Breast Reduction Recovery

Most patients do quite well after a breast reduction procedure. The surgery involves removing breast tissue, fatty tissue and skin with no involvement of the muscle, which makes for a relatively smooth recovery. Most patients will take 3-4 days off work, during which time they will take narcotics before transitioning to tylenol. A surgical bra ( no underwire) will be worn for four weeks after surgery prior to a regular bra.

Activities with the arms should be minimized for the first week or so, but soon after surgery, most patients can have full range of motion of their arms and resume most regular activities. Remember, this is a much different recovery than a breast augmentation for example, where the pectoral(chest) muscle is divided and needs several weeks/months to heal.

Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for more information regarding breast reduction surgery and its recovery.

Many patients share your concerns, but the occurrence of complications is fortunately small.

There are factors that can increase risk, like smoking, obesity, and diabetes.

During consultation, discuss your concerns directly and openly with your surgeon to determine whether your surgery carries more than average risk.

No surgeon can guarantee surgery without complications or a specific result.  Even the best experts experience complications.  It does help to choose an experienced and well qualified surgeon with a known reputation for excellence in breast reduction.

Web reference: http://www.drzwiebel.com

Breast reduction surgery is very common and any major complications are low. The wound problems you are seeing can be minimized decreasing the amount of breast tissue that is removed, no smoking for three months before and 1 mo after the surgery.

Even under the most expert hands problems with wound healing can occur in breast reduction surgery as any surgery. If you see a plastic surgeon who says he does not have any of these problems then he is not being truthful with you.

Ultimately the operation is very safe AND patients are extremely happy with the way they look and feel.

Most breast reduction patients heal well and quickly after their procedure.  Absence of complications is the usual case although some minor complications may occur.  Comormidities  such as smoking, obesity, and  diabetes cause an increase in complications.

Web reference: http://www.drvitenas.com/breast-reduction.html

Thank you for the question.

On the one hand, complications after breast reduction surgery are rare  and mostly relatively minor.

On the other hand, complications can occur in the best of surgeons' hands. Membership in specific societies does not necessarily guarantee complication free surgery.

The best that you can to is to do your due diligence in  surgeon selection.

Best wishes.

Web reference: http://www.poustiplasticsurgery.com/Procedures/procedure_breastreduction.htm

For the vast majority of patients, the breast reduction procedure may creat tremendous satisfaction. However, patient selection is key.  During the consultation process, the board certified plastic surgeon must understand your needs, desires, lifestyle, medical condition and medical history before determing if a patient would make a good candidate.  

All plastic surgeons can have a very bad result from an operation that is ordinarily safe and effective. It's part of the uncertainty of life. However, the vast majority of breast reductions patients heal uneventfully and love their results.

Now, patient selection and choice of procedure is critical. Women with smaller (but still large breasts) have lower risk than women with gigantic breasts. Smoking increases risk. Diabetes and age increase risk.

In my practice, where I have done over the years many hundreds of reductions, I can think of only 3 patients who had major wound healing problems (loss of the areola that required reconstruction). This does not mean that only three patients had unsatisfactory scars, it means that they had open wounds after surgery that required dressing changes and another operation to fix the problem.

I think you should interview several good surgeons and if you end up with the level of confidence I think you will, then definitely consider a reduction. The vast majority of women love the outcome.

Web reference: http://www.zubowicz.com/gallery_breastReduc.php

In our society, the negative is often played up far more than the positive, no matter how much more unlikely those occurrences may be. I know it’s scary to hear about potential complications following breast reduction but, although there are risks with any surgery, the extreme levels you’re talking about really aren’t seen very often. I would encourage you to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with a trusted reputation. Your safety should be your number one concern, so take the time to find someone who is excellent, and then follow his or her post-op care instructions to the letter. The majority of women are very happy with their results following breast reduction, so focus on the positive and on finding a highly qualified surgeon above all.

Although complications can happen with any surgery, Breast reduction usually results in a fast recovery with few problems especially with a board certified plastic surgeon who performs many of these procedures per year. Obesity, smoking or use of niccotine, will increase the chance for problems with healing.

Some discomfort, swelling and discoloration of the breasts are to be expected for several weeks. Usually, our patients return to almost normal activity within two weeks

Typically breast reductions do very well after surgery. Some of the factors that can contribute to wound healing issues can be pre-screened prior to surgery. A patient's overall health, if they smoke or use tobacco products, or are significantly overweight, and others are all of concern. Breast reduction patients are often some of the happiest patients in a surgeon's practice though. Even if they have minor wound healing issues, the surgeon can often correct them and keep his or her patient happy .

As far as you seeing an ISAPS surgeon (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery surgeon) you can still experience unforeseen types of issues. No one surgeon is magic, but some surgeons definitely have more experience in one are than another. Having trained in Mississippi, breast reduction surgery was one of the most popular procedures I performed in my residency.

Web reference: http://www.bayareaaestheticsurgery.com/services/aesthetic_breast_reduction.htm