they have reached their goal weight and have been stable at that rate for these for six months. This will prevent undue changes in the breast after significant weight loss after such a reduction.

B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Optimal timing for Breast Reduction

As a generality, a woman will experience significant volume and shape changes at three periods of her life: a) menarche, when as an adolescent, your breasts erupt; b) post pregnancy and lactation, when your breasts are subject to significant hormonal variations; & c) menopause, when your breast composition changes to a predominantly fatty component. Most of my best reduction patients have waited to schedule surgery until after they have done a thorough cost-benefit analysis. Some of... more

Lavinia Chong, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

www.chongmd.com

Breast Surgery after pregnancy

If your breasts are still somewhat engorged after having children, you should wait about 6 months or longer until they have come back to their normal volume before you go ahead and have a breast reduction.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Wait a minimum of 3 months before having surgery

I would recommend waiting at least 3, preferably 6 months, before having surgery. You want to give your breasts an opportunity to stop lactating and shrink in size. You should be aware that breast feeding can be effected by breast reduction surgery. If you are not planning to breast feed now, or in the future, having the surgery should not be an issue for you.

David A. Robinson, MD
Munster Plastic Surgeon

It's probably a good time to get the breast reduction

It usually take a month or two depending upon the insurance company to get a procedure approved. By then you'll be 4 months out and could look at scheuling. I agree that the 4-6 month window is a good time, as long as you have help with the baby. You will be sore and unable to lift the child for a while. Good Luck!

Scott Tucker, MD
Winston Salem Plastic Surgeon

Sounds a little soon

At this point, there is still a possibility that you will shrink some more on your own. I would advise that you wait 6 months from the delivery date and see. Then if your weight is down but the breasts are still huge, consider the surgery knowing that is may have an affect on future breast feeding and that future pregancies may alter the result.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Go for Breast Reduction

I believe the best time to have surgery, is when you have the time to go through a relatively short recovery period. Most of my breast reduction patients return to an office job in 5 days. However, no strenuous excercise is permitted for a minimum of 2 weeks.

Darrick E. Antell, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

A minimum of 3 months after breast-feeding

It is always best to be at as stable a weight as you can prior to a breast reduction and to be at least 3 months out from having any milk production. Most plastic surgeons will tell you that their most gratified patients are the breast reduction patients. Many women who I have cared for in their 60's wish they had done it a lot sooner. This having been said, you should meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon to discuss your specific situation and determine when your breast reduction... more

Michael C. Edwards, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Timing of Breast reduction

This is a difficult question to answer as there is the possibiltiy that any breast reduction surgery may interfere with your subsequent ability to nurse even if duct sparing procedures are utilized. It comes down to the amount of pain and discomfort that you are experiencing. At this point, I would advise you to wait a minimum of 4 months after cessation of nursing and when your weight has stabilized. It is still early after your pregnancy and I feel that your breasts may diminish in size. more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Go ahead with breast reduction now

Once the breasts have stabilized after pregnancy, you may proceed with breast reduction. I think you will find that the reduction in weight will come as an enormous relief. Most patients lose additional weight after reduction because they become more physically active with the large appendages out of the way (a study I conduction on my patients showed a loss of 14 libs on average per patient after the reduction). Should you get pregnant again, depending on the technique, breast feeding will... more