Breast Reduction Q&A
95%
WORTH IT RATING
"Worth It Rating" shows the % of consumer reviewers that stated the procedure was "Worth It" or not. See more RealSelf Worth It Ratings or Add Your Review
450 Reviews
Breast Reductionbefore & after photos
View Before and Afters

Average Breast Reduction Cost: $4,675

Learn about Breast Reduction

1,807 people and 560 doctors are talking about Breast Reduction

Get Free Email Updates

Is Breast Reduction Surgery Like Liposuction?

asked 4 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Robert E. Zaworski, MD
Question viewed 3,019 times
Tags: breasts

I want breast reduction surgery and I am wondering how it all works. Do they just do liposuction to remove the extra fat in your breasts?

29 answers to Is Breast Reduction Surgery Like Liposuction?

+2

Breast Reduction and Liposuction

Erin, Thanks for the question. Liposuction on its own, per se, is not a technique typically performed to achieve a breast reduction. In general, breast reductions include modification of the skin and underlying soft-tissue which includes both breast glandular tissue as well as a fatty component. These modifications cannot be met by liposuction alone. It is not uncommon to perform liposuction in conjunction with a breast reduction surgery. On the rare occasion, in breasts with good skin tone... more
Glenn Vallecillos, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

www.BeverlyHillsCosmeticSurgeon.com

+3

Breast reduction takes more than lipo

Hi Erinn - Most women's breasts are made up of both fat tissue and gland tissue. The gland tissue is usually too hard (in consistency) to remove with liposuction so breast reduction by liposuction is limited in the amount of volume that can be removed (since it can only remove the excess fat tissue, not gland). Breast reduction surgery can be completed using several different methods and several different scar patterns. The common elements between each type of breast reduction surgery are... more
Kim Meathrel, MD

Ontario Plastic Surgeon
+2

Liposuction alone for breast reduction is uncommon

Breast reduction typically reduces breast volume and breast skin, and provides a breast lift at the same time. Liposuction alone can reduce breast volume, but it does not change the amount of skin or position of the nipple. The majority of breast reduction patients are not good candidates for liposuction-only breast reduction. To be a good candidate, the desired volume of reduction is small, the breasts are more fatty than fibrous, the skin is of excellent quality, the nipple is in good... more
Anita Patel, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast reduction and liposuction

Erin - Breast reduction involves changing the volume of your breasts AND changing the skin envelope. Liposuction typically only significantly can change the volume. The other issue to consider is liposuction of the breasts can leave internal scarring that can appear very similar to calcifications seen in patients with breast cancer. For this reason alone most board certified plastic surgeons approach liposuction of the breasts with some caution. I hope this helps.
Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast Reduction and Liposuction.

There are four basic breast reduction techniques and scarless liposuction breast reduction is one of them. With the other three techniques, excess breast tissue and skin are cut out and liposuction is not primarily used. A). Liposuction. If you do not have too much sagging, and if you only want to reduce the size of your breasts by approximately one cup size, then liposuction breast reduction is an excellent choice because there are no scars. So liposuction is a great approach for... more
George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+2

Breast reduction surgery can be done with many...

Breast reduction surgery can be done with many techniques and can include liposuction as part of the procedure. However, because almost all patients who need a reduction also need a breast lift for optimal shaping, the surgery requires incisions to allow the surgeon to reduce the excess breast volume and also to lift and reshape the breast. Make sure your surgeon shows you many photos of their patients so you are comfortable with the trade-off of decreased symptoms and improved breast size... more
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

Erinn-- Breast reduction surgery involves three key...

Erinn-- Breast reduction surgery involves three key things: Reducing the volume or weight of the breast by removing breast tissue and fat Lifting the nipple and areola into a more ideal position Tightening the skin envelope around the breast These three key steps will not just reduce the breast, but reshape it into a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. While some folks can have a reduction just by liposuction, this I find is the minority of patients. Also, there is more than one way... more
Shahram Salemy, MD

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Reduction and Liposuction

Liposuction is not recommended for breast reduction. The only area that liposuction may be used in this procedure, is on the sides, under the arms. This surgery requires removal of both skin and breast tissue. Your breast are not just fatty tissue. Be sure you get a baseline mammagram prior to your surgery, and see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon (ASPS) to discuss your options.
Robert E. Zaworski, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Reduction - Is Breast Reduction Surgery Like Liposuction?

