Why do a lot of breast reductions look boxy or lumpy?

Question

I'm very interested in getting a breast reduction (currently 36E, looking to be a C) but as I look at before and after photos I'm noticly a large majority of people look very boxy and even lumpy in some cases. I'm petrified of having those results and was wondering if there's a reason why this happens and if it will go away over time and healing

Ryan Neinstein, MD, FRCSC · Answer

Thanks for the question, almost all breast reductions look boxy or even a bit awkward immediately after surgery. It takes time for the newly moved tissues to settle and soften

Peter Hyans, MD · Answer

Congratulations on your decision to consider a breast reduction.  Not only will you look better after surgery but your posture will be improved as well.  It is not uncommon for breasts to look lumpy or boxy immediately after a breast reduction.  It usually takes at least 3 months to see your final size and shape.  When seeking a consultation make sure your plastic surgeon shows you lots of examples of his results.  Good luck

Stacey Folk, MD · Answer

The shape of the breast following a breast reduction is partly due to a patient's tissue characteristics, the surgical technique chosen, and the surgeon's attention  to detail. The most common technique to used in the United States in the past was an inferior pedicle. I last used this technique approximately 10 to 15 years ago and changed to a superior/medial  pedicle technique because I was much happier with the overall breast shape. That's not to say you can't get beautiful results using the previous style, I was just happier with the long term results. You can use the same technique on multiple patients and each will turn out looking a little differently. Multiple surgeons can use the same technique and their results can also have a great deal of variability. That being said I would recommend that you look at before and after photos and discuss with the surgeon your concerns. You might point out some photos to the surgeon that you were not pleased with and ask how they might approach the case differently or revise the photo to get a better result.  It's not uncommon at all to have revisions after surgery to address such things as asymmetry, poor scars, and what are called dog ears where there is some fullness at the ends of the incision under the breast.  It's also important to understand that the breast will change shape fairly significantly over at least the first year postoperatively. Often times the central or middle portion of the lower breast is kept tighter because we know this will stretch any long date with time. This too can create a bit of a boxy appearance.Well surgical results may not always be perfect, I think most plastic surgeons would agree that breast reduction patients are some of our happiest. Best of luck,

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question. Much of the aesthetic outcome achieved with any type of breast surgery wlil be surgeon dependent.My best suggestions: select your plastic surgeon carefully. Make this selection based on viewing lots of his/her before and after pictures and making sure that you like his/her aesthetic outcomes. Then, it will be important for you to communicate goals carefully. Avoid the use of potentially confusing terms such as “natural” or “proportionate” or “C or D cup”. In my practice, I prefer the use of visual aids such as goal photographs when communicating goals. I hope this, and the attached link (dedicated to breast reduction surgery concerns) helps. Best wishes.

Why do a lot of breast reductions look boxy or lumpy?

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