Breast Reduction
San Francisco

The cost of breast reduction surgery varies with the surgical time needed, which is dependent on the techniques used and the complexity of the case. In general, the cost will cover Dr. Delgado’s fees, the board-certified anesthesiologist’s fee, the surgery center, and all postoperative care. You will receive a personal quote for your breast reduction surgery during your consultation with Dr. Delgado.

Yes. Your breasts will always be smaller than they would have been without surgery. However, the remaining fat cells will swell and enlarge if you gain weight or become pregnant.

The size of the breasts determines the technique used and the amount of tissue to be removed. The most common incisions are the short scar (lollipop) technique or inverted-T incision. Both of these incisions circle the border of the areola—where the pigmented skin of the areola meets the lighter skin of the breast—and extend from the inferior edge of the areola down to the breast crease. If the incision is an inverted T, an incision runs under the breast, hidden in the crease where the breast meets the chest.

The moderate swelling and bruising from breast reduction surgery usually resolves in seven to ten days.

Most patients can return to work within seven to ten days. Some patients will return to work in as little as five days. The exact amount of time will depend on the extent of your surgery, your pain tolerance, and the physical demands of your work.

Breast tissue can grow back after reduction but this is a rare occurrence.

The breasts are made up of glandular breast tissue and fat so they do affect your weight slightly.

You should avoid drinking alcohol for a few days after your breast reduction or while you are taking pain medication. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels and can cause excessive bleeding that is worsened when mixed with pain medication.

Health insurance might pay for breast reduction depending on whether the surgery is considered medically necessary. Overly large breasts can cause back and shoulder pain as well as rashes under the breast folds. If you have previously received medical treatment such as physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, or a dermatology exam, the procedure might be considered reconstructive rather than cosmetic.

Loss of nipple sensation can occur which is why it is important to find an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Delgado. This is not an overly common side effect and most patients who do lose sensitivity immediately after surgery will regain feeling.

Weight gain can increase breast size slightly since the breasts are largely made up of fatty tissue.

Since breast reduction removes fatty tissue from the body, you will lose a little weight but this is not a significant amount. At most, the breasts only weigh a few pounds each.

A second breast reduction may be necessary if a patient had surgery had a younger age before their breasts finished developing. Patients may also consider a second reduction if they are unhappy with the size of their breasts after surgery or now have asymmetrical breasts.

Cardio and high-intensity exercises may help you lose fat on your chest and strengthen the muscles beneath your chest, resulting in a smaller cup size. If you are not seeing the results you desire, a breast reduction can help.

The decision to have a breast reduction is ultimately up to each patient. Patients choose to have breast reductions simply because they do not like the look of their large breasts. Others have been experiencing pain in their back and shoulders from the weight of their large breasts. All are great reasons to consider breast reduction.

Breast reduction surgery is safe when performed by a trained plastic surgeon. The most common possible complications are infections, loss of nipple sensitivity, and scarring. Dr. Delgado takes care to prevent these problems and ensure great results.

Most patients will feel mild to moderate soreness that gradually improves over 2-3 weeks. Pain medication will be prescribed to alleviate discomfort. During your recovery, you may also feel more tired than usual. Exercise and strenuous activity such as lifting or pulling have to be avoided for about 6 weeks so take the time to relax while your incisions heal.

A breast reduction is performed with an incision around the nipple and areola, extending down to the bottom breast fold. Excess tissue, fat, and skin will be removed, and then the remaining tissue is shaped for a symmetrical, rounded appearance. The nipple-areolar complex will be repositioned and the areola might be made smaller.

If your incisions were closed with non-dissolvable sutures, they will be removed after 1-2 weeks.

If you are experiencing chronic pain in your neck, shoulders, and back or skin irritation under the breasts, you may want to consider a breast reduction to resolve these symptoms.

Full recovery from a breast reduction takes about 3-6 months but the first couple weeks are the main healing period when you will experience the most soreness. Your incisions will heal after a couple of weeks and you can gradually start getting back to all your normal activities.

Most patients notice that their swelling goes down after 3-4 months but it can take a little longer for some women.

500 grams of breast reduction is equivalent to 2.2 lbs of weight removed from the breasts. You can expect to go down about 2 cup sizes after removing 500 grams of breast tissue.

During the first week after a breast reduction, you will feel moderately sore so it is important to take your prescribed pain medication and rest. After one week, more energy will start to come back and you will continue to heal for an additional few weeks. You can start to resume some of your normal activities after about one month. Strenuous activity and exercise should be avoided for 6 weeks.

The first few days after a breast reduction is the most painful and it is common to have moderate soreness that requires prescription pain medication. Ice packs can also help with the pain and swelling. Soreness will persist but gradually improve during the first few weeks of recovery.

Most women will choose to go down at least 1-2 cup sizes but the amount of breast tissue that is removed is up to the patient and the breasts can be reduced as small as you like.

You will be given a compression bra after surgery that will help reduce swelling and give your healing breasts support. Sports bras may be painful to wear after a breast reduction.

The cost of a breast reduction varies depending on how long each procedure takes. The cost of your breast reduction can be discussed at your consultation with Dr. Delgado.

Many women who are experiencing pain from their large breasts find that breast reduction is incredibly beneficial.

The removal of glandular tissue and fat in the breasts is the main component of breast reduction.

Breasts might grow back due to hormonal changes during pregnancy or menopause. Weight gain, aging, and certain medications could also cause the breast tissue to grow back.

After breast reduction, the incisions will be sutured and bandaged and then a soft compression bra will be placed around the patients chest.

Large breasts carry weight that feels painful and places pressure on the neck and shoulder. Hormonal changes are also a possible cause of your breast pain. Estrogen and progesterone fluctuations could increase the size of the glands in your breasts or cause them to retain water, making the breasts feel heavy and painful.

Your post-surgical compression bra should be worn for six weeks after breast reduction, even while you are sleeping.

You should wait until the swelling has reduced (3-4 months) before you start shopping for new, normal bras.