Breast reduction

[brownbeauty]

Has anyone had or is considering a breast reduction.
I'm currently 38G n soo uncomfortable..
I have pimples n sores under my armpits from where the wire bows out n pokes me all day..
I get terrible underboob sweat..
I hate the massive beige or white or black bras I get to choose from.
Just basically sick n tired of being eyed up n talked to at chest level..
The back n neck pain r on another level.


I have money saved..
Just looking for reassurance and
a few kind words by ladies who have been thru the procedure..
many thanks

[BlingLoving]

I don't think age is a problem. Were your sections elective or emergency? I think problems after are far more likely with emergency than with planned. You should also mention this to the surgeon so that they can take a look and advise you if additional risks are a problem for you.

I don't remember the pain being that bad - except when my cat jumped on my chest for a cuddle on day 2!!! You are sensitive though becaues the sheer size of the wounds is extensive, and you need to be careful for a while. I had a week off work and then I think I went back without too many problems.

[Ifonlyiweretaller]

Had mine done on NHS over 20 years ago but would have funded it myself somehow if I'd had to. As Nike say: Just do it! The back pain went, the struggle for clothes (and the gaping blouses!) eased, and the pain was not the worst I've ever had.
Scars incredibly neat 'anchor shape' which in time have faded to virtually nothing. I did lose sensitivity though, and unfortunately still have those delightful shoulder dints, but a small price to pay to fet rid of the discomfort and embarrassment I suffered!

[MyFavouritePlace]

Thanks @BlingLoving. my c-sections were both elective but makes sense to mention to the surgeon. I will look into this some more.

[RunningOnMusic]

Had mine 3 years ago. Size 12 5'6 from 36GG with terrible posture and back pain. to a 36D. Best thing I ever did even with a few scars. Now running and doing sport! Amazing!

[anxious62]

Angels, you were the same size as I am - how long were you off work for and in hospital for?

[mydogishot]

@bingewatcher
I tried the breast feed shrink.
Warning: I was 36D with my first ended up a 36F, second time I ended up 36JJ.

My cousin in law (?) had a reduction before she had babies. Like mine was a large reduction where they remove the nipples and graft them back on.
When she breast fed milk was around edge if nipple as well as usual hole!
Bubba looked like he was drowning!

[Foxglove40]

I am coming up to three weeks post reduction. Life changing! Have gone from 32GG to 32DD currently, but still swollen. I’m so happy to see my figure again and be able to buy bras/ swimwear from actual high street shops. It has been very straightforward for me - little pain, driving after a week. Just get tired easily and need to rest. I’m delighted with the results. I realise now how much being so disproportionate was affecting me. Go for it, no regrets at all here.

[AngelsWithSilverWings]

Anxious - I am a SAHM so work was not an issue. I was told to do nothing more strenuous than make a cup of tea for two weeks.

I timed the surgery for just before the Xmas school holidays. I had the op on a Saturday so that DH could take care of the kids while I was in hospital over the weekend.

He worked from home on the Monday so that he could be on call to collect me from hospital. I came out of hospital on the Monday evening.

He went back to work on the Tuesday and I then had two weeks of the kids being at school during the day so that I could rest. A lovely group of local friends took turns doing the school run for me and also had the kids over for dinner. My DS who was 11 at time got very good at preparing microwave ready meals!

The first time I went out was three weeks after surgery. I don't know how people do it and go back to work after two weeks but I suppose you have to.

Some tips and stuff I remember:

The first night in hospital after the op is the worse. I was sick from the GA and morphine. I was very well looked after though and was woken every hour to be checked over.

I was dreading having drains taken out but it was absolutely fine ( probably because of all the pain relief!)

Don't risk doing anything in the first two weeks even if you feel up to it. The surgery wounds are major and need protecting.

Keep an eye on infection - my surgeon gave me antibiotics as a precaution.

I was never really in pain - I was on ibuprofen and paracetamol for a week after surgery.

The very worse thing is that I'm a side sleeper and you can't do that post surgery. The first night I was able to sleep on my side was bliss!

Buy one of those big V pillows - it really helped.

The surgical bra I went home in is like an instrument of torture and goes up to your chin! Thank goodness a friend who had had the same procedure told me to go out and buy a load of very high neck tops ( being large busted I had none at all in my wardrobe already)

After seeing my surgeon a week post op I mentioned the uncomfortable bra and she recommended a marks and spencer post surgery one for night time as long as I wore the proper one during the day.

Once the wounds had healed she recommended a seamless crop top style bra from marks and spencer - these were excellent and I still wear them in bed as they are so comfortable.

You will become very emotional a few days after surgery but that passes.

Indigestion became an issue a few days after surgery. Possibly a side effect of the anti biotics and the pain relief.

Washing hair is an issue but my DH did it for me. I managed to do it myself after a week without having to extend my arms too much.

My surgeon gave me some very good anti scarring tape which was excellent at reducing and fading scars. I don't think every surgeon does that so neat to ask about it.

Finally if like me you carry wait around your middle try to lose some and tone up a bit before surgery. I really wish I had as I never realised before how much my big boobs disguised my middle age spread!

