Women Who Have Had Breast Reduction Surgery Are Sharing The Things They Wish They Would've Known Before Their Operation, And It's Super Insightful
Having big boobs is like carrying around two large boulders strapped to the front of your chest...for the rest of your life. The effect that weight can and will have on your entire body is actually ridiculous.
So, I asked the women of the BuzzFeed Community to tell me about their breast reduction experiences and what they wish they knew before having the procedure. Here's what they had to say:
1."Find the right surgeon. The first woman I saw was extremely body-shaming and mean. She just made me feel terrible and told me she would never operate on me if I wasn’t under a certain BMI. The next woman I saw was the complete opposite experience. She was like, 'Yeah, it’d be safer and more ideal if you lost a little weight, but if you don’t, I’m still going to operate on you because you need this surgery.'"
"After your surgery, you can’t brush your hair for a while, so if you have long hair, I would suggest having someone braid it immediately after surgery, because if you just put it in a ponytail, it will get tangled. You’re going to have to wear a bra at night for a long time because it will not be comfortable to sleep without one. Make sure you don’t get bras without a clasp. Also, going over bumps in a vehicle will hurt for the first several weeks and still be uncomfortable for quite a while."
2."I went to Thailand for mine. It would have cost an exorbitant amount of money to have it done in Australia, where I live. To get a rebate, you have to have an extreme case, and even then it would only be a couple grand cheaper. I spent ages researching before finding the right hospital and doctor. The hospital that I went to in Bangkok is world-class. I recommend taking a good friend who is supportive of your decision."
"It is a very long, intensive surgery, and many people seem to believe it’s simply a cosmetic procedure (it is seen as such, but all of us big-busted girls know otherwise). You need about three weeks of recovery time, and do all the research on post-op care and scar treatment so you are prepared. It was hands-down one of the best things I did for myself. My clothes fit better, I don’t feel weighted down, and I can run and jump. I so wish this wasn’t the case, but people treat you better, too. I was in my early 20s at the time, and people’s comments would really bother me. Today I wouldn’t give a sh*t, and I’m so relieved to see women embracing what they have a lot more, and there are great clothes and nice bras for large breasts now."
3."I had a breast reduction when I was 19. Be aware that you have to sleep on your back during recovery and wear a sports bra (or another kind of supportive bra with no underwire) 24/7. Also, you probably can't lift your arms above your shoulder level as the tissue is healing, and lifting your arms higher might be painful and cause a feeling of tightness in your chest or armpit area. This might be good to consider when choosing clothing."
"It's easier to wear shirts that can be zipped or buttoned up rather than the kind that you have to pull over your head. My surgeon told me that it can take up to a year after surgery before the breasts look as they're supposed to and are the 'final' size, since there can be so much swelling. Ninety percent of my back pain and migraines went away after the surgery."
4."It was a very good experience. Not only were my breasts huge, but they were also saggy due to drastic weight loss. I had the surgery 20 years ago and still get asked if I have implants because they are so perky and still kind of large (in my country, most women have very small breasts). I guess the only thing I didn't know before was that I would lose all feeling in the nipples for years. It doesn't bother me anymore, but I used to get very anxious because it felt itchy, and when I scratched, I felt nothing."
—Anonymous
5."I was quite young, so I probably did not fully grasp the information I was being given, but I was in good hands. My mom did extensive research, we saw several doctors before it was approved, and I was put on the proverbial diet beforehand. I was a softball player and played cello, and these things were just getting in the way! I had the surgery the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of high school. Recovery was rough; I recall tubes and bandages, bruises, and pain. I did not want to go out and had to be bribed to do so."
