Hello!
I had my reduction around 4 years ago and I still have some visible scarring - I’d say they’re about 40% faded with some parts completely faded. I know it’s been a while now but is there anything I could use to help fade them some more?

So I was blessed with a very easy smooth recovery for the first five weeks. I had the occasional zing of nerves reconnecting, but otherwise nothing worse than mild discomfort around the incisions.

I am now 6 wpo, and for the past week I’ve been experiencing a lot of pain and itchiness which I never had before. Yes a doctor looked at it, and everything looks visually perfect from the outside. My surgeon thinks I’m fine and this is a normal part of healing. It just seems weird to me to experience such a big change after so much time.

Has anyone else experienced something like this?

Got my surgery June 5th, didn’t have any bloating or constipation (I was able to use the bathroom 2 days PO). But now I’m all of a sudden feeling very bloated and my stomach is killing me I feel like I’m cramping but I already had my period this month.

As I’m writing this my uterus is screaming right now. My stomach also looks huge which is disheartening because I haven’t really been eating much. Is this normal?

Hey everyone I am 8 weeks post op this Friday. My scar was originally pretty close to being right in the breast crease/fold and hidden but now has migrated and is on the bottom pole and very visible. Anyone else experience this? Did it return to the correct location? I’m feeling defeated with one issue after another.

Hihi :D! For anyone that has debated between getting top surgery or a radical reduction, how did you decide on which to get? 

I'm 20 (NB), and I've always struggled with having boobs especially since I've always had a much larger chest- even when I was at a lower weight, my chest was still very disproportionate to the rest of my body 😭. Last I was measured, I was a 34DDD but I think I'm bigger than that now. I'm torn between either going fully flat or just going as small as possible because sometimes I actually don't mind having them and I like how they look in outfits but other times... I absolutely hate it and wish I could be flat. 

I also just absolutely hate the feeling of my chest moving around especially since it can hurt if I'm not wearing a supportive enough bra.

If I wasn't to go completely flat, I think I'd like to be small enough to where I could appear flat in baggy shirts but still have some of a chest if I wanted. But at the same time, I've also heard that after a reduction, they can grow back?? Which sounds... Horrifying honestly.

I have pmos (formerly known as pcos) which I'm worried could affect the chances of them growing back... which also makes me hesitant to go with a reduction rather than top surgery. Breast feeding is not something I see in my future so I'm not worried about losing that function if I am to get a FNG as well.

Anyway, thank you to anyone if you see my post!

I want to take a phlebotomy class that starts around mid August. That would put me at 45dpo. Many phlebotomy classes require you to have your blood drawn pretty much every day you’re there. I would be there 4 days a week for 4 weeks. Does anyone see that being a potential issue with healing having that much blood drawn? Or should I be fine

I'm five weeks post op and despite a small area of separation and some nipple concerns the first day I've been healing well. My only question is, is the unbearable burning sensation deep in my breast normal? Any time I take my bra off to shower I get hit with a wave of the most intense burning sensation deep in my right breast, and in my lower incisions. It genuinely feels like I'm on fire and I don't know how much more I can take. Every time I've brought up a concern with my surgeon I get the same generic response that I'm fine and this is normal healing. I completely regret having this surgery, I had no idea that this far out I'd be experiencing some of the worst pain of my life. Im actually scared to ever have another surgical procedure because I 100 percent can't handle this again. Someone give me some words of encouragement bc I feel like I'm losing my mind and am on the verge of checking in to a looney bin 😂😭😭

had my reduction almost 5 years ago and have been super happy with my results…until year 3. I started having random nipple pain and hardness, despite having zero sensation up until year 3. I still have no sensation in my areolas.

I consulted my plastic surgeon who agreed to do a nipple removal, though the areolas would stay in place to preserve the breast shape.

I really wish I had been brave enough to ask for a Barbie reduction. Below is my experience through my first week.