I'm sure I will think of more but I've got to run now!

[AngelsWithSilverWings]

Oh I nearly forgot - I wasn't allowed to drive for a month!

[cholka]

If the wire bows out the cup is too wide. You probably need a smaller back size and maybe larger cup size.

Bras also get bent out of shape in washing machine - hand wash in cool water is ideal but very least put them in mesh bag and cool wash in machine.

If you wear the wrong size then wire will be in wrong place, it will be uncomfortable and unsupportive, sweaty and therefore spotty.

Do what you want but a decent bra would probably sort out many of the problems you mention. I speak as a HH.

[Everstrong]

I am hoping to have a reduction once I’ve finished having DC. I’m 5ft 3 and a 32H cup (they didn’t shrink after breastfeeding sadly!)

I’m size 8 on the bottom and have to buy a 12 in top for boob room. Sometimes I get them tailored so they fit across the stomach but more often than not I leave it.

So fed up of wearing 2 sports bras to exercise and spending a fortune on bras that look like scaffolding!

[Trampire]

Best thing I ever did too.

I had mine 4 years ago. It cost £6,200 at a private hospital (I was told no option whatsoever under NHS).

I went from 36J to 36G.

Some people are shocked that they still consider my boobs very large but the surgeon took just under half a stone in weight from my chest and the RELIEF is incredible.
My boobs now look in proportion to my body and I physically feel so much better. Summer is sooo much more bearable.

I was lucky and had a personal recommendation from a friend of a friend. The op was fine and the pain afterwards minimal. The scarring is virtually invisible.
The only thing that surprised me is how tired I was for weeks after.
I also have numbness in one nipple but to be honest, I don't care!

[hamsterwheel]

@angelswithsilverwings would you recommend your surgeon? Thanks for all of the info, it's really helpful 😊

[BlingLoving]

Cholka - a decent bra is not going to sort out the problem. I wore excellent bras before my surgery and can honestly say I had no back problems as a result of my breasts. But the emotional toll it took on me was huge. I decided to get it done the day I realised that whenever I got up from my desk at work, I would find some large jacket or scarf or something to cover myself before I left my space. My large breasts felt like the only way I could define myself, and they were how others defined me. And I hated it. I hated that I was 24, relatively slim, and yet struggled to find and buy clothes that actually fitted me because my breasts were so out of proportion to the rest of my body. While men seemed to love my breasts, I hated letting them see them and I hated the feeling that when I was out and about men thought they could do whatever they liked to them - I lost count of how often I have been groped or commented on in public places.

No bra was going to help with any of that.

[nononsene]

@UnapologeticallyUnhinged I'm really interested in your posts as I would love to have a breast reduction, but I get really bad keloid scarring (had years of dye laser treatment) and have always thought that the risk of the scarring would look worse than the benefits of smaller boobs.

Did your surgeon take into account that you keloid scar and do anything differently that you know of? how raised is your scarring?

[UnapologeticallyUnhinged]

@nononsene I have been told that I can easily have my scars treated but to be honest they really don't bother me at all so why bother?! Dearly wish I could post a before/after pic but not sure if that might be a bit controversial in MN rules! They're honestly not that bad. My friend had a breast reduction about 7 years before me and hers are none existent so I'm just comparing mine to hers (both anchor scarring). I honestly wouldn't let my scar experience put you off. I wish I'd done it 10 years before.

[UnapologeticallyUnhinged]

@BlingLoving I resonate so much with what you just said. X

[BlingLoving]

@unapologeticallyUnhinged - thanks x

@nononsense - I can't properly comment because I barely scar - my skin heals amazingly well. However, I can say that over the years I have spoken to a LOT of women who have had this surgery and I have never met a single one who felt the scars were a problem. Including another woman I know who had hers done when she was young, as I was, and who had severe keloids.

[AngelsWithSilverWings]

@hamsterwheel my surgeon was Maria Sirotakova - lovely lovely women.

[AngelsWithSilverWings]

@BlingLoving - I could have written that! Put up with all of that for years but it was the shoulder pain that pushed me over the edge.

[Branleuse]

Try a molke bra

[Branleuse]

I read an article saying that a fair proportion of breast reductions could be avoided if women wore a correctly fitting bra, as they eliminate backache and many other problems.

[Truckingonandon]

Had mine done 6 years ago. Recovery was straightforward and I was uncomfortable more than in pain. I couldn't push or pull for about 10 days (couldn't open car door or pull duvet over me) and I was terrified when I went out of anyone knocking into me or bumping into me. It'd recommend it in a heartbeat though. My breasts look amazing and I feel like a new person!

[Truckingonandon]

Bran - What a load of tosh. If you have big breasts, wearing a bra (correctly fitting or not) doesn't change that fact.

[Annamadrigal]

Had mine reduced 12 years ago- completely life changing in regards to confidence levels (which the right bra won't change) I used to feel like a huge misshapen thing and men would class them as public property to be gawked at and commented on, even when I was an obviously shy 14/15 year old.

I have scars and numb patches but I don't have a single second of doubt that it was the right thing to do!