Whats the Smallest One Can Go in a Breast Reduction?

I am sorry to hear about the problems your disproportionately large breasts have caused you. This can be especially difficult given your relatively young age.

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. 

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 “B 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.

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.  

The other concern with overly aggressive breast reduction surgery is patient dissatisfaction  afterwards.  It is not unusual for patients who have lived with very large breasts to want to have as much as possible removed. Care must be taken to be judicious in this removal to avoid an outcome where the breasts  are too small in relation (proportionately) to the patient's other body parts.  Again, it is not uncommon, for patients'  breasts to become smaller ( after the breast reduction procedure) with time and/or weight loss-  breast augmentation may become necessary to achieve the patient size goals.

 On the other hand, you should be aware that breast reduction surgery done at an early age may  occasionally need to be repeated in the future.

I hope this helps.

Dear MitchyM,

Yes, it is possible to go from a D cup to a B cup using a variety of different breast reduction techniques.  Remember that bra cup size is a very inaccurate measure of breast size. 

If your breasts are made very small, you may find that the shape of the new breasts is not so attractive.  It is also worth remembering that the new breast size should be kept in proportion with your hip size.  This will make clothes shopping far easier.

I would suggest finding an experienced local plastic surgeon who can go through this important decision with you in plenty of detail.

The vast majority of women having breast reduction are extremely happy this operation.

All the best,

Simon