"Most honestly, I recall feeling totally disconnected from my body. Divorced from the identity that had been thrust upon me at the outset of puberty. I was a little lost. As much as I hated my chest and tried to hide it and downplay it. I also knew it made me...stand out. It had become a huge part of who I was. I was the girl with the boobs. The older boys may not have known my name, but they knew who I was. It's not a great way to get attention, but it was high school in the '90s, and we all work with what we have, right? After the surgery, I had a hard time coming to terms with who I was or what 'made me special.' I think a bit more psychological work would have benefited me personally, since I was so young and had an already complicated relationship with my body and body image. After the initial consultations, surgery, and subsequent physical follow-up, that was it. I was left to process it alone. I was able to continue playing competitive softball and cello, and my body eventually settled back into itself after a couple years. I made it through, and I bear my scars proudly. I know if I had not done it, my life and physical being would be very different. I believe my physical health would have been negatively affected, as would my weight. I recall being told that I would most likely not be able to breastfeed if I ever had children. I was happily and defiantly able to nurse both of my boys. I sometimes have phantom pains along my scar lines, and I say phantom because, realistically, the scar lines are almost totally numb to this day. After all that, they remain above board — still quite perky for two kids and 45 years!"
—Anonymous
6."I had a breast reduction in 1997, back when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. It was the best decision I ever made, and I have never regretted it. What I came to learn over time is that the damn things grow back when you gain weight. I went from 36DDD to 36B after the procedure. I gained weight as I got older and eventually topped out at 40DDD. I've lost weight since then (several times, actually, having gained it all back), and the first things to go are the boobs."
—Anonymous
7."My first surgery was 10 years ago in October. The benefits far outweigh the downsides, but I wish I'd heard more realistic accounts of what it would be like and what could go wrong. It hurts badly. My pain was not well-managed at first, making everything harder."
"I had complications: My body does not dissolve stitches, I'm allergic to medical adhesive (including hypoallergenic tape), and I heal slowly anyway. My incisions were constantly infected; I had an abscess and could see through my breast at one point; I had hives from the bandages; my skin ripped off with every dressing change; I had disfiguring flaps of tissue on my sides where lipo had been used; and my scarring was horrific and painful. A second surgery corrected a lot, but I still can't wear anything that sits on my scar line, and there are patches of my breasts that are either numb or hyper-painful. My breasts are mostly scar tissue, making mammograms challenging. I always worry I'll miss something."
8."I wish I had advocated for myself more. The biggest difference between my first and second surgeries was that a resident assisted during the former. I was uncomfortable with him and should have said so. There was a noticeable difference between how I was sutured up, down to the knots, and while I still had issues healing, they were nowhere near as severe. I don't regret it; I love how much less pain I have in my neck and back, and breathing is SO different. I just wish I'd known more."
9."Having breast reduction surgery was the best decision I’ve ever made! I’m 4’11" and weighed about 112 pounds at the time. I was a 32FFF and went down to a 32C. The moment I woke up after the surgery, I felt immediate relief in my upper back. I found a plastic surgeon who took insurance, and I was able to justify the surgery as medically necessary."
"I only paid about $500 out of pocket; this was in 2016. The one thing I wish I knew beforehand was that they had to take pictures of my breasts and send them to the insurance company for approval. I have no idea who looked at the pictures (was it a medical professional?) or who had access to them. My face was not in the picture, but it still made me feel icky. If I had to do it again, I would, in a heartbeat, and I recommend it to anyone even considering going under the knife."
—Anonymous
10."One thing to know: It’s possible to reduce density without reducing much size. I was a 36F before my surgery and a 36DDD after, but I had so much less density that it still made a big difference. My personal trainer even mentioned that my squats were much better post-surgery because I wasn’t leaning forward nearly as much."
11."I had a breast reduction in my early 20s, about 23 years ago. I was somewhere around an H cup. First, I had to fight my insurance company to even get it covered. They didn't care that I was in shape, active, and couldn't do anything else to reduce the size of my breasts. Large breasts run in my family, so genetics were a very large part of my physical build up top. I definitely wasn't a small woman, but I wasn't an overweight person like I may be now."
"There were rashes from heat and sweat in the summer, and pain in my neck and upper back from the weight of my breasts constantly bothered me. I regret nothing. I wasn't taken seriously in my profession because many times I could see my breasts being the first thing people looked at when I walked into a room. Never mind all the snide comments and 'jokes' told at my expense from strangers and acquaintances alike. The healing process and scarring were a bit much at first, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I am about a C or D cup now, depending on the bra. I am more confident and comfortable in my body, plus buying clothes that fit is much easier."
