Debra Bergman, MD

Dr. Bregman is seriously gifted. She did my TT over ten years ago and I have always been delighted with the results. She also does a gorgeous belly button like no one else. When you are researching surgeons for this procedure, always ask to see photos of the belly button, because some surgeons will mess that up. Dr. B has a nice, personable manner and was good with pain management. I would absolutely go back to her.

Had huge breasts for my frame thanks to genetics and wanted a reduction for years. I had a great experience with Dr. Bergman and her staff. From the moment I woke up from anesthesia my back/neck/shoulders have been healing and steady improving. The permanent grooves from my bras in my shoulders are gone. I actually have a torso and enjoy trying on clothes again! Dr. Bergman went to bat for me to get it covered by insurance (luckily mine provides coverage) and ultimately I didn’t have to pay a dime. I would go into detail but I think my results speak for the themselves. Very smooth and uneventful recovery. My incision scars are still healing but, just like my C-section scar, I imagine they’ll be nearly invisible by the time I’m a year post-op. If you are considering a reduction I highly recommend the r/reduction community on Reddit, it was a massive lifesaver for me before/after my procedure.

Updated on 10 Jan 2021:
Forgot to include in my original post: I have had one kid and I breastfed him for almost 2 years. My breasts got so huge right when I got pregnant with him and I hoped they might shrink a bit after breastfeeding, but never did. It seems to be genetic as my mom and sister had the same experience. My mom also had a reduction years ago and very pleased with her results. For me, I am not planning to have more kids so being able to breastfeed again wasn't a concern of mine.

I have been dissatisfied with my breasts for as long as I can remember. I finally made the decision to go with a lift with a reduction from a 34DDD and wanted to be a full C. So far I think I am a 34D but according to VS I am a 32DD. However I am aware we won't know the end result for some months. They are so perky and I think I have tried on every piece of clothing I own to marvel to the results!

Updated on 29 Sep 2016:


Updated on 4 Oct 2016:
I didn't do much in the way of research before my surgery because I was just fed up and wanted them gone! And had my surgery one month after consultation. However I found myself in need of a few things I didn't realize I needed or found useful. They will tell you about the antibacterial was before surgery but still use it in every shower. The first week was very painful for me but I have never given birth nor had surgery before so your pain tolerance may be different. Due to the pain. A thing was not a option everyday. I got the face, baby and feminine wipes to "clean up" everyday. I think I actually didn't take a bath until three days post op. Due to the painkillers I was asleep those days anyways. Washing your hair will be very difficult because reaching hurts. So it will be good to just wash it and rinse and instead of going through it and to condition, just get a leave in conditioner. The coconut oil is what I was/am using to hydrate my skin. The skin absorbs oil better than lotion and coconut oil has antibacterial properties so I knew that it wouldn't harm my incisions if it came in contact with those areas. The swim top is just a basic string top I use in the shower for support. I take my whole shower then was them last to limit the time they are unsupported. It isn't supper supportive but is better than nothing.

Now to the bra and bandages. Please go buy a bra similar to the one posted B4 surgery. I did so after and it was painful to have to ride all the way out to Avon/Danville area to get one or order one online(which I didn't have time to do). I purchased a small because I am small around. There are no cups to have to fit into and I wanted as much comfortable compression as possible. If you are a 32/34 band small is best if 34/36 then medium and so on. I used the site pads where the base incision is and then wrapped the base around up to my nipples in the gauze roll then I used the small square gauze on my nipples because they needed the extra cushion due to sensitivity.

Updated on 4 Oct 2016:
You will need to eat more calories than normal on week one and week two. I know you are probably afraid of weight gain due to a lack of movement but ironically your body is burning way more calories than normal due to healing. I typically workout 5 days a week and eat 1400 calories. Post op I ate 2000-2500 one week one and two. I ate alot of fruit (higher in calories than you would think) and protein (93/7 beef, lamb, free range chicken, lots of salmon) and tons of kale and spinach in rice or quinoa. sprouted grain breads and oatmeal with almond butter. And of coarse the occasional PLS from Starbucks!

As of week three I cut the calories back down to around 1700-1800 but wasn't really counting. at week four I reduced back to the 1400 and plan to decrease to 1300 for week 5 and 6 until I go back to the gym. I have gained 0 weight. I actually fluctuate between 3-5 pounds lighter than pre-op and my clothes fit the same (better of course on top now).

