A breast reduction is performed under anesthesia and normally takes 2-3 hours to complete.

1. The incisions are made (normally around the areola, further in a vertical line downwards and along the fold under the breast).
2. Breast tissue, fat and skin are adjusted and removed.
3. The areola with the nipple is shaped to the desired appearance and attached to its new place on the breast.
4. The surgeon guides the adapted skin around the areola and in this way shapes the new contours of the breast.
5. The incisions are sewn together and the operation is complete.
6. A bandage is applied and the patient is taken from the operating theater to a rest room for supervised awakening.

In some cases, the patient leaves the clinic the same day after a couple of hours’ rest. In other cases, the patient may stay overnight.

The bandage is removed within a couple of days after your breast reduction.

• You will need to wear a tight sports bra around the clock for the first month, as well as the entire active part of the day in the second month.
• The stitches are removed after 1-3 weeks. In some cases, self-absorbing stitches are used that do not need to be removed.

Expect swelling and decreased sensitivity for several months after your breast reduction.

• The first period after your breast reduction can cause your breasts to swell and become tender.
• The sensation in the skin of the nipples will be reduced for several months.
• Usually , the reduced sensitivity gradually decreases during the first 6 weeks.
• In some patients, however, the reduced sensitivity remains the condition for up to a year or longer. In exceptional cases, it remains permanent.

Although you will be up and moving after only a day or two—probably with pain in your breasts—you should avoid lifting heavy objects for the first month after surgery.

• You will be given detailed instructions by your plastic surgeon on how to return to your normal activities.
• Most patients return to work (if it is not too physically demanding) and social activities within 2-3 weeks.
• You will feel weak for several weeks and should limit your exercise to stretching and walking until you have regained your strength.

A breast reduction is not an uncomplicated plastic surgery procedure, but is considered relatively risk-free as long as it is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon.

• With breast reductions, as with all other operations, there is a certain risk of complications and side effects .
• In addition to the general risks of complications that exist in all forms of plastic surgery and are described on the information page about general risks of plastic surgery , there are specific risks with the procedure.
• Specific risks of breast reductions are described in more detail below.

Some patients are affected by soreness around the nipple and along the other scars.

• Soreness along the incisions is treated with traditional wound care.
• The risk of soreness decreases if you carefully follow the advice given to you by the plastic surgeon.

As a patient, you should be aware that through an operation you “exchange” large breasts for scars. These show where the nineteen were placed as:

1. Scars around the nipple.
2. Scar from the areola vertically above the chest and as
3. Scar in the fold under the breast.

The extent and appearance of the surgical scars differs from patient to patient. They will never disappear completely, but with time they will fade. All scars heal differently, but remember that healing takes time, so count on 12-18 months before you can see the final result.

To minimize the appearance of scars, you should lose them for the first six months, or as long as they are red. The tape should be replaced when it begins to loosen – about once a week. The tape helps to stretch out and hold the scars together. The scars should also not be exposed to sun or solarium radiation for the first six months.

The operation may result in a certain asymmetry (unevenness) in the size of the breasts, the location or the position of the nipples.

• The possibilities for future breastfeeding may disappear as a result of cutting through the milk ducts.
• This consequence affects approximately half of all patients who undergo a breast reduction.

Some patients experience a partial or complete loss of sensation in the nipples or in the entire breast.

In exceptional cases , blood circulation to the areola and nipples is lost, which leads to tissue damage (so-called necrosis). In such cases, the nipple and areola can be recreated, which, however, requires reconstructive treatment.