Breast Reduction

This procedure is done under general anesthesia in an outpatient setting. You have your surgery done and go home the same day. During surgery and before you wake up from anesthesia, we inject you with some long-lasting local anesthetics so you will not have any pain when you wake up. This local anesthetic lasts for a few days. When you wake up from surgery, the nurses will take you to the recovery room. You will have dressings on and be given pain medication ahead of time. You may experience some tightness from the dressings or some sore throat from the anesthesia. You will also be given a prescription for pain medications to take for a week or two. Most patients experience only minimal discomfort from this surgery.

You will start with an initial consultation, followed by a preoperative visit where surgical details are finalized, consent forms are reviewed, and pre-surgical instructions are provided. Additional appointments may be required if insurance documentation or medical clearance is needed.

After surgery, postoperative visits are scheduled to monitor healing, remove dressings if necessary, and ensure proper recovery. These follow-ups are essential for addressing questions, evaluating incision healing, and guiding patients through activity restrictions and garment use.

Patients almost always notice an immediate improvement in breast size and weight following surgery, even while swelling is still present. Relief from neck, shoulder, and back pain is often felt within days to weeks after the procedure. However, final results continue to refine over several months as swelling subsides and the breasts settle into their new shape and position.

All surgical procedures involve some degree of scarring, but breast reduction scars are carefully planned and placed to be as discreet as possible. The type and extent of scarring depend on the surgical technique used, such as the lollipop or short-scar anchor incision. These incisions are strategically positioned around the areola, vertically down the breast, and sometimes along the breast crease, where they are easily concealed by bras or swimwear.

Light activity, such as walking, is encouraged shortly after surgery to promote circulation and healing, but strenuous exercise and upper-body workouts must be avoided for approximately four weeks. Activities that involve lifting, pushing, pulling, or bouncing should be resumed gradually and only after clearance from your surgeon.

Common combinations include liposuction, breast augmentation for shaping, or breast lifts. Breast lifts are especially common to ensure the breasts remain perky after a substantial breast reduction. Combining surgeries can reduce overall recovery time and anesthesia exposure while achieving more comprehensive results.

During your consultation, your surgeon will evaluate whether combining procedures is safe and appropriate based on your health, goals, and surgical complexity.

As with any surgery, there are some basic risks associated with this procedure:

• Loss of sensation to nipple/areola.
• Difficulty/inability to breastfeed.
• Scarring.
• Infection, bleeding, differences in size or shape of the surgically corrected breasts.

Finding the best breast reduction surgeon involves evaluating credentials, experience, surgical techniques, and patient outcomes. Board certification, specialized training, and a strong track record in breast surgery are essential indicators of expertise.

Patients on Long Island trust Plastic Surgery Associates of Long Island for the surgeons’ advanced training, high procedural volume, and ability to deliver natural-looking, functional results. Scheduling a consultation allows you to ask questions, review before-and-after photos, and determine whether the surgeon’s approach aligns with your goals.

Breast Reduction Surgery is designed to remove excess breast tissue as well as sagging skin and bring your breasts back up to an ideal position. The Nipple and the areola are also lifted. The removal of the excess breast tissue and the correct ergonomic placement of the breasts are what help people get rid of their back pain.

Most women with large breasts suffer from pain that interferes with their daily activities. In situations like this, most, if not all, of the cost of the procedure is covered by insurance. Our insurance team will guide you through the process if you qualify, explain every step, and help you along the way to obtain insurance approval.

Depending on the type of work you do, it usually takes about a week.

The removed tissue cannot be returned. If you gain significant weight, your breasts may become larger.

We perform breast reductions in adults over the age of 18 with developed breasts.

If you were able to breastfeed before surgery, you will likely be able to do so after. The surgery itself does not significantly change that. If you are pregnant or actively breastfeeding, we ask that you wait and do the surgery at a later date.

We use a technique that provides long-lasting results. Other factors, such as normal aging and pregnancy, may affect the durability of the results.