All surgeries carry the risk of complications. However, breast reduction surgery itself is typically very safe.

The most common breast reduction complications are infections, loss of nipple sensation and breast reduction scars. Most patients have a lollipop-shaped scar that circles the nipple and includes a straight line down to the crease under the breast, or an anchor-shaped scar along the fold under the breast. The scar will be red at first but will fade over the next year.

Anesthesia will be given during the procedure, but you should expect to feel sore for two to three days after surgery. You will be prescribed pain medication, and your surgeon may advise placing wrapped ice packs gently over sore areas to help with pain and swelling. If your pain lasts longer than a few days or becomes unbearable, contact your care team immediately.

Breast reduction surgery should only be performed when the breasts are fully developed. After that, it can be performed on women of any age.

If you are planning to lose a significant amount of weight, tell your surgeon. Weight loss before or after breast reduction surgery can affect the resulting shape of the breast.

Breasts often undergo changes in size and shape during and after pregnancy, so it’s helpful to talk to your surgeon about the possibility of becoming pregnant after breast reduction surgery. If you plan to become pregnant in the future, breast reduction surgery may limit your ability to breastfeed, particularly if a large amount of breast tissue is removed or if the milk ducts are affected by the surgery. These are good questions to discuss during your breast reduction consultation.

Breast cancer risk varies from person to person, and breast reduction hasn't been shown to increase or decrease this risk. If you have any questions about your personal breast cancer risk, speak with your health care team.

Patients are commonly given a surgical bra to wear for two weeks after surgery, 24 hours a day. At your follow-up visit, your care team will let you know if you should continue to wear the surgical bra or if you can wear a similar support garment of your choice. They will also let you know when it is appropriate to wear a traditional bra. It is commonly advised to avoid underwire bras for three months after breast reduction surgery.

Wait for the swelling to completely subside. This can take up to three months. At that time, you can shop for new bras that fit your new breast size and shape.

We welcome questions during any part of the process, but it's especially important to come to your breast reduction consultation with a list of questions, concerns or anything you'd like to learn more about. Here are some to get you started:

• What are your plastic surgeon’s credentials?
• Is breast reduction right for me?
• How can it improve my quality of life?
• What surgical technique do you recommend?
• What are the risks involved with this procedure?
• What will recovery be like?
• What will my breasts look like over time?

Yes. Placement of the implant below the breast tissue, as in subglandular placement, does not affect the ability of the breast to produce milk. Similarly, submuscular placement, or implant placement below one of the chest muscles preserves proper breast functioning. With the peri-areolar incision, an increased risk of breast-feeding problems may exist. In one study, 7/8 patients reported problems with breast-feeding following peri-areolar breast augmentation surgery. For women who choose the infra-mammary or trans-axillary incision, (incisions under the breast and through the armpit), breastfeeding is usually not a problem. Be sure to discuss your breast feeding needs with your surgeon during your consultation.

Sometimes additional surgeries may be required for augmentation patients. To reach optimal symmetry, you may desire follow up breast lifts or other supporting procedures. Additional surgeries may be needed if you face any complications during your augmentation, like implant rupture or capsular contracture. In addition, implanted breasts will age just like any other body part and in the future some woman choose to have additional operations to correct the results of gravity and aging. During your consultation, you and your surgeon should discuss the possibility of additional procedures after breast augmentation.