Breast reduction, numbness in left arm? 1 month post op.

Some numbness in the arm following breast reduction is not necessarily abnormal, as the swelling and repositioning of the breast can put tension on some skin nerves. If the numbness seems to be improving slowly (eg. smaller size area involved, or some tingling sensation returning) these are good signs that the numbness should improve. There is always a risk of injury to small nerves that provide feeling to the skin, in your case it sounds like the intercostobrachial nerve. If the nerve was directly injured, the numbness in the arm could possibly be permanent. I would suggest continuing to wait, as nerves can take 3-6 months to recover after surgery, and continue to follow up with your surgeon.

Numbness is not uncommon following surgery. During the operation some nerves are expected to be severed and it may take up to 6 months or a year for them to regenerate and heal. However, once the nerve is injured severely there is a possibility that the numbness would be permanent. Consult directly with your surgeon and schedule an appointment to address your concerns.