What Size Will I Be After 400cc Reduction? (photo)

Since you are a size 36 that means each 200 cc's of tissue removed will correspond to 1 cup size change.  If you are a DD and undergo removal of 400 cc's, you will become a C.  You are 5'9 and weigh 175 lbs.  Your BMI is 25.8 and therefore considered overweight.  I think you will be dissatisfied with size C breasts for your body shape.  The picture of you in a bra shows excellent volume and nice positioning.  Rahter than having a breast reduction, you should consider a breast lift.  A lift is NOT paid for by insurance but it would leave you the breasts that you would be more happy with.  Also, a breast lift can be done without a vertical incision and avoiding the boat anchor incision or lollipop incision.  This would be done through a circumareolar incision and inframammary incision only. This technique is called the Ultimate Breast Lift.  Your breasts will be youthful, perky and higher on the chest wall. It is worth looking into.

Best wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Breast Reduction is a complicated procedure that is best done by those with the most training and experience. It is very difficult to determine the resultant cup size and shape based solely on the number of grams that are removed from your breast to best match your ideal breast image without an examination by a board certified plastic surgeon. Not just any board certified plastic surgeon, but one with many years of frequently performing breast reduction and lift surgeries, including different approaches, techniques and even fat transfer and implant choices if you are lacking superior breast fullness.This is because several measurements—not to mention breast characteristics such as density—are needed to determine how much and where to remove breast tissue to meet your goals. Without knowing your existing breast shape, dimensions, and the density of your breast tissue, it would be difficult to make this determination. For example, the same volume of breast tissue will weigh different amounts (measured in ounces or grams) in different people depending on its density. The existing base width of your breast and what you will ultimately want to look like will determine, in many cases, the maximal volume and weight that will need to be removed for the best result.Please click on the link below for more information!

As best as I can tell from your pictures you should get a good result and although you will be smaller, your breasts will have more fullness because of the lifting effect with a breast reduction. I suspect you will be a C cup.

​Based on your starting size (and you look more like a D/DD to me), I would predict that a 400 gm reduction will leave you in the large B to small C cup range.  This may be a little on the small side relative to your overall build.  If you are not willing to take that chance - and can afford it - ask you doctor to only remove as much as will give you a medium to full C.  You might hit the 400 gm weight and you might not.  But once the breast tissue is removed, it is gone forever, and the only solution if you end up too small is to put in an implant.  I think you probably want to avoid that.

Thank you for the question and pictures.

Whether or not you will be “okay” after 400 g breast reduction surgery will depend on one important variable: your goals.  Unfortunately, this assessment cannot be done adequately by online consultants.

I would suggest that you meet with well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons and communicate your goals in front of a full-length mirror.  You may be able to demonstrate what you are trying to achieve doing so. In my practice I like the use of goal pictures,  to help with this communication process.

Based on clear communication one of these options will  become “clearly evident”:

1. You will be happy with the results of breast reduction surgery  and  400 g of tissue removal.   With this reduction do not expect much “fullness” or superior pole volume. I think most women  would want more size/fullness than you will be left with after 400 g excision.

2.  You will not be happy with the results of breast reduction surgery and 400 g of tissue removal. You may opt for a smaller reduction/breast lift and/or breast implants ( believe it or not) to achieve superior pole volume/roundness.

Again, clear communication is the key.

Best wishes

You are not particularly large now.  400 cc will reduce you to a B cup. If this is too much,

you might need a small implant to get you the size you want to be.  It is important that

you discuss this in detail with your plastic surgeon to be sure he/she understands exactly

what you want.  You must find a way to let him/her exactly what you want.  There are hundreds

of plastic surgery sites on the internet and hundreds of before and after photos on these sites

Find photos of what you want for yourself and show it to your surgeon.  It may or may not be

possible to get exactly what your want.

Good luck

I understand that question and plastic surgeons are asked it often, but it is difficult to answer but we cannot tell from an online photo how dense your breast tissue it is.  The 400 cc (actually grams) is a weight but you're asking about a volume (cup size).  The denser your breast tissue is the SMALLER the volume that that 400 grams will represent.  Fattier tissue is lighter per volume so that a larger reduction will be effected with a 400 gram reduction in that case.

The problem is the insurance coverage.  Each policy is different but it is somewhat of a quagmire to plan this surgery to fit into the insurance requirements.  What will you do if you are smaller than you'd like to be?  Once the surgery has begun there is little the surgeon can do - if 400 grams does not seem right he or she has to either make you the size reduction that would fit you best, or reduce you enough to satisfy the insurance requirements. 

This is a quandary that cannot be resolved via this forum.  It would be more prudent in view of your ultimate intended result to undergo the procedure you would benefit from without having to be limited by what would be "covered" or "not covered," particularly in what appears to be a borderline case.

I hope that this helps and good luck,

Dr. E

The amount of tissue removed in a breast reduction is measured in grams which are roughly but not exactly equal to ccs.  No one can tell you for certain what your cup size will be after a 400 gram reduction, but my best guess would be a C/D range if you currently are wearing a DD/DDD cup bra.