Breast reduction is surgery to reduce the size and volume of excessively large breasts. The procedure is usually sought by people who are experiencing physical or psychological discomfort or both due to breast size and weight. It involves the removal of excess breast tissue, skin and fat to achieve a more proportionate breast size in relation to the body.
Breast Reduction
2-4 hours
Reduction in size and improvement of the breast shape
Breast
Back pain, breathing difficulties, unwanted attention
Surgical removal of fat, glandular tissue, and skin
General
2-6 weeks for return to daily activities
Relief from pain, improved posture, enhanced self-confidence
From €3,500
Anatomically, the breast is characterised by a complex structure and composition necessary for its physiological functions and includes glandular, adipose and connective tissue. The glandular tissue consists of lobules and ducts responsible for milk production and transport respectively, while the adipose tissue consists of adipocytes scattered throughout the breast that determine its shape and fullness. The connective tissue consists of collagen and elastin fibres that support the breasts and maintain their structural integrity and elasticity.
Breast size is influenced by hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, genetic factors, body weight and environmental factors. Hormonal changes during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause can affect breast size. Genetic inheritance, body weight and lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise also play a role.
Breast reduction surgery is usually performed for aesthetic enhancement purposes. However, it is often chosen to improve quality of life by addressing the physical and psychological effects caused by oversized breasts.
Physical symptoms include chronic neck, shoulder and back pain, bra strap grooves, irritation of the skin under the breasts, difficulty finding clothes that fit properly and limitations in physical activity.
In addition, women with large breasts often experience difficulties with social interactions and close relationships. Social stereotypes and perceptions related to breast size exacerbate feelings of insecurity and lack of self-esteem, and breast reduction comes to provide a solution to these problems.
Breast reduction surgery can be performed using a variety of techniques, depending on factors such as the degree of reduction required, the size and shape of the breast and the experience of the surgeon. The most common techniques include:
Liposuction is a less invasive method of breast reduction as it provides permanent results with minimal scarring. This procedure is preferable for small to moderate changes in breast size, especially in cases where the breast tissue is predominantly fatty and the skin has good elasticity. During liposuction, breast reduction results primarily from the removal of fat, while maintaining the overall shape and contour of the breast. If you wish to lift, modify the shape or symmetry of the breast, your plastic surgeon will probably recommend one of the following methods.
Vertical breast reduction involves surgical incisions around the areola and vertically down to the breast crease. This removes excess tissue and reshapes the breast, minimizing scarring. The method is suitable for people with moderate drooping and excess tissue in the lower breast pole. By removing excess fat and glandular tissue, the reduction, lift and reconstruction of the breast is achieved while maintaining the natural appearance of the nipple and areola.
Breast reduction using the inverted-T technique involves, in addition to the two vertical incisions that characterize the vertical technique, an additional horizontal incision along the submast fold to remove excess tissue and reshape the breast. This technique allows for greater tissue removal and more extensive reshaping, making it ideal for patients with significant sagging or a great need for breast size reduction.
The circumareolar breast reduction technique involves creating a circular incision around the areola to remove excess tissue and reshape the breast. The method is suitable for patients with mild to moderate breast drop and minimal excess skin. Scarring is inconspicuous and is usually preferred in individuals seeking very minor changes in breast size and shape.
Gynecomastia is defined as the excessive growth of the male breast. Due to the different anatomy of the two sexes, techniques for treating gynecomastia differ from those for breast reduction in women and include removal of hypertrophic glandular tissue or liposuction to remove excess fat. For optimal results, the two techniques are usually combined. In cases of excess skin or severe gynecomastia, skin removal will be required. Learn more in our article on gynecomastia.
Breast reduction surgery offers multiple aesthetic and functional benefits with long-term satisfaction for people with disproportionately large breasts in terms of health and quality of life.
Breast reduction is ranked among the safest surgical procedures. Any complications are usually mild, transient and may include bleeding and more rarely inflammation treated with antibiotics. In rare cases, changes in nipple sensation such as hypoesthesia, numbness or hypersensitivity may be seen, which usually resolve over time.