If you are not a health nut as I already am please take into consideration during this time that your body will need higher amounts of vitamin A (collagen strength) , C (immunity), D (calcium absorption and mood), E (skin cell repair) and B12 (energy). I recommend waiting to consume red meat until after your first post surgery bowl movement because it can tend to be more difficult to digest and you don't want heavy meat rotting in your gut. Yes you will be constipated the first week. I recommend you start taking a stool softer or laxative the next day following surgery to relieve this. I did not and had to have a suppository which was not fun.

Updated on 4 Oct 2016:
This is just my person experience but I hope to help all the other gymrats out there who will be going insane not lifting weights for 6 weeks!
I have an elliptical in my house and 2-5-8 pound weights. My "cardio" starting week 3 was going to the grocery store or the mall. One day I literally went to the mall and walked in almost every store. I got 2 miles of walking in without exceeding the 120 HR the doctor recommended staying under. I also made use of the rarely touched 2 pound weights and did things that didn't involve the chest muscles like bicep and hammer curls, triceps kickbacks and even lateral raises (if done correctly will not engage the chest muscles). Leg work was easy just squats, lunges, and kickbacks with 5 pound ankle weights. No core work though. The elliptical is nice because you don't have to run on it so at week two I was like "baywatch jogging" in slow motion just to be moving and at week three I started real jog. Working out is exhausting for me though. Be prepared to want to nap or feel sluggish afterwards. Do not push yourself like you wold normally do because the body is still healing it can not focus on healing your incisions adequately if it is healing your muscles at the same time.
Please adjust your working out based on how you feel. I can only jog for 15 minutes and do a couple upper or lower exercises every other day at week three and increasing to every day at week four. Consult your PS. Good Luck!

Updated on 4 Oct 2016:
Theses are a few bras I purchased and my review on each. At week three cardio was shopping so bra shopping I went! Here are favs and why. See their captions.

Updated on 4 Oct 2016:
Things I haven't heard or seen many people talk about yet when you ask someone who has had a surgery or the PS they will say is normal is mood swings!
Week 1 - I was asleep for three days waking to eat, clean up and pee. Day four I refused to take any more perkacet and was almost out anyway because I cold not stay awake. I felt useless because I literally could not do anything and my hubby had to take a week vacation to tend to me and the house. I had a melt down over how small they were in comparison and then by the end of that same day decided they were amazing followed by hate again the next day until week two.
Week 2 - I cried everyday. I was extremely depressed. This was due to not being able to do normal things. Laying around all day will get to you! not enough sunlight or interaction with others will lead to some depression. Don't think you are crazy as I have found out this is NORMAL post op stuff. I started doing little things like housework to make me feel more useful (laundry was difficult and putting away dishes because of stretching) but this made me feel a little better. Also I started LOVING my new breasts. They were starting to form a little better. The thought of being braless on my honeymoon this coming May kept m excited.
Week 3 - lethargic and hyper intermittently. I would have spurts of energy and then need a nap. I have a loss of feelings and am not motivated. Again this is due to a lack of normality. I can t concentrate either, which had been an issue this whole recovery process because I am in school online. I failed one assignment and just didn't care to even do another.
Week 4 - I am somewhat depressed but it is getting better. I am also angry because I am getting impatient. I want them to be healed. I want to go back to life as I knew it and be able to stop wearing these constricting bras. I want to have the energy to go to brunch and see friends.
Week 5- I will be going back to work. Not excited because my job is very stressful but I think I may actually enjoy going back after all this time off so I can busy mind and interact with people again.

In light of all the downs and depression I am actually very happy that I did this while I am young and before my wedding. I am so far amazed with the results. I bought all kinds of new clothes in my size for a change! The time off has been great for my complexion and my hair as I have no reason to put on makeup or hair and cant go tanning yet. Also stress levels have been very low. I literally have been able to catch up on soooo many shows and read.

Updated on 5 Oct 2016:
A lot of the steristrips were loose enough to peel off in the shower today. However doing so made me grossed out lol. Per my mothers advice (4 c-sections, gastric bypass and tummy tuck-viable source) the incisions need to breath so the scans can start to fall off. But she said only if they are loose. They itch like crazy now though.... grr.

