How Much Breast Reduction Is Possible during Surgery?

When your breasts are too large, they can cause a number of problems that impact your health, appearance, and self-esteem. Thankfully breast reduction surgery can effectively address all of these issues. The surgeons of Jefferson Plastic Surgery can remove excess breast tissue, fat, and skin, resulting in smaller, perkier breasts that are better for your overall appearance and wellness.

Many women interested in breast reduction surgery have contacted our Philadelphia, PA practice asking how much smaller the surgery can make their breasts. Let’s consider some factors related to cup size decreases and what we try to accomplish through surgery.

How Much Smaller Will My Breasts Be?

There’s no right answer for this since each patient’s needs can vary. In the past, we have been able to reduce patients’ breasts by three or four cup sizes. Generally, women who undergo breast reduction surgery have breasts that are quite large and will benefit from a decrease of around three cup sizes.

A few factors will determine the exact decrease in breast size:

• Maintaining proper blood supply to the nipples
• Reducing body pain caused by large breasts
• Enhancing body contour and aesthetics

We’ll take a look at each of these factors individually.

Blood Supply and Your Nipples

A certain amount of breast tissue needs to remain after surgery in order to maintain proper blood supply to your nipples. This helps provide a practical limit to the amount of breast tissue that can be removed. Plastic surgeons can also reconsider their surgical techniques to achieve optimal results while maintaining blood flow.

How Body Pain Affects Breast Reduction Results

Many women who have breasts that are too large for their frames complain of back, neck, and shoulder pain. The weight of breasts that are too large can result in additional strain on the lower back, which bears a lot of the body’s weight. Large breasts can also tug at bra straps and pull on other garments, resulting in soreness, marks, and sometimes even cuts on the shoulders and neck.

Decreasing cup size will reduce the amount of discomfort you experience. In fact, your breast reduction surgery may be covered by health insurance if the size of your breasts has caused body pain for years. Keep in mind that insurance policies vary from provider to provider, and that proper medical documentation of these problems is necessary.

How Aesthetics Influence Breast Reduction Results

Over time, breasts begin to droop and sag. The natural effects of aging and gravity are much more pronounced in women who have very large breasts, however. The sagging can be extreme, especially as women enter middle age. The cosmetic problems are compounded if a woman has not worn a bra with proper support.

Plastic surgeons will remove enough breast tissue to reduce the drooping and sagging that a patient experiences. This will help the breasts appear rounder, firmer, and perkier, and help patients find clothes that fit better given the change to their figure. Additionally, plastic surgeons will consider ways of optimizing hip-to-waist ratio during the surgery.

Contact Jefferson Plastic Surgery

For more information about breast reduction surgery and how it can help you have smaller breasts and an improved body contour, be sure to contact an experienced cosmetic plastic surgeon. We look forward to your visit and discussing these matters in much greater detail.