I was in and out of the office in about an hour, and while I didn’t feel anything during the procedure, I was feeling tender by the evening. Took ibuprofen and Tylenol for a few days, but no longer need it unless I do too much.

My doctor had me hold ice packs to the area for about 5 minutes before numbing, so I didn’t feel the needle, just a little pinch from the lidocaine. 

I didn’t feel anything from the procedure until stitches, and even that was just a dull tugging. They covered the stitches with glue and paper tape.  I did bleed a little on the way home, but that was the only real hiccup I’ve had.

My paper bandages have come off, and I’m using non stick gauze until my one week follow up on Friday. 

My areolas are a bit misshapen at this point, but I’m hoping that as the sutures dissolve, my skin will relax back to normal.

Like I said, I wish I had just done a Barbie reduction, but since I can’t go back in time, I’ve been pretty happy with my experience so far 

Hi! Reddit recommended I move my post here:

Ten years ago I did an implant exchange from 400 cc to 700cc and they are way too big and cause significant back pain. My goal was to close the wide gap between my breasts which we accomplished, but it was not worth the physical toll these implants took on my body.

I am downsizing my 700cc HP cohesive gel implants to either 385 or 415 HP soft touch implants in November. Also having breast lift with mesh.

I am 5”9 155lbs-160lbs and worried about having a large gap between breast like I had\* with my first set of 400cc HP Implants.

?: Has anyone undergone similar downsizing?

?: Does the lift help reposition the nipple and breast? Or will my breast gap be just as wide as it was with my first implants even though I was much fitter (developed chest muscles) and weighed less the first time around?

My surgeon says the gap will be wider than it is now but “shouldn’t be too wide”. Which makes sense to me, but I’m struggling to visualize.

More possibly relevant info: I was told my frame is too narrow for moderate profile implants by 3 surgeons. Also had fat grafting done with the 700cc implants. I am not sure how much, or exact placement but I believe it was to help with cleavage and cushion one nipple that I’d lost feeling in.

Thanks in advance for your an answers. I know downsizing is the right choice for me, I’m just trying to set realistic expectations of the outcome so I can prepare mentally.

\*Edited for typos and readability.

I am having a breast lift with gala flex and a small reduction on one breast do to sizing .. as well as lipo on stomach and flanks ..

Looking for recommendations, must haves , advice , on what I could use for recovery .. anything will be appreciated .,Thank you

I’m looking for advice on a site-of-service denial and whether switching insurance would make sense.
I had a breast reduction authorization submitted through my current insurance, Blue Cross Premera, at the end of May. Two days later, it was denied because of the site of service. My insurance wanted the procedure to be performed at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) instead of a hospital setting.

When I contacted insurance, they explained that if the surgeon did not have ASC privileges, or if there was a medical reason the surgery needed to be performed in a hospital, the provider could submit additional documentation or appeal the decision. My surgeon doesn’t work out of an ASC, only a hospital so I thought a peer-to-peer could be done to reverse the decision. I’m young and healthy and don’t have any major health issues aside from the constant pain, strain, and recurring rashes caused by my breasts.

However, my surgeon’s office was not willing to appeal, do a peer-to-peer review, or submit additional documentation. They instead provided an out-of-pocket quote, so I decided to move on and look into other options.

I have another consultation scheduled with a different hospital-based surgeon soon. I have found that this surgeon may perform surgeries at an ASC, but I am not completely sure if that would be the location used in my case. I was waiting maybe to see what would be said at the consultation before switching.

My employer’s open enrollment is coming up soon, and I have the option to switch from Blue Cross Premera to Cigna. From what I can tell, Cigna has similar medical necessity requirements, but I have not seen the same ASC site-of-service issue.

Would you stay with the current insurance and see how the new surgeon handles the authorization process, or would you switch insurance to avoid potentially running into the same site-of-service issue again?

I’d appreciate any insight!

