Can a 32DD be reduced to an A or B cup?

Question

I am a 22 year old 5'5" girl who weighs 120 pounds. I consider myself to be a fairly thin person as I typically wear a size 2. I have never in my life felt comfortable with my breast size and constantly wish they were smaller, resorting to everything from dieting to excessive exercise to try to make them shrink, and nothing works. I'm scared they'll just get bigger as I age. Having small boobs would make me more confident and would help me to love my body. Is this a realistic size change?

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Congratulations on your decision to proceed with breast reduction surgery; it is one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform.
Yes, it is possible to reduce the breasts size very significantly. The concern with the amount of tissue removed is related to blood flow to the remaining tissue; if too much tissue is removed in one operation the blood flow to the remaining tissue (including nipple/areola) may be compromised. Part of the tissue that is left in place is called the “pedicle"; this segment of tissue is responsible for delivering the blood supply to the nipple/areola tissue. If the pedicle is made too small (in the effort to reduce the breasts as much as possible) then patient will likely have problems with tissue survival. 
My best suggestion: seek consultation with board-certified plastic surgeons who can demonstrate significant experience achieving the types of outcomes you will be pleased with. This careful selection of plastic surgeon will be the most important decision you make.
Before undergoing the breast reduction procedure it will be very important to communicate your size goals with your surgeon. Most patients wish to achieve a enough of a reduction to help with their symptoms while remaining proportionate with the remainder of their torso. I suggest that you do not communicate your goals in terms of achieving a specific cup size. For example, a “A or B cup” may mean different things to different people and therefore may be a source of miscommunication. In my practice, I ask patients to communicate their goals with the help of goal photographs.I hope this, and the attached link/video, helps. Best wishes.

Stacey Folk, MD · Answer

Dear skinimin12,Breast reduction surgery is one of the most gratifying surgeries we perform because of the joy it brings to patients. Because you are young you need to realize that having the surgery before having children will likely have a negative impact on your ability to breast feed. After pregnancy it is also likely that your breasts will undergo some changes, as most do regardless if they have had previous surgery or not.There are several factors that influence how small breasts can, and probably should be after surgery. Blood supply issues typically keep us from going too small. A naturally wide base to the breast also makes it difficult to fit in to very small cup sizes. Good communication and planning help to get you as close to your goals as possible. Without having met you, I would guess that an A cup is neither advisable or possibly if the goal is an attractive breast. A B-C cup is probably a more realistic goal. I like to use percentages (i.e. wanting to be half current size) and have patients purchase a bra that fits comfortably around their rib cage in the cup size that they feel would best meet their goals as a tool to plan surgery and be sure we are both on the same page. Best of luck to you,

Can a 32DD be reduced to an A or B cup?

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Can a 32DD be reduced to an A or B cup?

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Everything you need to know about Breast Reduction

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.