—Anonymous
12."I had a reduction at the same time as a complete hysterectomy. I did this at the same time due to the lack of PTO and the amount of time I would be allowed off for a reduction alone. I was so happy I did the combined procedure because, at the time, I would be in the hospital for two days, and that would help with the postoperative pain control. This ended up being quite the blessing, as the hysterectomy didn’t hurt at all, but I had massive pain from the reduction."
"As it turned out, I needed the pain pump for the breast pain alone. It took several hours of IV morphine every 15 minutes to get my pain under control. After that, I was good with standard by-mouth pain medications, but without the IV morphine, I don’t think I would have ever had adequate pain control. It also hurt for a lot longer than I was led to believe it would. Being in a car was very painful for the first month or so, as I literally had to hold my breasts for support while going over potholes or bumps, even though I was wearing a postoperative support bra. Healing went well, and I am so happy with my results. My plastic surgeon was fantastic, and if you didn’t know about the surgery and didn’t see the scars, you would never know."
—Anonymous
13."I was a DD by the time I was 12 and wanted a reduction from the moment I learned it was a thing, probably around 16. At 36, I was finally in a position to afford both the surgery and the time away from work. I was a 38G before surgery and am probably a 36–38C now, but I don't actually know because I refuse to ever wear an underwire bra again. The chronic neck pain I'd had since I was a teenager was gone the moment I woke up from surgery."
"The first time I grabbed a cute little bralette off the rack in Target and it fit, I cried in the fitting room. I have no regrets at all and am actually planning to have a second reduction whenever I have the ability to take that kind of time away from work again (I dream of an A cup, LOL). The only drawback I can think of at all, and it's so minor it's barely worth mentioning, is that my brain is still figuring out where my nerve endings are (I'm right at a year post-op), so sometimes I get an itch and when I go to scratch it, it's not actually there. Otherwise, it was absolutely one of the best decisions I've ever made."
14."I had mine reduced when I was 16, and I really wish I would have waited. I was heavily influenced by my parents and also had an incredibly bad body image. I convinced myself that if I had a smaller chest, I would stand out less. As a 30-year-old, I can’t say I wouldn’t have done it still; I just wish I would’ve had the chance to make that decision after the opportunity to improve my confidence about my body."
—Anonymous
15."I was a DD in high school. I grew to a 32G by 30; I got married around that time, so I figured I’d just wait until after kids. Well, after my first kid, I grew to a 36H, and it was terrible. Just for scale, I am a medium/size 8 on the bottom, and then I would be a 12/14 on top. I was always miserable about my chest, and I would only have, like, two to three bras I liked, but they were $60 a piece. Anyway, after my second kid, I finally asked for the reduction. I had already done PT for my shoulder pain (which also caused jaw pain, oddly enough). So, as long as you've tried to 'remedy' the pain to no avail, the insurance will cover it."
"But there is extra fat from where the drains were that my doctor did warn me about that is so annoying. The doctor said I could have it removed, but my insurance won’t cover it. It’s just the way my boobs were — they were big and started under my armpits. I’m just trying to wear tighter sports bras now to see if that will help."
—Anonymous
16."Carrying around 40H breasts for years caused so much back pain, most days I had to wear two bras. The surgery went smoothly; in fact, the first thing I said to my surgeon was, 'I can actually breathe.' But no one can really prepare you for the recovery. When I first saw the bruising and stitching that covered my chest, I cried for days thinking I mutilated myself."
"I had an allergic reaction to the surgery tape, oversensitivity in my nipples (which I still have), and some excess leakage, which made for a difficult start to recovery. Aside from that, I would do it all over again. I may not be able to wear bras with underwires, but having no back pain and being comfortable in my body made it all worth it."
