2 months post breast reduction and am unhappy with my size, can I repeat the surgery?

I am sorry to hear about your concerns after previous breast reduction surgery. It is generally safe to undergo additional reduction surgery but care must be taken to avoid complications.  Although there are no absolute rules when it comes to timing for repeat breast reduction surgery, I would suggest that you give yourself at least six months before evaluating the final outcome of the procedure performed.





One of the concerns when repeating breast reduction surgery is related to blood flow to the remaining breast tissue; is important to perform the operation in such a fashion that the blood flow to the nipple/areola/breast tissue is not compromised. The part of the tissue that is left in place after breast reduction surgery is called the “pedicle"; this segment of tissue is responsible for delivering the blood supply to the nipple/areola/ breast tissue. If the pedicle (that was used during the previous breast reduction procedure) is cut then the blood flow to tissues may be compromised leading to serious complications such as tissue necrosis etc.







 Make sure that you communicate your size goals carefully; in my practice, I encourage patients NOT to use cups sizes as references;  the use of visual aids such as photographs are much more helpful.  For example, a "small C cup" may mean different things to different people and may be a source of miscommunication.



I hope this,  and the attached link, helps.  Best wishes.

Thank you for your question. Sorry to hear that you have already had 2 reductions and you are still dissatisfied with the outcome. Many factors have to be considered when reducing the breast (projection and width of the breasts, width of the chest, distance nipple-sternal notch, smoking etc...). I am sure that if you are still dissatisfied with the size of your breasts, further surgery might help. However, before you consider any procedure, let your breasts settle for a few more months. The swelling will go down, the final size will appear and you will be in a better position to decide. I understand that this might be frustrating but I assure you that rushing back to the operating theater too soon might not be the best decision. Best of LuckAndrea MarandoPlastic and Cosmetic SurgeonManchester, UK

If you can find out which method your previous surgeon used, then the procedure can be repeated quite quickly, if you are sure that is what you wish.If you are unsure about the method then I would wait at least a year, to allow the blood supply to re-establish itself, and make the surgery safer (as in less chance of losing the nipple).You should however consider that it is only 2 months' ago and some swelling will still settle and that sometimes, in order to keep the nipple alive, there is a limit to how much can be removed in one go.If you are not bothered about your nipple, then a free nipple graft procedure can make you as small as you wish at any time.Best of luck