Many women who have large and heavy breasts suffer from significant back, neck and shoulder pain from the discomfort of supporting the weight of the breasts. A breast reduction can eliminate this discomfort entirely. Further, women who have very large breasts often have a difficult time participating in physical activities or sports and thus have lifestyle hindrances. Often appropriately fitting clothing can be a challenge for these women to find. Women with excessively large breasts may also be the subject of ridicule or psychologically distressing commentary from family, friends, or associates. Finally, very large and heavy breasts put significant strain on the tissues supporting the beasts. As time goes by (even if proper brassieres are worn) there is a tendency for the breasts to sag and become less attractive.

Breast reduction is potentially a very beneficial procedure for any women regardless of age who has large heavy breasts. Although it is plastic surgery it is not considered a cosmetic procedure because of the potential lifestyle benefits that can be gained by reducing the weight and size of the breasts. The important consideration that any women must consider before choosing to undergo a breast reduction surgery is related to the amount of discomfort (physical and possibly psychological) that the size of the breasts cause her and if that amount of discomfort is worth having surgery to correct it.

Breast reduction surgery can often be performed as an outpatient. There are a number of different surgical techniques to carrying out a breast reduction. The choice of technique depends upon the patient’s anatomy (size and shape of the breasts), health conditions and the desired results of the patient.

A traditional type of breast reduction may be necessary in many women who have had large breasts for quite some time and who have already sustained a significant amount of breast sag. This involves an incision around the areola, a vertical incision extending down to the inframammary fold (the point where the bottom of the breast joins the lower chest wall) and sometimes an extension along the inframammary fold as well. The resulting scars usually heal quite well and are covered by any clothing that would be worn out in public.

Younger women (often including teenagers) may not have sustained much in the way of sag. If the overall breast form is good and there is minimal sag, the possibility exists to perform the breast reduction by liposuction alone. In this technique, two to three small incisions are placed in inconspicuous areas of the breast though which liposuction is performed to remove the excess volume of the breast. This results in minimal scarring and an excellent result if there has been minimal breast sag prior to surgery and there is still good elasticity of the skin. The limiting factor in this technique is the amount of glandular tissue within the breast. Liposuction can primarily only remove fatty tissue from the breast. Some women have a greater amount of glandular tissue that would limit the amount of the reduction that can be accomplished.