I was originally scheduled for surgery July 2, got a call a week before the date that “something urgent came up” and got rescheduled for July 30. Got a call today with the same thing - but this time I didn’t even get a next date. Just that they would call me in a couple of weeks to schedule.
I know that things happen and this is an elective surgery but it’s just so heartbreaking, ya know?
I planned my life and my work around this… and paid for the surgery too (or part of it, as part is covered by insurance)

So ya, anyone who’s been in a similar situation?
Feel free to share some cute photos of your pets in the comments 🙃💕

I am having a breast lift with gala flex as well as a little reduction on one breast to fix it not being even , I will have lipo on my Stomach and Flanks as well.

does anyone have recommendations for what I would need or must haves , what was helpful for,recovery ? Any thing would be helpful ! Thanks

I've recently decided to try to get insurance to cover a reduction. I'm in the very early phases. Thankfully, I have a history of neck/back pain all documented in my medical record. I've decided to pursue physical therapy since I've read insurance usually requires this. The BS is that my insurance only pays 60% AFTER I meet my $4,000 deductible. Who can pay that? For physical therapy!? I hate US Healthcare.

my surgery date is 3 weeks away (august 12, any twins??) and I'm starting to get those cold feet everyone talks about. deep down I KNOW I want this, I have been so desperate to just have it done already since the moment I decided to pursue one. but I'm not at all immune to the fears that come along with such a drastic procedure, like the fear that I'll regret it, or that my boobs aren't actually that big (who are we kidding mate). it's been a huge comfort reading about similar experiences on here, knowing that I'm not alone and that it's common to get cold feet - and most everyone has no regrets afterwards, they'd do it all over again. but I'm still nervous, and my brain yearns for the comfort of certainty, of knowing for sure that I'm making the right decision. but I know that realistically, no one can really know for certain how they'll feel afterwards until it's done. all I can go with is the MOUNTING pile of evidence I've accumulated to support the idea that this is indeed a good decision, and my heart. so to remind myself of all my evidence, I wrote up a list of 100 reasons why I want a reduction. and it was honestly very easy for me to come up with these, which I think says a lot. but it was also really fun and validating and therapeutic, so I thought I'd share and recommend to others who are seeking some more certainty to try it out too!