The right nipple seems larger than the left my guess was my tattoo interfered or the right may be dropping faster or something but I am not really concerned about it they were disproportionate before the surgery. I do not appear to have the boxy issue many people seems to get they are nice and round and full. I will keep posting weekly pictures of incisions and front and side views.

Updated on 6 Oct 2016:
So I have posted a lot of post op stuff because I honestly found it hard to find some of the things I have posted and wanted to share as much I as can. There are a lot of pre and day of surgery posts out there but to give a well rounded review here is my pre op journey...

STORY - This was my third year considering this surgery (as you can imagine each year got worse). When I finally set the wedding date (engaged three years-procrastinator) is when this surgery became a more MUST HAVE surgery. Trying on those wedding dresses made me want to literally just chop them off myself (mind you-I already bought the dress pre-surgery so alterations should be fun lol) I have a 28 waist but had a 42 bust and had to order a dress in a 14 instead of a 10! I just cried at how slutty everything looked on me. I wanted to look angelic as my dad walked me down the aisle not like a New Jersey prostitute. Then came summer and all the cute clothes I couldn't wear and couldn't find a strapless bra to stay up and cried in the mall in a VS dressing room. It wasn't new, problem for years... I was just fed up! That weekend my fiance said enough and applied for a credit card and said to schedule the consultations... greatest man ever!
Zollman was my first because he is well known and did my mother's face reconstruction when she was a teenager. HATED HIM! He was not informative and wanted $9,000. Second appt was with Bergman and after how informative and comforting she was I scheduled my surgery right then and there for the very next month.

PRE-SURGERY - I work full time as an executive assistant & benefits coordinator, take 4 classes online, go to the gym 5 days a week and do all the housework and shopping ect. because my boo travels for work all week, every week. So I am busy. Too busy to had done any pre-op research (regrettably) and too busy to be anxious. This was great... I recommend the research but DO NOT get all psyched out about the horror stories. Each person will have a different experience. If you follow directions and take it easy then everything should go smoothly. Also make yourself busy as possible (really recommend the gym - they say to lose some weight pre-surgery anyway)

SURGERY DAY! - This is my first surgery and obviously I was getting a little nervous. So I did not go to bed the night before. I stayed up all night doing homework. I wanted to be too tired to be anxious and it worked like a charm. My surgery was scheduled at 8 am so I had to be at the hospital at 6:30 am. I was so tired I did not care what was going on. I am not sure if this is recommended however in my experience it worked out. They will have you put on a surgery gown, leg compression socks and hair net, do vitals, make you use the bathroom if you need, hook you to an IV, and leg things that air up and decompress. The surgeon will come in draw on you. Ask them any last minute questions - this is the time! Then the anesthesiologist will come in and tell you what they will be doing and ask if there is any history of anesthesia problems with yourself or family, explain the process, and then off to surgery!
In the room the surgeon rubbed my arm to keep me relaxed as the anesthesiologist counted down when the anesthetic would hit. 3-2-1 ...out. My surgeon used the anchor technique and dissoluble sutures. I had no drains.
After surgery I couldn't wait to get out of these awful leg things that they put you in to keep from blood clots; which they wouldn't take off until I was able to be coherent enough to get up and walk. I also had to blow in this thing ...they want to make sure your lungs don't collapse. So I made myself suffer through getting on my clothes and walking (it was difficult because I was dizzy). They came in and cleared me to go at 2pm! WHOOO! So we have SUVs and it was difficult to get me into (so if you can, ride in a sedan like an impala... it is probably easier to get in and out of) Anesthetics still in my system so I slept on the ride; the bumps and motion made me kindda nauseous but getting to be home was worth it! I had a pillow for my head in the car and a pillow under each arm. 45 minute drive... and home! I came home and slept on the couch for hours while he went and filled my scripts. I ventured upstairs that night and slept on a futon with pillows all over it to keep me from rolling around. (I used to on my tummy. If you are a side or tummy sleeper the first week will suck! my back hurt soooo bad from having to sleep on my back. I still am sleeping on my back now because I got used to it but the first week is not fun.)

