10 Common Myths About Breast Reduction

Do you suffer from back, neck, and shoulder pain or struggle to do sport because of the size of your breasts? Do you get unpleasant rashes or sweating beneath your breasts? Perhaps you simply don’t like the attention your breasts attract and have developed a hunched posture to hide them?

Large breasts have many limitations that may affect your ability to live a normal life. Breast reduction surgery in these cases can have a transformative effect, but women often put off surgery due to unwarranted fears and misinformation. Here, we seek to bust those myths and give you the facts you need in order to decide if surgery is for you.

Myth #1. You won’t need breast reduction surgery if you lose enough weight

While weight loss is likely to help reduce the size of your breasts, it is not always the solution. Unfortunately it is not possible to target specific areas through dieting, but neither does weight loss always occur evenly across the body. This means you may end up losing weight from other areas, while your breasts remain heavy. If you are already a healthy weight and don’t need to lose excess pounds - apart from those on your chest - then dieting will not help here either.

Myth #2. You can’t have a breast reduction until you’re 21 years old

The ideal age to have any type of breast surgery is 21 years old or above. That’s because breast development can continue into the late teens, while growth charts indicate that the average young woman gains weight between the ages of 18 and 21. Both of these factors will affect eventual breasts size. However, in some cases, it is in the interest of the patient to perform surgery prior to maturity being reached. If a teenage girl is suffering from physical or mental distress because of breasts size, most surgeons would consider performing surgery. It is worth bearing in mind though that breasts may increase in size as development continues.

Myth #3. You can use liposuction to perform a breast reduction

This is not a complete myth - some breast reductions can be performed using liposuction but only in cases where minimal reduction is required. If you only wish to go down one, maybe two, cup sizes and have good skin tone, this could be an option for you. Most patients we see however, require more extensive reduction and are not good candidates for lipo-reduction. If large amounts of fat are removed via liposuction it will leave the patient with loose, sagging skin and poor breast shape.

Myth #4. A breast reduction will correct droopy breasts

If you’re suffering from ptosis - the medical term for sagging breasts - a breast reduction alone will not solve the problem. For that, you will require a breast lift. Confusion arises here because breast reductions are often carried out at the same time as a breast lift, but they are in fact two separate surgeries. Make sure you discuss your aesthetic goals with your surgeon, so they understand your desire for both lighter and perkier breasts and can quote you for treatment that will meet your expectations.

Myth #5. Breasts can be made as small as the patient desires

After years of living with large breasts, you may wish to go right to the other end of the scale and have them made very small. Unfortunately, you can’t always request the exact size you want to be - this is dictated by your body. It is important to leave enough breast tissue to provide an adequate amount of blood supply to the nipple. Furthermore, aesthetically, you’ll want to leave enough breast tissue in relation to the size of the nipple (you don’t want a breast that is all nipple). Your surgeon will advise what approximate size will give you the best result.

Myth #6. Breast reduction surgery means you have to have your nipples cut off

Lots of women considering breast reduction worry about their nipples being detached, but usually the nipples remain attached to the breast tissue beneath. They are simply moved to a higher position. This keeps the blood supply intact and the nipple functioning as it should. Only in some cases, where a patient has extremely large breasts, is complete detachment required. The nipple will be trimmed and grafted into place. The new nipple will be flatter, paler and sensation will be reduced but it can still be well worth it for patients troubled by large breasts.

Myth #7. Breast reduction surgery leaves bad scarring

Scars from breast reduction as not nearly as bad as people think. The incisions your surgeon makes will depend on the extent of your reduction. There are two main techniques, but both are similar in terms of visible scarring. You will have vertical scars from your nipples to the base of your breasts. Although they will be pink for a number of months they will eventually fade within 12-18 months to become less noticeable. There will also be scars around the circumference of your nipples, but those can be disguised by micropigmentation at a later stage. For patients who have the Hall-Findlay anchor-shaped incisions, these will be hidden in the fold of the breast.

Myth #8. The recovery from breast reduction surgery is long and painful

Because breast reduction only deals with skin and fat (not muscle or bone) it is one of the least painful procedures. You can expect a few days of discomfort but nothing that can’t be managed with painkillers. In terms of downtime, you will need to take a week off work - longer if you have a physical job - and you won’t be able to drive for a week. If you’ve had non-dissolvable stitches, these will be removed after 10 days. Exercise can be resumed after one month.

Myth #9. Breasts will grow back after breast reduction surgery

You might be worried that your breasts will just grow back again following a breast reduction but there is no reason this should happen if you maintain your body weight. It is a good idea to establish a sustainable diet and exercise regime ahead of your operation to avoid fluctuations in weight afterwards. If you crash diet before surgery, for example, you’re more likely to regain that weight post-surgery, jeopardising your results. Pregnancy may also lead to an undoing of results, so if you’re planning on becoming pregnant you may wish to put your surgery on hold.

Myth #10. It is not possible to breastfeed after breast reduction

Leaving the nipple and areola area still attached to the breast tissue beneath greatly reduces the risk of patients experiencing problems breastfeeding. If you think you may wish to breastfeed in future, discuss it with your surgeon so they can tailor the surgery. Taking extra care not to damage nerves will ensure the patient retains the greatest chance of being able to nurse - but remember, breastfeeding is not always successful regardless of whether you’ve had surgery or not. It is advisable to wait at least 24-months after having a breast reduction before trying to breastfeed, giving your nerves time to recover and for full sensation to return.

Breast reduction surgery can transform your life. Find out more by contacting Ocean Clinic Marbella on 951 775 518