Breast Reduction; tell me your experience

[princessbananahammock252]

I can't find any recent threads so thought I'd start this...

I'm a 34HH (last time I was measured), and have always had a big chest (thanks genetics). I've always very lightly thought about breast reduction surgery, but I also wanted to wait until I'd had my children, which I now have. I'm approaching 40, and have started to think about it with a more serious head. I have never felt comfortable with such big breasts, they affects my posture, my confidence, and mental health.

Now, I can research private practises in London and go to speak to them about the process etc, but what I'd like to hear before I do that are some real life, preferably recent experiences:

• Did you got through NHS, or private?
• How well do you think you were prepared by the team doing it?
• How did you feel before and after consultation
• How was the surgery itself?
• How was your recovery?
• I live in North London, can you recommend any private practises?
• And anything else you think might help me

I'm bricking it, so I want to hear the reality of it so I can be armed with some real truths as well as the medical informations!

Hello! I’ll answer your questions but I’ll add at the top - the most positive life changing thing I’ve done. Mine were 34JJ and it was miserable. They were by my belly button :(

Mine isn’t recent though but if helps a little, I’ve answered. About 10 years I think.

• Private - was too embarrassed to ask doctor so was half heartedly saving when I received a £5000 inheritance. So I went straight on the google and booked Harley Street - only place I had heard off I think it was £5,250

• first surgeon consultation was awful. He basically said it might go wrong, might be wonky, just kept listing negatives. I cried so hard in the reception area as I was pinning my hopes and I felt he took my hopes and jumped up and down on them. I did ask for a different surgeon and had another consultation, and he bounded in and said ‘I can make you beautiful’ or something similar so I thought yep him thanks!

• They didn’t give me choice on size or how the cut would be, they said they do what fits with body and if I remember right, if they’re over a certain size best is to cut around and move nipple, which is what they did. So I don’t remember having much input but I think I was passive as they seemed to know what they were talking about!

• I stayed overnight and they weren’t very helpful, but nothing massive

• I did get bleeding round the scars and they took longer to heal than they could of done, was an infection? but only a few weeks more I seem to remember. I think I had to have quite a few aftercare appointments until it had settled and take a bit longer off work but once it was healed, I was good to go and show the world my wonderful new boobs!

HI
I had a breast reduction about 20 years ago so my experience probably isn't very relevant! But I have to say it was the best thing I could possibly have done! I was a 38HH and lost 7 stone before the surgery and never lost an inch of my bust!

Although I was approved to have the procedure on the NHS I opted to have it done privately because of the waiting list and the fact that the NHS surgeon was not terribly nice!! I asked my lovely GP who he would recommend and he gave me the name of an NHS surgeon who also did private work.

I had a free nipple graft as I had a big reduction. I researched a lot before I had the surgery so knew this was probably the route the surgeon would need to do.

My surgeon was amazing. I saw him twice before the procedure and asked hundreds of questions! He happily answered all of them.

The surgery was incredibly painful and I was in hospital for two nights. My recovery was brilliant for the first month and then I got a very severe infection which slowed my recovery. It was 9 weeks before I returned to work (teacher.) When I returned to work I felt completely better though.

My only regret is that I didn't have it done ten years earlier!!!
Good luck!

The journalist Sali Hughes had a reduction last year, and she has made 2 v good videos on it in her Instagram TV channel. One was only a couple of weeks ago, for the other you will need to scroll back to last summer. She talks about every step, and recommends both her surgeon and another one, both in London.