DAY AFTER- so time to cleanup and change the dressings and gauze. #1 you will be super swollen and they will look weird! very firm and separated and just weird but they will start to settle around week three. #2 your whole body especially your belly will be bloated from the anesthesia. This will lessen throughout the week. #3 take painkillers regularly and you be mostly just uncomfortable but not much pain. If you skip the painkiller and don't take them every 6 hours, it will hurt and take time for the painkillers to subside the pain. You will be asleep or at least drowsy majority of the day.

Updated on 10 Oct 2016:
Went to my 2nd follow up appointment today and got the before pictures from PS. Also pictures from last week to show the length of incisions and the projection. The scabs and glue are still in some areas but not bad and the scars don't look very visible.
I have regained a lot of energy within this past week. I walked 2 miles yesterday and plan on doing it again tonight. I am not sore much any longer and got the OK from the PS that I no longer have to sleep in a sport bra.... hello lounge bralettes! No underwire until after my next appointment in December. Okay to also ease back into exercising. I spoke with my trainer and we are focusing on lower body at the gym and I will be working 5 and 8 pound weights at home for the next month just to be safe. Looking at the difference today made me so thankful and happy that I did this. I will continue to post and reply to comments every couple of weeks. I will be heading back to work and real life again this week.

Updated on 16 Oct 2016:
I went to work for three 6 hour days last week. A full eight hours was too much for me but our doors are solid oak and heavy so pulling on them sucked and I am up and down a lot actually more than I ever thought I was. I wore a regular bra the first day but a compression sport bra the second two days and that was helpful. They were sore at the end of each day but that is to be expected after so many weeks of rest.

I went to the gym yesterday and of coarse am only focusing on lower body for at least the next month. My legs are very sore today but also to be expected again after so many weeks of not lifting weights.

My mood has increased being able to get back into the swing of things again. Although I won't be moving at 100% speed for another couple weeks this past week has bee great and I am optimistic.

The doctor said I could start tanning again as long as I cover the incisions for the next few weeks but not being able to go has made me appreciate my natural skin more and after researching ways to get lasting results breaking down the skins collagen with tanning will not be on my to do list! I also will be adding more omega 3 and fatty acid to my diet to strengthen the skin and tissue. I am still sleeping in the mild support sport bras because I am not ready to let go of the comfort it provides while sleeping.

The swelling has gone way down. Last week I was starting to worry they were still too large but as the swelling continues to decrease I am happier with the results.

I will continue to post weekly. My next doctor appointment is not until December 5th.

Updated on 25 Oct 2016:
Much has gone back to normal! I have been back to full time work and school and gym! I went bra shopping and am still between sizes so still wearing sports bras mostly. I can sleep on my side and sometimes on my belly again! My depression is gone and I feel great! Getting back into the swing of things took some adjustments but I made it and everyone around me had been very patient. I added photos of the progress. Scars are settling and fading nicely. I am still only using avocado oil. That's skin seems to get very dry so I am going to increase to twice a day. I will keep updating...

Updated on 12 Nov 2016:
This week I finally have been back into full upper-body exercises including chest! Swelling continues to fluctuate a tiny bit from day to day but hardly noticeable anymore. I will post more pics when I have my apt on December 5th. No other significant changes. I have found I am more comfortable sleeping in a sport bra still but am in regular wireless during the day. Me and my fiancé both are in awe at the results and I am more confident each day!

Updated on 18 Dec 2016:
Sorry I am a couple weeks late but I just finished with finals this week. I had a doctors apt dec 5. She wants me to work on my scaring. The tissue is raised and massaging and stretching it out is what will help eliminate that issue. I have been too busy to care but I will try to take a few minutes a coupe times a day to do so. I am 100% back in the gym. I have been working with my trainer and honestly the first three times we did any chest exercise I was mad sore. But it got better quickly and two weeks later I'm no longer bothered. We did no upper body for an entire three months so the muscles were not used to any work. I have also been tanning but keeping on a bra because I do not want to harm the collagen in the breast skin. I took another photo this morning but not much different than the last scars are more faded and maybe less swollen but they still swell after cardio.

Updated on 13 Mar 2017:
Hey all
So had my 6 month check in. My incision areas are still slightly raised so I will be purchasing the silicon sheets that help with that issue...
Since December I have been back in the gym full time and lost 10 pounds. It is soooo much easier to work out now. No breast and back pain!
I still sleep in bralettes I just find it more comfortable. I purchased two underwire bras last week and they are completely comfortable now.

