8 Things to Know If You’re Considering Breast Reduction Surgery, from the Cleveland Clinic
Last year alone, over 43,000 American women opted to have breast reduction surgery—and this procedure is well-known for helping to improve the daily lives of women who have had it. In fact, an overwhelming 98% of RealSelf users say breast reduction surgery is “Worth It.”
That’s because women who have very large breasts tend to suffer physically and emotionally from the weight on their chests. A large bust can lead to chronic back, shoulder, and neck pain, skin rashes, difficulty exercising, and limited clothing options—in addition to unwanted attention, commentary, and oversexualization.
We recently shared some physical signs that may indicate you could benefit from a breast reduction—and now we wanted to follow up with additional content that can help you as you consider having the procedure. The Cleveland Clinic recently posted about a few of the things you should know if you’re considering breast reduction, and I felt they did a great job covering some important points.
You’ll likely love your results, but you’ll need to heal first
Good things come to those who wait—and you’ll need to prepare mentally, emotionally, and physically for your recovery. An overwhelming number of women who have breast reduction surgery are happy with their results and glad they opted for surgery, but you may not feel that way right after leaving the operating room.
Because breast reduction involves the removal and lifting of breast tissue and skin, it’s normal to be fairly uncomfortable, swollen, and bruised for a number of days after surgery. While immediate recovery can vary from patient-to-patient, expect to have around two weeks of downtime. While some women return to work a bit sooner, giving your body the rest it needs to heal is paramount.
You’ll start feeling a little better every day, but expect full recovery to take around six weeks. During this time, you’ll need to limit physical activities to avoid putting strain on healing tissues.
Even given all this, it won’t be long before you appreciate having a literal weight off of your chest—and results will continue looking even better over the few months it takes for all residual swelling to go down. Scars will be quite noticeable for a somewhat longer period, but with proper care, generally fade to fine lines over time.
It’s important to know the pros and cons
There is no doubt that breast reduction has helped millions of women have an improved quality of life. However, it is still a major surgery that comes with certain potential side effects. Understanding these risks is a necessary part of your decision making process.
It’s normal to have numbness in the nipples right after your procedure, though most patients regain feeling within a month or so. However, there are some cases where a permanent decrease or loss of nipple sensation occurs. If this is a concern for you, make sure to talk to your surgeon about which techniques are least likely to lead to this side effect.
Additionally, there is a chance that you may have difficulty successfully breastfeeding in the future. It’s a challenge to predict who may experience this complication, so make sure to be open with your plastic surgeon. You may opt to wait a few years, until after you’re done having kids or decide that this particular risk is worth the reward.
Insurance doesn’t always cover breast reduction surgery
Breast reduction surgery is one of a few plastic surgery procedures that may be covered by your health insurance provider, but it is not guaranteed. Depending on the unique criteria of your provider, how large your breasts are, and if you have documented health issues related to your breasts, you may be able to have your surgery covered partially or in full.
Often, you’ll need a recommendation from you primary care doctor and/or plastic surgeon. They may request certain information, such as your measurements and documented physical problems.