Breast Reduction Recovery

Plastic surgery is not all glitz and glamour. Breast reduction, also known as reduction mammaplasty, decreases the size of the breasts while maintaining an aesthetically-pleasing shape. Breast reduction is done for the following reasons:

• Women who feel their breasts are too large in proportion to their body

• Women with heavy, sagging breasts and low or downward-facing nipples

• Women who experience back, neck and/or shoulder pain due to the weight of their breasts

• Women who experience chronic skin irritation, rashes or infections beneath their breasts

• Women whose bra straps cause indentations in their shoulders

• Women with noticeable breast asymmetry – one breast is significantly larger than the other. In some cases, augmentation (enlargement) of the other breast is also necessary.

Your recovery after breast reduction surgery will affect how your breasts look over time. Knowing how to take care of your incisions, how to control your pain and when to resume your exercise and other activities will help you obtain the best possible appearance after breast reduction.

• Breast Reduction Recovery – How to Care for Your Breasts After Breast Reduction
For many women, the scars from a breast reduction are often more concerning than the actual surgery itself. In this section, you'll learn how to care for your incisions, what type of bra to wear after surgery, how to look for signs of an infection, how to care for your dressings, and more.
• Breast Reduction Recovery – Pain Management
Discomfort after breast reduction is normal. Learn how to minimize your pain after surgery with these helpful tips.
• Breast Reduction Recovery – Activity After Surgery
When can you drive, go back to work, have sex, and exercise after breast reduction? Find out in this section.

Recovery After Other Plastic Surgery Procedures

Recovery After Plastic Surgery - All Procedures

Learn more about recovery after breast augmentation, liposuction, eyelid surgery, tummy tuck, and facelift.

_Sources:

_{American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Breast Reduction Recovery. Accessed May 22, 2011.}

_{Hall-Findlay EJ. Vertical Reduction Mammaplasty. In Thorne CHM, Beasely RW, Aston SJ, Bartlett SP, Gurtner GC, Spear S, eds. Grabb and Smith’s Plastic Surgery, 6th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 2007.}

_{Cohen BE, Ciaravino ME. Reduction Mammaplasty. In Evans GRD, ed. Operative Plastic Surgery. New York: McGraw Hill, 2000.}