100 reasons I want a radical breast reduction

1. no more pre-menstrual swelling every single month making them a whole cup size bigger and emphasizing the asymmetry - bigger boob swells more of course
2. no more sports bra uniboob
3. to be able to actually bind flat if I want to rather than having a giant odd looking lump on my chest that just defeats the purpose of even trying
4. no more jiggling when I WALK
5. no more sensation of the weight pulling on my skin without support
6. no more sobbing in the shower because I hate how big they are and feel trapped with a chest that doesn’t feel like mine
7. no more being jumpscared by my side profile in shop windows and my mood being tainted afterwards
8. no more looking like a sex doll in anything slightly fitted
9. no more stares from creepy men (!!!!!!!) that remind me that I'm automatically perceived as some fertile sexually available object
10. the ability to go braless and not be gawked at nor have jiggling or discomfort, even if I need to speed walk or jog a bit!
11. no more boob pain when biking (every single little bump HURTS even with a heavy duty sports bra)
12. no more boob pain when running
13. to finally feel comfortable dancing in front of anyone
14. to feel comfortable going out and wearing any sort of “going out” outfit
15. to fit into small cami bralettes
16. to fit into brandy melville bras
17. to not have to drop hella money on one (probably ugly) bra with giant straps
18. to be able to wear tank tops without industrial sized bra straps ruining the look (try no bra straps at all!!!)
19. to be able to wear triangle bikinis
20. to be able to shop swimwear literally anywhere (like target or los angeles apparel) rather than being limited to a few specific brands (mostly UK!) and their ugly styles and giant price tags
21. to be able to shop vintage swimwear
22. to be able to wear singular sized bikini sets (one size top/bottom, not having to dig for mix-and-match XXL top (which also has to have a tie/adjustable band since my band is XS) and XS bottom)
23. to go to the beach or pool without feeling like my tits are on full display with a giant billboard sign pointing at them for everyone to please look at them
24. to fit in the built in bras in camisoles
25. to not have to wear oversized tops to feel comfortable
26. to not feel trapped in hyper femininity
27. to not have my boobs poking out of even the biggest of oversized sweaters (!!!)
28. to not have all loose tops look like a TENT
29. to be able to wear cutesy things without being perceived as inherently sexual
30. for all the times I sobbed and cried over hating my boobs
31. like that time I thrifted a camo bikini top and when I took a front camera photo without the mirror flip, I realized for the first time how asymmetrical they were and how big the left one was, and sobbed for an hour, then convinced myself the left must be bigger because my right dominant arm's chest muscles were more developed, and then tried doing things left handed to "correct it,” to no avail of course
32. or the time I was doing well with my ed recovery and then caught my very projected side profile and broke down crying feeling so frustrated about shirts not fitting the way I want them to and wished I could literally “chop my boobs off” - and was late to the hangout because I couldn't stop crying trying to get dressed
33. or the time most recently I genuinely cried for a whole hour straight trying to get dressed and hating how everything looked because of them, being so angry just wanting them GONE already
34. for the fact that even at my lowest weight and sickest body and smallest bra size (30DD..), they were still too big and I still didn’t feel comfortable with them
35. to not have to go through every bra-shirt combination to see which one is the most flattering (and the best option still ultimately being disappointing) when getting dressed
36. to not look twenty pounds heavier than I actually am
37. to not have them hang like deflated water balloons a whopping 8 inches off my chest when I bend over
38. to not feel mortified by the very large numbers when taking bust measurements
39. for all the many, many, many pangs of envy I've felt looking at small busted women, feeling so strongly that THAT’S what I'm supposed to look like, and being angry at them and hating them for having what I so desperately wanted but could never have
40. for the young me who was so confused when people told me I had big breasts ("no I don't?") and couldn’t come to terms with them or see them for what they were
41. for the young me who was dress coded for wearing tops that other girls could get away with no problem - and not understanding why
42. to not get comments like "some things are better left to the imagination" (thx dad) for wearing a swimsuit
43. because the last time I felt comfortable in a swimsuit was the 5th grade
44. no more feeling uncomfortable taking a bath because of my bare boobs being out (despite being alone, just having to confront them is upsetting)
45. to not have my boobs float up above the water when laying down in a filled-to-the-brim bathtub (and nipples being out in the cold…)
46. because I've never felt truly comfortable having my boobs out during sex and have to keep a bra on because I don’t identify with them, and the mental image of my bare breasts disgusts me - even though I recognize that they are objectively beautiful, I just can’t feel sexy because they don’t feel like MINE
47. for the option of being titty fucked to be OFF THE TABLE (no hate to enjoyers but as per my above reason, I am disgusted by the idea personally)
