What is the average cost to go from a DDD to a C cup?

Thank you for your question.  If you are still planning on having children and breastfeeding them in the future, it would be best for you to hold off on undergoing the breast reduction procedure.  Although uncommon, there is a chance that you will experience a complication that will affect your ability to breastfeed.  The price for the procedure varies from surgeon to surgeon, so be sure to be seen in person by a board-certified plastic surgeon to determine what to expect as well as how much it will cost.  Attached is a link for you to see what others in the RealSelf community have paid.All the best,Dr. ResultsMiami, FL

Thank you for your question. You list of complaints makes it sound like you would be a good candidate for a breast reduction procedure. Regarding the question of breast feeding, some women are able to breastfeed after surgery, and some are not. If you are planning on having more children and are sure you want to breastfeed, you may be better off waiting until after you are done having children before proceeding with breast surgery. Regarding cost, the average surgeon fee for a breast reduction (from ASAPS 2014 data, link provided) was $5,521. So by the time you add that with the cost for the surgery facility and anesthesia provider costs, you are probably looking in the neighborhood of $8,000-$10,000. The other thing to keep in mind is that some plastic surgeons do breast reduction surgery under the approval of insurance if patients meet the criteria of the insurance company, so you may want to ask your local plastic surgeon if that is an option. This would significantly decrease the overall cost to you.Best of luck!

I appreciate
your question.

Cost varies
by geographic location, surgeon expertise, OR time, anesthesia, length of
procedure etc. I would recommend that you go to The American Society of
Plastic Surgery website and look for a list of board certified plastic surgeons
in your area. You can call their offices in advance and ask for quotes
prior to scheduling consultations.

The best way
to assess and give true advice would be an in-person exam.

Please see a
board-certified plastic surgeon that specializes in aesthetic and restorative breast surgery.

Best of luck!

Dr. Schwartz

Breast Reduction like other cosmetic surgery varies considerably across the country and even in the same area. South Florida tends to have lower fees then more expensive areas such as New York or Los Angeles. We charge starting at $5000 + MD Anesthesia related costs for breast reduction. There is some savings if both surgeries can safely be performed together. Since you can get quality work at lower costs, patients will travel from throughout the state, the country, and internationally to have surgery in South Florida. To ensure that you are receiving quality work at the most cost effective prices, consult with board certified plastic surgeons that own their own nationally accredited facilities. The quality must be maintained at the highest level to maintain accreditation. The surgeons also have incentive to hire and train quality staff (to ensure that surgery is efficient and enjoyable), to ensure comfortable and private facilities (to encourage referral), and to eliminate waste (to ensure that these facilities can compete effectively).Consult with 3 experienced and expert board certified plastic surgeons to understand your options.

so costs boil down to your deductibles and co-pays.  When patients want to do this cosmetically, I only charge a breast lift fee which is much less than the reduction fee.  Call around locally and get a range of costs from each office.

I am sorry to hear about the problems your disproportionately large breasts have caused. Breast reduction tends to be one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform. 

When it comes to costs of surgery, there may be many “variables” involved. The specific surgeon's credentials/experience level (or lack thereof), the specific geographic area you are looking at, the different operations available, the location of the procedure (quality of surgery facility), type/quality of anesthesia provider, insurance company involvement… are some of the potential variables involved. You will find some average costs of surgery on this website and on individual plastic surgeons' websites as well.In regards to outcome of the planned procedure, more important than costs of the procedures will be careful selection of your plastic surgeon. I would suggest starting with the American Society of Plastic Surgery and/or the Aesthetic Society of Plastic Surgery to obtain a list of well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons.
Then, I would suggest you visit a few surgeons whose practices concentrate on aesthetic surgery. Ask to SEE lots of examples of their work AND preferably speak/see patients who have had similar procedures done.Be very careful with your decision-making. You will find, while doing your due diligence, that there are many different “specialties” who will offer their services to you; again, I strongly recommend you concentrate on surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.Before undergoing the breast reduction procedure it will be very important to communicate your size goals with your surgeon. Most patients wish to achieve enough of a reduction to help with their symptoms while remaining proportionate with the remainder of their torso. With the goal of improving communication with my patients I find the use of photographs of “goal” pictures (and breasts that are too big or too small) very helpful. I have found that the use of words such as “natural” or “C cup” means different things to different people and therefore prove unhelpful. Also, as you know, cup size varies depending on who makes the bra; therefore, discussing desired cup size may also be inaccurate.

Best wishes with your breast reduction procedure; hopefully you will be very pleased with the outcome of the procedure performed.

Hello, and thank you for your question.After a breast reduction you should have no problem breast feeding.  I performed a breast reduction on my wife, and she has gone on to breast feed three children happily.As for cost, this will depend on several factors.  The plastic surgeon you choose, their credentials, education, experience, and location.  The surgery will not so much be based on the amount of tisse removed.Insurance can cover a breast reduction if your plan doesn't exclude it specifically, and you find a doctor willing to take you plan.  Just call doctor's office first to see if they accept insurance, and in many cases they will assist you in finding out the details of coverage.In my Beverly Hills office we handle the insurance for the patient as we know this process can seem very confusing. Sounds very much like you may be a canidate for a Breast reduction.Please make sure the doc you choose is board certified in plastic surgery.Best of luck,Dr. ObengBeverly Hills, CA

From your description, you sound like an excellent candidate for a breast reduction. These are among our happiest patients. Regarding breast feeding, it is better to assume that you will not be able to breast feed; although perhaps 50% of patients find they are able to, you cannot count on it. As to the cost of the procedure, including the surgeon's fee, the facility fee (it is performed in our state-certified ambulatory surgery center), and the anesthesia fee (all anesthesia is performed by board-certified anesthesiologists from the hospital), the total cost is about $9,000.