Breast Reduction

A breast reduction usually takes about two hours to complete. You then spend several hours in the recovery room until you are drinking fluids, walking around, and are able to go to the bathroom. A bra will be in place to help maintain gentle pressure and provide comfort during the early portion of your recovery. Unless you have a pre-existing medical issue, you will not be required to stay overnight in the hospital, although it can be arranged if you desire to do so. Virtually none of my breast reduction patients over the last 8 years have needed a hospital stay and our safety record has been outstanding. Patients that live more than an hour away stay in a local hotel and are seen in the office the following morning prior to your departure for home.

Breast reduction is performed under general anesthesia. This is the safest method and allows you to receive medications to minimize your pain and any anxiety you may have surrounding the time of surgery. Multiple agents are administered to prevent nausea and vomiting so you should not be concerned about that being an issue postoperatively. You will wake up gradually and sleep in the recovery room for several hours and before you know it you will be up and able to walk to the bathroom.

You will have a very modest amount of discomfort the first few days, but it improves quickly as you begin to become more active. Since only skin, fat and breast tissue are resected the only pain you feel afterward is a low-level burning sensation along the incisions. A combination of medications will be provided and I encourage you to take whatever you need during those first two or three days to be comfortable. The most important thing to remember is to take what you need prior to the onset of pain. Most patients are able to manage their pain with Tylenol or Advil within a day or two after surgery.

I require you to walk several times the evening of surgery. The most important thing you can do to minimize pain and decrease the risk of complications is early ambulation and keeping yourself well-hydrated. I tell my patients to act as if they had a bad cold, meaning you still remain active but get as much rest as you can. I encourage you to resume light exercise within a few days and even allow you to walk around outside or on a treadmill if you desire. After six weeks I remove all restrictions and you can do as many sit-ups or run a marathon if you wish. You will be required to wear a bra with excellent support for the first 3-4 weeks for most of the time every day. You will be permitted to remove it for several hours a day while relaxing at home but are advised to wear it while sleeping and when out and about.

The incidence of major complications from breast reduction in my practice is exceedingly low and certainly below 1%. The risk of nipple-loss is present but has not happened in my hands to date. Minor complications include small areas of skin breakdown, infection and bleeding but are, as I mentioned above, exceedingly infrequent. As with all of my procedures, we make sure you are cleared by your regular physician and check all pertinent lab work that may be indicated.

The majority of my procedures are performed at the Bedford Ambulatory Surgery Center (BASC) located just off Rte. 293 on South River Rd. in Bedford. The BASC is known for being a very comfortable and convenient setting, and has an outstanding reputation for patient safety. Certain procedures are done at The River’s Edge facility located adjacent with the Queen City Bridge in Manchester, NH. The staff at both locations is highly trained to care for my cosmetic surgery patients and almost all comment on how well they were treated.

We see you in the office the morning after surgery to exam you and answer any questions you may have. Then you are seen at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, all included in the cost of surgery.