—Anonymous
17."I got a breast reduction at 19 after being a FF since I was 15. It was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I went from constant back aches and grooves in my shoulders to being able to go for runs and just stand comfortably."
"I wish I would have known:
1. Your breast size won’t be set until a few months after surgery. When you’re determining the new size, don’t go to a place for someone to measure you; they always go a few sizes higher than you actually are. Go to a shop and try on different sizes after you’ve healed.
2. Take care of the suture lines, especially where they come together, because it is not fun to have those break open.
3. They will sometimes cut the milk ducts and sometimes not. I told my surgeon how important it was for me to be able to breastfeed in the future, so he left them intact. Whatever your needs are, be open with your doctor.
4. Since I couldn’t lift my hands above my head for a bit after surgery, I went to Great Clips every few days for someone to wash my hair. It made all the difference for me to feel like a human again.
5. Don’t be afraid to do it for you. Big boobs aren’t always a joy."
—Anonymous
18."I had it done 22 years ago when I was 26. I was a DDD, but mostly, they were just super saggy from being an athlete who was too poor for good support bras (think rural country living). At the time, I was 5’3" and 140-ish pounds. I went to a C cup but really wanted a B. The doctor did what he thought was best."
"I was not confident enough to push for what I wanted. My weight has fluctuated over the years, and my boobs have only gotten bigger. No matter where my weight is now, I’m a full DD, sometimes DDD when I’m heavier, and can’t even go braless, which was something I’d really longed for. I'm considering doing it again at 50. Who knows!"
19."I had a fantastic experience. I went from an H cup to a B cup, and they removed six pounds from my chest. My neck pain has been immensely better, and I’m just so much more confident in my clothes — not always worrying about my boobs showing or something fitting too tightly."
"I wish I knew how important it was to track ALL doctor visits or purchases (bras, massages, back and neck rollers) because insurance wants a paper trail in order to approve the surgery. In the end, I paid $1,200 out of pocket, but it was a headache getting all the paperwork in place, which took over two years. If you’re seeing a chiropractor or back specialist, ask for a write-up about why a reduction would be beneficial and visit notes."
—Anonymous
20."Overall, having a breast reduction changes your life for the better. You can wear normal-sized clothing, exercise comfortably, and just feel better about yourself. I thought I was totally prepared for the surgery, but I wish I had been told what to actually expect afterwards. For example, at some point, your stitches will most likely separate, and you can develop some really gnarly scars."
"You can also lose sensation in parts of your breasts that might not come back. You might also develop these weird, hard balls of scar tissue under your skin that cause discomfort and probably won’t go away. Also, your breast size will fluctuate wildly for at least six months after your surgery, so it’s a good idea to resist the urge to go and buy a ton of tiny, beautiful bras that you were never able to wear before until you’ve had time to heal fully. Oh, and last but not least, you’ll probably have to relearn how to walk with your shoulders down because you won’t have two gigantic, heavy sacks of fat to carry around by your neck anymore. With all of that said, it is totally worth it. I highly recommend it and wish more insurance companies took it seriously and covered the procedure."
—Anonymous
And finally, this user shared some incredibly helpful insight on what they learned from their reduction 47 years ago:
21."I had a breast reduction done in 1976. It was life-changing, and I don’t regret it. However, I was unable to breastfeed, and both my kids turned out to be allergic to cow's milk, so that was a problem."
"At the age of 19, I didn’t care when they told me that I would likely not be able to breastfeed. But at 35, when I had my first child, I cared. I understand that they’re more careful these days, however. What I wish I’d known is that the itching as you heal is brutal. And that you have to show the plastic surgeon exactly what you want your breasts to look like afterward. Otherwise, you get his or her standard of beauty. In my case, I ended up with pointy and perky stripper tits, LOL. The good news is that scar tissue tends not to sag, so at age 66, I’m still pretty perky. I can’t pass the pencil test, but I don’t need a rolling pin test!"
—Anonymous
Did you find yourself relating to any of these experiences, or were these helpful on the journey to your own reduction? Let me know in the comments!
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