I've always been up and down weight wise, but rawked it out till I had kids. I was fat. Life dramatically changed, i went back to school, lost 70lbs, and took the plunge. I researched and met multiple docs for 2yrs. I heard it all. A bazillion opinions, a butch if yeses and nos, felt pushed and ignored, and was disappointed. When I met Dr. Bergman, I knew she was it. I had. 7.5hr surgery (which terrified me) with the most amazing group of caring people I've met. I had 7lbs of skin and fat removed!!!! I had. Tummy tuck, flank and back roll lipo, and my 38D lifted and 325cc saline implants placed. I am one week out, drains been removed, and I pretty much can stand straight. It has honestly been an easier recovery than I dreamed.

Updated on 12 May 2013:
I am having splitting or dehiscence around my right nipple. Kinda freaked out right now, but it isn't terrible and no infection. I restarted my antibiotic, and I will be seeing the surgeon tomorrow.

Updated on 20 May 2013:
The tummy is healing great. My left breast is doing pretty good, but my right breast is having issues. Im worried it's a hematoma meaning it will need a second surgery. It is draining nasty black old blood. Other than that, I'm moving fine and feeling bettet, although still incredibly tired!

I highly doubt that anyone would be satisfied with a result like this. Just like me, after spending several thousand dollars, I got a very bad experience. Draw conclusions whether you need surgery of this level!?

Insurance is covering the BR, wish I had gone for a consult earlier. I was astounded that they would cover it. I thought I'd have to be G cup or something. I thought I was 38DD but my most recent official measurement is 36DDD. No wonder my shoulders hurt! At the BR consultation I asked about a TT. There's a small discount by doing the two at the same time. I was told I could get a mini or full TT. I opted for the full TT. If I'm going through this painful recovery I want to come out with abs I can bounce a quarter off of! The results photos I'm seeing are unbelievable. I've been working my butt off the last several months but especially as my surgery date approaches. I've done 15 Pilates classes in the last 18 days. And I STILL have that damn jelly roll. I feel strong and I'm so stoked to get this done! As I was out and about today I saw the bathing suits on display and I am actually really excited to go shopping for one this year. Until now I'd say 90% of the suits were out of the question. Not with these boobs. Can't wait to get this done and hope to be enjoying the results in time for my 50th birthday 8 weeks after surgery.

Updated on 1 Apr 2017:
The surgery went really smooth. I spent the night in the surgery center and was the only patient there, with my own dedicated nurse. That was nice! It was fairly smooth and they kept up with pain meds so I wasn't all that uncomfortable. However I think they said they had given me more than 4000 mL of liquid during surgery which is a little over a gallon, and that would explain why I had to get up every two hours to pee. As soon as they rolled me into my recovery room I ask the nurses if I could go to the toilet. They looked at each other and said that they thought it was too soon for me to walk and suggested a bed pan instead. I look at that bedpan I knew I didn't want to lift my hips up to get that thing under me. So they did let me go to the bathroom and I pottied like a big girl! The nurses were impressed that I could make that happen so quickly. I feel like all I could manage to get out was about a cup's worth though. I guess my bladder is compressed and can't hold that much. I think I peed eight times throughout the night, and getting out of bed was the worst part. I finally figured out that I needed to do kind of a barrel roll to minimize the pain. I took three or four shuffling walks around the nurses station that night. Honestly it went better than I had expected. I came home and stations myself in my command center a.k.a. my lift recliner surrounded by 3 tray tables that have every possible item I might need. I found this lift recliner at a furniture liquidation store. It was $120 and it's brand-new and I'm so absolutely glad that I bought this. It has made a world of difference getting up and down. I also borrowed a walker from my dad and that also helps just to support my upper body as I walk to the bathroom and back. Last night was my first night at home and I slept in the recliner. It was very comfortable and I had very minimal pain. Of course I set my alarm throughout the night and kept up with my pain meds. My mother and husband are here to help me but I didn't really need them during the night. I started with Percocet 10 mg and while it kept the pain away it certainly made me feel woozy and very drowsy, so for now I have switched to Norco which is a little bit lighter but still effective for pain. I snuck a peek at my boobs which are sitting high and tight pretty much right under my chin LOL. They look great and I'm excited to see the final result. I haven't bothered to look at the incision under the compression garment I'm going to leave that alone until tomorrow when I shower. I have been taking stool softeners before and after surgery and this morning my husband made me a big glass of fresh fruit/veggie juice, which always has a diuretic effect on me. I can feel my bowels working and I am afraid, very afraid for my first BM.