Although breast reduction can be performed by liposuction alone, that is not normally what is done. In general, you have to have breast tissue AND skin removed, and a lift is performed as part of the reduction. Depending on how much tissue is being removed, and the preferences of the surgeon (and patient) there will usually be a scar around the areola and a scar going down to the crease (referred to as the lollipop incision); often an additional scar within the crease itself is... more
Alan Engler, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction technique?

Thank you for the question. Breast reduction surgery involves excision of “excess” breast tissue, subcutaneous fat, and skin. The procedure generally involves “lifting” of the nipple/areola complexes superiorly. Liposuction, on the other hand, involves removal of adipose tissue with cannulas. Most patients presenting with breast hypertrophy are not good candidates for liposuction alone, although liposuction surgery can be used as a adjunct... more
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction surgery

During a breast reduction procedure, breast tissue and excess skin are removed, the breast tissue is reshaped and the nipples and areolae are repositioned superiorly. Liposuction involves only removal of fatty tissue from the breast.
Olivia Hutchinson, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction patients are some of our happiest patients

  Our breast reduction patients are some of our happiest patients. After the surgery the patients literally experience a huge weight off your shoulder. Patients appreciate the smaller size the lighter weight and the more attractive contour and appearance of the breasts. In our practice, 95% of our breast reductions are performed through either a periareolar incision or a lollipop incision. This is because these surgeries allow for improved shape of the breast better support of... more
B. Pat Pazmino, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon
+1

For best results - No Liposuction

For a breast reduction, excess fat and skin are removed during surgery. Because the breasts themselves are not only excess fat, removing fat alone does not create a satisfying result without removing excess skin as well. Liposuction alone is not recommended for the breasts due to mamillary glands, breast tissue, and the issue with the excess skin still remaining after fat removal alone. To contour to your desired breast shape, tissue, fat, and skin are all removed and then a contoured... more
Joseph Serota, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction is a common breast procedure

Breast reduction techniques deal with both excess skin and breast tissue. There are a variety of breast reduction techniques, but each aims to reduce the overall weight of the breast, reduce the size of the skin envelope and reposition the nipple/areola in an aesthetically pleasing location. Liposuction can be incorporated into the procedure, but has a minor role in the overall shaping and reconstruction of the reduced breast.
Scott Sattler, MD

Bellevue Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction surgery

Breast reduction is simply decreasing the size of the breasts via either liposuction or direct surgical removal. Patient who are candidates for liposuction reduction techniques tend to be young with good skin tone, good nipple position on the breasts, and fattier type breasts (as opposed to breasts consisting mostly of gland). As such, liposuction breast reduction is much less common than traditional surgical excisions. Surgical breast reductions involve removing skin, fat, and breast... more
David Bogue, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction and breast liposuction

Liposuction on the breast would only be indicated for the rare patient with good shape, no sag, and minimal tissue removal needed. It is usually not a good procedure for breast reduction unless it's performed along with a surgical removal of breast tissue and skin. The patients I've seen that have had a liposuction--only breast reduction tend to have droopy, downward pointed breasts with loose skin afterward. They're usually in the office to get a revision, essentially a completion... more
Douglas J. Mackenzie, MD

Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon

www.pacificplasticsurgery.com

+1

Breast reduction and liposuction

There are many different ways to perform a breast reduction. If your breasts are moderately large, and you have good skin tone and the breasts do not sag too much, then liposuction may be one way to reduce your breasts, if they are fatty breasts. Most breast reductions are performed though carefully placed incisions where skin, fat and breast tissue are removed, then the breasts incisions are closed and the breasts are therefore reduced and lifted.
Amy T. Bandy, DO

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Reduction - Video showing how it is done.