48. to finally feel comfortable with my chest being sexual / involved in sex if I want to (I can identify with it if it's small and imagine feeling cute and sexy)
49. to feel comfortable with my partner seeing me topless, to not feel the need to hide my breasts from him when changing
50. to feel comfortable taking a bath or shower with my partner, or walking out without a towel wrapped around my chest
51. to not have to lift up my boobs to dry under them after a shower
52. not that I feel super strongly about going to a nude beach, but I would like to at least have the option available to me rather than it being strictly off the table due to never wanting my boobs to be seen; same with skinny dipping
53. to not have to compensate by hunching over to hide them
54. to not have to hold them in place to run down the stairs or run to catch the bus
55. to never have a button up shirt gape open at the bust again!!!
56. to not have to modify bras or swim tops to accommodate bigger boobs, like cutting out the inner cups or removing built-in bras
57. to not have to go up 1-2 sizes in every top or dress to make room for my breasts - then having to wear things that are fitted at the bust but baggy everywhere else
58. because my right side smaller boob has ALWAYS been favorited over the left bigger one, and for the spite and anger I feel at my poor left boob for being bigger (it doesn’t deserve that)
59. for my grandmother who always needed one but wasn’t allowed due to resistance from her husband
60. to not have one of my biggest reasons for not wanting to have kids be that my already huge boobs CANNOT get any bigger, I would just be absolutely mortified
61. to not have my nipples brush up against things that they're not supposed to (!!!!!) and the mortifying feeling of shame that accompanies the sensation
62. to not have my boobs stick out to the sides in front of my arms
63. to not have my arms rest on top of my breasts in order to use my phone while laying down (!!!)
64. to not have to get rid of really cute clothing pieces even though I would otherwise want to wear them if not for my boobs ruining the look (I regret so many things I donated before I knew I’d be having this procedure)
65. to finally look the way I want to in every top ever
66. because clothes and outfits will just hit different..
67. to not be self conscious of them just about every time I leave the house
68. to not feel defensive towards all men on the street on high alert for being gawked at
69. to not have that feeling of shame and anger from a man staring at my chest - and not letting random men have that kind of power over me
70. to not be treated unusually nicely by men and know it's because they're gawking at my breasts
71. to be able to wear low cut tops without showing cleavage or being automatically read as promiscuous
72. to not have boob hanging down to my elbow without a bra
73. to be able to actually SEE my ribcage and torso (!!!)
74. to have the pear shaped body I always wanted, not the apple I always dreaded
75. to have any semblance of an androgynous body
76. to be SOFT GAMINE kibbe type like I always wanted to be
77. to not have to wear a boob cage/prison bra to feel comfortable
78. to not be grossed out and appalled by how big my boobs look in photos
79. to not be limited to bras that are minimizing
80. to be able to thrift vintage bras and bralettes
81. to not have my breasts be the widest part of me (and for them not to brush against narrow walls/doorways when nothing else does)
82. to be able to wear open jackets without them making me shaped like a trapezoid
83. to do yoga (i.e., downward dog!!) without big boobs making it awkward and uncomfortable
84. to be able to run and workout
85. to be able to play sports with friends (!!!)
86. to be free from persistent body checking to specifically check if my tits look big in what I’m wearing (they do)
87. to feel petite and cute
88. to be able to feel girly (without feeling porny) if I want to
89. for all the times I tried on clothes and was disappointed and confused because my big boobs ruined the fit
90. to be able to wear all the tops I’ve always wanted to but never could
91. to be able to shop for cool clothes during my upcoming trip to japan freely
92. to feel cute and confident out with partner and have the vibes actually match
93. for all the (many, many) times my mood was ruined during an outing because I despised my boobs for being there and wanted them gone already
94. to not feel like I look matronly at the ripe age of 24
95. for the chance of having less sensitive nipples (and if it doesn’t turn out that way in the end, at least they won’t be brushed up against nearly as often, and when they do, it won’t serve as a reminder that I have giant breasts anymore!!)
96. to no longer have the breasts that my ex hypersexualized and constantly touched unconsensually making me feel deeply shameful and disgusting
97. just as a huge fuck you to him basically, to sever myself from that trauma in a way
98. because I went through intense phases of restrictive disordered eating driven by self-loathing of my breasts, as a defense mechanism for the hypersexualization I was subjected to, and in a desperate attempt to protect myself from being perceived as sexual at all (it didn’t work, it just made me sick, but being sick still felt safer than the alternative)
99. because the more they grew, the more I fell out of love with fashion and eventually gave up on ever presenting the way I wanted to - to finally take back my ability to express myself freely!!!!
100. because I never wanted big boobs in the first place