The information I gathered from this site has been invaluable, and I would highly recommend a lift recliner and a walker even if you just rent them on a short-term basis. I will likely be spending the next two or three nights in the recliner, it just makes it so easy to get up and down without pain.

I've found this website last year and I've been very encouraged by all the reviews and experiences that I've read. Like most ladies on here I started to develops early around 3 or 4th grade. I gained a lot of weight 7th grade and into high school and I ended up with DDD breast (I think/ could have been larger). When I was 16 I tried to get approved for the sugary and was told I was too young. After high school I lost about 30-40 lbs, but have since gain a few Ibs back since ( I'm working on losing and hopefully more so after surgery) . I tried for the third time to get insurance to approve my surgery and this October proved to be the charm. My surgery for the long over do procedure is fast approaching. I'm excited and nervous. Any helpful or encouraging thoughts would be appreciated ladies. I've been worrying a lot lately about something going wrong and I don't want to feel this way.

I have known that I needed a breast reduction since my breast fully developed in middle school. I remember in HS my mother encouraged me to get a reduction before I started college; of course, I did not listen, I thought my large breasts were great- they were an asset. Especially because I was overweight and it seemed like the only good asset I had at the time. Well, 7 years later I honestly can't wait to wake up on "the other side". The process to get my procedure approved by my surgery has been nothing short of exhausting. I plan on sharing all that I've learned to help others who are in my situation.

I decided I wanted to get a reduction in November 2014. At that point, I had lost about 50lbs and I was ready to start running but my breast honestly made it too difficult to. Through weight loss, I have managed to go from a 44K to a 36H/GG however, my breast have caused more pain at this point in my life than they ever have before. I began gathering all my medical records from prior physicians and got two letters of support from my OBGYN and a physician I was seeing for a medically monitored weight loss program. I had two consultations in early January 2015. My request for insurance as denied in February because I did not meet the documentation requirements. I needed to go to the doctor for 3 continuous months with complaints for neck, back, shoulder pain and they needed to document a failed treatment (muscle relaxers and NSAIDS). I got this documentation from my OBGYN who initially wrote me a letter of support. I saw her in February and then again in May for a 3 month follow-up. Along with seeing my OBGYN, I had to have a review of my musoskeletal complaints with a physiatrist or orthopedic doctor. I saw a Physiatrist who prescribed the muscle relaxers as well as Physical Therapy. We completed an x-ray that showed an abnormal straightening of my cervical lordosis, which she accounted could be a result of the weight from my large breast. The insurance also required things such as arthritis, disc disorder, etc. to be eliminated. In order to do so, I had to get an MRI of my neck and upper spine completed. My MRI showed no abnormalities and my Physiatrist further recommended I move forward with the reduction. I submitted a personal letter stating why the request shouldn't have been denied as well as my additional documentation from the past 3 months. I submitted my appeal on May 28th, and heard back on June 5th! My doctors office called and requested to schedule. I took one of the first open times that they had because I have honestly waited so long for this procedure that I did not feel the need to postpone any further. I am EXCITED, nervous, scared, but yet soo happy. For so long this has just been a "thought" and now it is a reality. I encourage all of you to NOT be intimated by the insurance company's strict requirements. All of my doctors recommended this procedure to me and knew what they had to document for insurance, do not get discouraged if you are denied. Appeal the decision, while I haven't had my surgery yet, I know that it will be completely worth it in the end.

For the next three weeks I am focused on losing about 10 more pounds ( I have lost 70, currently at 225) and preparing all of my post surgery materials. Please share any words of wisdom or advice that you all have. Thank you!

Updated on 28 Jun 2015:
Hey Ladies,

Not feeling up to writing much of an update just wanted to say that I am soo happy with my breast so far. The pain is honestly very bad, I don't handle pain very well. I also have no a bowel movement since Tuesday and the constipation is really bothering me. Does anyone have any suggestions for this? I have taken stool softerners and laxatives and nothing has worked so far...:( On a positive note, I am posting before and after photo! Still swollen quite a bit but the doctor believes I will be a C cup!