A breast reduction is done by physically removing breast tissue and skin.  I made a video that animates the surgery and overlays the animation on one of my patients morphed before and after photos.  There is a way to reduce breast volume with liposuction, but this will result in deflated breasts.  The more traditional surgical approach to breast reduction results in visible scars on the breasts, but creates natural appearing lifted breasts.  Please watch the video to see... more
Michael A. Bogdan, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Majority of Breast Reduction Surgeries cannot be performed by liposuction alone

There are several components to Breast Reduction Surgery beyond simply reducing the contents of the breast which is all that liposuction by itself would allow. If just the inner breast tissue was removed then there would be an issue with the remaining excess of breast skin. In addition, the nipple complex is oftentimes disproportionally large and inappropriately low for the reduced breast size. These factors have to be accounted for in planning for Breast Reduction Surgery. Therefore... more
David A. Ross, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Few doctors use Liposucton for breast reduction

Typically, breast reduction is accomplished by removing the excess tissue by either cutting it out. A few doctors use liposuction to remove the excess tissue. Because liposuction does not remove the excess skin, I find the aesthetic result is not acceptable. The breast skin needs to be tailored to fit the new, smaller breast volume. I often use liposuction to remove fat from the "bra strap" area at the time of surgery and to contour the lateral part of the breast, to improve the... more
Tracy Pfeifer, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

drpfeifer.com

+1

Liposuction only breast reduction

Most breast reductions are done to treat a combination of excess skin and glandular tissues. This requires removal of breast tissue and skin. Liposuction only breast reduction deals with a small subset of patients with good skin tone,minimal skin excess and relatively small reductions. Hope that helps!
Hisham Seify, MD, PhD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction and liposuction

Occasionally, liposuction can play a role in breast reduction in certain cases. Rarely can an entire breast reduction be done solely with liposuction--only if a patient has very good skin tone and a favorable nipple position. The vast majority of patients with large breasts will require tissue and skin removal which liposuction alone can not achieve. Liposuction can sometimes help improve contour at the sides of the breast near the armpit area in certain cases. Please consult with a board... more
William Bruno, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

No, but liposuction assists with the operation

Breast is made of fat and glandular tissue. The relative amounts are different from patient to patient. Liposuction is used to aid in contouring, but it is ineffective in removing glandular tissue. A breast reduction does 4 basic things: resizes the areola, repositions the areola, reduces breast tissue, and removes excess skin after the breast mound reduction.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction and Breast Reduction

In the scientific literature, liposuction is an accepted modality for breast reduction surgery. However, skin redundancy postoperatively makes this option less acceptable in the majority of cases. I prefer the short scar reduction mammaplasty technique from France that minimizes surgical scarring from breast reduction surgery.
Raffy Karamanoukian, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction and Breast Reduction are complimentary to each other

Because breasts are composed of both fatty and fibrous tissue, liposuction alone is rarely very effective. Most women who need their breasts reduced (due to excessively large size) also have excess breast skin. Surgical removal of this excess tissue is almost always required to some extent. Liposuction works well in concert with breast reduction, to help contour the outer chest wall and areas near the armpits.
Kevin Brenner, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Reduction by Lipoplasty

Liposuction is usually not a good procedure for obtaining breast reduction. This surgery almost always involves excision of both fat and glandular tissue. The only candidates for lipoplasty alone are patients who require minimal reductions who also have good skin tone and minimal nipple ptosis. On the other hand, I do often use liposuction as as adjunct for excisional reduction, mainly for fatty deposits laterally and extending into the axilla.
John Whitt, MD

Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction for Breast Reduction with minimal to mild ptosis (sag)

The most critical measurement in determining if breast reduction can be accomplished with liposuction is to calculate the degree of ptosis or sagging. Large breasts with minimal to mild ptosis (sagging) can be reduced with liposuction. Large breasts with moderate to severe ptosis will more likely require skin reduction to lift and rearrange the position of the nipple once the breast tissue and fat have been reduced.
Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Not usually.

Hello, There are doctors who will simply liposuction your breasts, but the excess skin that is recruited in the process may then simply hang there. A Standard Breast Reduction involves lifting the breasts and removing portions of the breast gland to both lighten and lift the breasts.
John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction is one technique that can be used to reduce...

Liposuction is one technique that can be used to reduce the overall volume of the breasts for some women. This is best for women with fatty breasts, as opposed to those that are primarily glandualr tissue. However, it does not "lift" the breast very much or treat the excess skin or parenchymal tissue. For the majority of patients, that want a reduction and an improvment of the shape and aesthetic result, a reduction using a lollipop type incision, or a inverted-T incision is... more
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Ask a question