What Can You Expect When You Have Plastic Surgery for Breast Reduction

The thought of having any type of surgery is always a little scary and plastic surgery for breast reduction is no different. You're going to be going under general anesthesia and someone is going to be cutting you. The more you know about the procedure before you actually have it done the less scary it will be.

Plastic surgery for breast reduction is a little different than most other types of surgery. If you've had surgery in the past you may not have had a choice – it may have been necessary to save your life. But breast reduction surgery, even though it's most often performed to improve your quality of life, is generally elective – which means you have time to think about it.

So before you go thinking too much and scaring yourself out of having it done, let's take a look at what you can expect when you have plastic surgery for breast reduction.

The surgery will be performed in a hospital and you'll be under general anesthesia which means you'll be completely unconscious during the entire procedure. Plan to spend at least one night in the hospital after your surgery.

There are several different types of plastic surgery for breast reduction and your surgeon will explain the best type for you. But the most common type involves making several incisions in the breast. The first is made above and around the areola, then one below the areola and another along the crease line beneath the breast. Fatty tissue and excess skin are removed, the areola and nipple are repositioned, and the breast is lifted and reshaped.

In most cases the nipple and areola are left connected to the mammary glands so there is no effect on breast feeding. However, if you do plan to breastfeed after your breast reduction you'll want to make sure you discuss this with your surgeon before the procedure.

After your surgery you'll wake up in the recovery room and your breasts will be tightly bandaged and you'll have to wear a special surgical bra for the next several weeks. Stitches are usually removed from 10 days to 2 weeks after surgery.

Most patients can return to work after 2 weeks but heavy lifting and strenuous activity are to be avoided for at least 6 weeks. Patients are also cautioned to avoid sexual activity for the first couple of weeks because sexual arousal can cause inflammation of the surgical site.

Depending on the extent of your plastic surgery for breast reduction it may take anywhere from 6 months to a full year for swelling to completely subside and your breasts to take on their new, natural appearance. You may also experience some pain during your first menstrual cycle after the surgery.

There will be some scarring from your plastic surgery for breast reduction but they will gradually fade to thin white lines. And they're generally placed in positions that will still allow patients to wear low cut tops or bathing suits. If you're a smoker you should quite at list 4 weeks before your surgery because smoking slows the healing process and increases scarring.

Always make sure you thoroughly discuss the procedure with your surgeon so you understand what's going to happen and what to expect. The better prepared you are before going in to surgery the less scary it will be.

Kole is counting down the days to her own upcoming breast reduction surgery and chronicles her journey and experience on her website. If you are considering plastic surgery - breast reduction, determining whether the procedure is for you and whether you’re a good candidate or not visit the How to Reduce Breast Size website for more information.

Kole