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The cost of breast reduction may vary from one person to another, depending on the complexity of the procedure, taking into account factors such as the size of the breasts, the degree of droop and the surgical technique used. On average, in Greece the price starts from 3,800€.
At your first free consultation, your medical history will be evaluated and you will be asked to undergo laboratory tests. An MRI mammogram may be required to evaluate breast tissue composition and detect abnormalities in order to develop a treatment plan and select the appropriate surgical technique for you.
In addition, you should not take blood thinning medications such as aspirin or anti-inflammatories for 10 days prior to surgery, nor should you smoke for a few days before and after surgery.
On the day of surgery, make sure you do not wear contact lenses, jewellery, nail polish or make-up and carry comfortable, loose-fitting clothes.
The following guidelines will help you have a shorter and more comfortable recovery time:
The progression of healing, skin elasticity and healing ability, varies from one person to another and therefore the time to final result is not the same for all patients.
Usually, in a small to moderate reduction the final result of breast size and shape is visible after 3 months. If the reduction is extensive, the final result is visible after 6 months or longer in some cases.
The duration of the results of breast reduction is permanent and your breasts will maintain their smaller size, as well as their proportion to the rest of your body.
However, several factors such as significant weight fluctuation, natural aging and heredity can affect long-term maintenance of the result.
Breast reduction is often combined with a breast lift in cases where we have oversized breasts with sagging or significant breast deformity, or we want to further improve the aesthetic appearance of the breasts.
The advantage of combination treatment is that it is done in a single procedure and is less expensive than having two procedures.
The healing time of scars depends on the technique used, the type of incision and the individual response to healing.
Scars after breast reduction surgery are visible in the first 3 months after surgery and have a reddish tint. They then take on a light pink to brown tint that gradually disappears and their dimension decreases month by month.
In most patients, within 6 to 12 months the scars will smooth out with the skin tone and although they will not disappear completely they will be almost invisible.
While there was a problem with the older methods of breast reduction, newer techniques allow the milk ducts and glandular tissue to be preserved to ensure breastfeeding function. Modern surgical approaches ensure that as many milk ducts as possible are preserved and do not interfere with milk flow pathways from the mammary glands to the nipple. They also do not interfere with the outflow reflex, which ensures milk ejection during breastfeeding.
In any case, breast reduction does not affect breastfeeding, but it is to be expected that the more tissue removed, the less milk is produced.
The procedure does not affect fertility and there is nothing to stop you becoming pregnant after breast reduction. Your breasts will respond to the hormonal changes of pregnancy and lactation without any problem. In terms of appearance, the breasts will swell naturally, affecting the shape and size, as happens to all pregnant women, and then return to the way they were before.
Sutures are usually intradermal and absorbable by the body and are therefore not removed. If external sutures are used, they are removed after 1 - 2 weeks, depending on the progress of healing.
The time to return to daily activities after a breast reduction depends on the technique and extent of the operation, the type of activities you want to do and your body's ability to heal.
Typically, if you had a minor or moderate reduction you can return to the office and drive after 1 week, but if you had an extensive procedure you may wait up to 2-3 weeks. You may need to wait 1 month before going to the gym.
Dr. Ioannis Dalianoudis is an experienced plastic surgeon, a graduate of the University of Ioannina with a professional career that includes work in several countries, including France, Denmark and Ireland. Specializing in plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, he trained in Germany in facial cosmetic surgery. He has performed a variety of procedures including eye surgery, facelift, rhinoplasty, bariatric surgery recovery and body contouring. In addition, he is a member of the "European Board of Plastic Surgery (EBOPRAS)" and is dedicated to patient satisfaction, making him a trusted choice for plastic surgery seekers. His dedication to patient satisfaction, his expertise and his vast experience in the Greek and international arena make him a reliable choice for those looking for plastic surgery.
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