anytime my feet start to get cold in the next few weeks I'll refer back to this list to remind myself why I'm doing this. and honestly, the fact that I've made it this far says a lot about my motivations to get this done. there's no turning back now :)

I after many years have decided I want/ need a breast reduction. I've already had back surgery. I have shoulder and chest pain and can't find bras that remotely hold them up. Not to mention the struggles with body dysmorphia. My question I guess is what steps did you take to get insurance to cover it?

Hey all, my name is Silas and I’m 30FTM. Due to bmi limits in my state, nowhere that takes my insurance will even consider me for top surgery. I’m not 100% sure of my chest size but last I checked I was bigger than a 44DDD. I’m considering getting a reduction first so I can eliminate back pain and make it possible to exercise more efficiently so I can get my bmi down below the limit.

Is this a bad idea? To anyone’s knowledge would this prevent me from getting top surgery down the line? And lastly, how small can one go with a reduction surgery?

Has anyone had recent experience getting a reduction from Dr. Melissa Doft? I’ve seen lots of good reviews from here, but all of them are a few years old. I had a consultation and it went well but in setting up the surgery I’ve been trying to coordinate with her office, and they have not been very responsive and many of their emails contain odd typos and punctuation which is sketching me out a bit. Anyone have a different or similar experience with her office? And does that reflect her practice at all?

I did message my surgical team and am waiting for a response but I want some other opinions.

I’m 6 days post-op and having any sort of padding inside my compression bras is driving me insane. I hate having it there, I hate changing it daily, I hate the extra pressure etc I hate everything about it. Starting from immediately after surgery, I only had tiny spotting on the pads, and the last two days I have had zero spotting on the pads of any kind.

Last night I couldn’t take the pads + sleeping elevated so I slept on my back (got cleared to do this) with no pads and I slept amazingly by comparison and I’m less swollen today. I have steri strips/surgical tape on all incisions and have been told to let it come off in its own time.

Seems like everyone on here loves having pads or gauze in their recovery bra but am I completely alone? Any similar experiences?

Still dk what to tag 🥀
Ig my eyes r getting used to seeing me with smaller boobs and it’s toying with my brain TT I already struggle with body dysmorphia which isn’t helping x.x
My proportions are VERY different now, my huge tatas made my waist look a lot smaller, now that I have normal proportions I just feel like I look fat TT also finding my identity outside of my boobs is challenging. Don’t get me wrong, I hated those mfs. They hurt my back, bras were expensive, they bumped into everything, they were uncomfortable outside of my bra bc they hung low and hurt my confidence, they brought unwanted attention. But I’m used to being the grl w huge boobs yk, and ig it’s bc my bf liked them, he’s very supportive of my surgery and he encouraged me to get it when I told him abt it and he’s very happy for me, but ik he liked them when they were big what if he doesn’t like them anymore TT ik it’s a stupid fear, we’re long distance so he hasn’t seen them in a min and won’t see them for a few months, I hated my big boobs but it’s the only “sex appeal” im jst worried that I won’t b attractive to him anymore bc im average the only above average thing i had wuz how above average size my boobs were TT
and also being backed up a bit from the meds doesn’t help bc I’m bloated asf and I haven’t been able to b as active. I feel like a beached whale 💀 like realistically ik getting this surgery wuz the best thing that’s happened to me in a while, it’s changing my lyf for the best I dont regret it and don’t think I ever will, ik my bf dgaf that they’re smaller, he’s happy that I’ll live more comfortably. He hated seeing how miserable my boobs made me, I couldn’t dance and run comfortably and I couldn’t wear a lot of clothes I liked or get a new bra when ol’ faithful broke. ik im not fat i have a normal body weight it’s jst me getting used to what my body looks like but knowing that doesn’t help the feeling like a blob fish yk does anyone else relate I feel like im making no sense and im jst babbling TT also im not dieting or doing anything dangerous bc of this feeling it jst sucks feeling this way. Ik i need food and energy to heal and i love eating good food :9