Conditions
Breast Reduction
Breast reduction is carried out for a number of reasons, but the most common include discomfort, backache, neck pain and skin irritation. Sometimes reduction is used to balance out a noticeable asymmetry, but more often it is carried out on both breasts to reduce them in size.
It is considered a cosmetic operation by the NHS, which means that it is not normally available without going through a private healthcare provider. However, if there is a compelling sociological or psychological reason for the surgery to take place, a referral for assessment can be made through your GP.
The operation lasts anything upto 3 hours, and will involve the repositioning of the nipples and the removal of excess skin and breast tissue. The remaining breast tissue is remodelled to create smaller and more elevated breasts. There are 3 different techniques that are commonly used – an anchor reduction which leaves a scar down from the nipple and across the breast crease; a vertical pattern reduction which surrounds the nipple and goes down the lower middle of the breast; and a circumareolar reduction, which only leaves a scar around the nipple, but is only suitable for small reductions.
Watch the Live from the Clinic interactive case video on breast reduction >
Watch the Live from the Clinic interactive case video on weight gain and heavy breasts >
Comments and Questions
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Hi I am 24 and I have 38EE breasts. I have gained because I find it hard to exercise because of them so they have gotten bigger, I struggle to exercise because I get paid in my neck and like a burning pain in my shoulders from just walking for 5mins and they are very tender. I get back and neck pain even when I am sitting down. I feel like I attract the wrong sort or attention because of them and its really getting me down to the point where ill only leave the house for work I won't go anywhere else.they pull on my skin and cause me to have sores and My dr just tells me I need to lose weight and I have tried but I feel like I'm gettin no where
wanted to have advice on who is the best breast reduction surgeon, bit embarrased to come on show, desprately need help, doctor would only forward me to the specialist if i could lose weight, struggling to do this and large breasts does not help, yuor advice would be appreciated. Getting me rather down now, saw your show last night and whole situation depressed me more
I am 20 and I my bra size is 32G. However I have been a 32G since I was 16, I have had large breasts since the age of 12/13. I have awful indents in my shoulders, my breasts weigh in about 1 stone and in total i only weigh about 8 1/2 st. I am a clothing size 8-10 but my breasts don't fit it anything that size. I have tried everything possible to reduce the size naturally from losing a lot of weight weighing just 7st to a number of exercises,I even attempted Physio but nothing has worked. I have had a private consultation for a breast reduction and I can not afford to pay what they are asking as I'm a student, not to mention I have other priorities such as trying to find a house after uni and a stable job. It has been so hard to find a job due to my breast size and small frame people just do not take me seriously at all and I am constantly asked if they are real. I have also been told by the NHS that this is a cosmetic issue. However I suffer chronic back pain. My shoulders are always red and irritated from my bra straps not to mention the indentations. I know I will never have a normal bone structure due to my shoulders which does upset me a little but my main concern is spending the rest of my life in this situation. Everything I do is a challenge because of my back pain. Lying on my back is also uncomfortable as it becomes very difficult for me to breathe. I have even contemplated not having children (I would very much love to have children) over fear of being able to cope with my breasts getting any bigger. I also have sensetive skin so the skin inbetween by breasts is always red and so painful sometimes it hurts to the point of tears just putting a bra on or taking one off. I don't understand why people are offered free breast enlargement but it could take years for me to even be considered a breast reduction with the NHS. I am desperate for help.
Hi, I am a 19 year old girl with size 32K breasts. I am about 5ft 5 and would be about a 12 if it wasn't for my boobs. They cause me a great deal of pain and embarrassment. I have always had large boobs and they just don't seem to want to stop growing. I have begged doctors to take them off but have been turned down by the NHS because they are considered cosmetic. I don't think there is any way I would be able to afford a reduction Privately as I am a student and am already borrowing money for my studies, so another loan is really not an option. My boobs affect my everyday life, I get back pain,neck pain I have sours in between my boobs, under my boobs and under my armpits where bra's rub. I haven't had a proper fitting bra for about 2/3 years and have even been turned away by bra fitters saying they just had nothing for me as I have very large breast for my size. I don't own many dresses or nice tops as they just don't fit my figure, I don't go swimming or do much sport because i can't find any sports bra's and it is painful. i think a reduction would make my life so much better, I am so self conscious about my body because of them and can't the comments some people make in the street such as 'look at the tits on that!' or being known as 'kirsty with the big boobs'. I would really like your help and would be willing to go on the show if that's what it would take to get rid of my boobs.
Hi i'm only 18 and my boob size is 32G it's really embarrassing and its becoming a hassle, my mom suggested surgery and I would be interested in it but i'm just wondering am I too young to get this done and will they go back to the way they were If i put on weight?
Im 24 nearly 25 I have recently been very ill and lost alot of wieght from everywhere but my breasts they just seem to be getting bigger im having to buy new bras every month and finding something to wear is a nightmare. Why are they still growing? Im fit and healthy i dont understand i go to the gym 5 times a week ive tried everythign and nothings working
hi, ive always had big boobs but since i've had my little boy they just will not stop growing i realy dont know what to do ive been back and forth to my doctors to have them reduced and seem to be getting no were. I am a size 34HH and a size 10 cloths but always have to get size 18 tops it's really getting me down im so depressed, i have cronic back ache to the point i can't sleep, its effecting me and my partners sex life im so consious as they are so saggy please some one help me!!
hi am 23 and have big boobs i am a 32 kk i get back ake and a rass under my boobs i find it hard to find bras that fit and it cost me a fortune its hard to get t shirts to fit i carnt sit up stright because of my boobs i feel like everyone is stering at me i can't get a swim suite to fit it gets me feeling upset
hello, iam 29 years old and had breast reductions surgery in 2009. the outcome of the surgery has disfigured my breast and i have been living in this nightmare since then.my areola,breast size, breast shape are all different size and shapes.i also have horrible , very wacky zig zag scars on my breast and the worst part is that the doctor only cut skin from my nipples till the end of the breast making only one cut and later he gathered all excess skin and tucked it all back inside the breast , at the bottom which gives my breast a funny look. the nipple had a big blister after surgery and he doctor wiped it away and since then that area has not retained the natural brown colour of nipples. i have frequent horrible , sharp pricking and poking pains too , which it very uncomfortabel. my breast looks absolutely disgusting and i feel so ugly and so unfeminine. i have given up swimming, i cannot take my children out for such acitivtes as am so consious about my breast shape. i do not chnage clothes in front of my husband.after the surgery, my husband and my sex life has just been devasted and my marriage is falling apart. i feel despressed and i have very low esteem and no confidence in myself at all.as my marraige been on edge all the time i fear i wont be even able to start a new relationship with anyone ever in my life because of my breast. i feel i have lost all what i had which was important for a woman to be woman.iam too ashamed to express and show myself to the doctor or even discuss it and i really want help now. i have been degraded alot by my husband and i want to feel good again, i want to have that feminine feeling again which i lost 3 years ago, please help me,it would mean alot to me.iam ready to send you any pictures which could give you more idea of what exactly iam going through.
Hi im 21 5ft and my boobs are between 34-36h-jj cup ive always had problems with them! i have already been to a consultant when i was about 15/16 about having a reduction and he made me feel so little inch tall he picked one of my breast up and just dropped it without thinking how much the drop of the weight hurt. He then said 'yes your breast are very large but he wanted me to have a family 1st as he said you can not breast feed after and that they would get smaller after having children. i now have 2 children and am not looking at having any more and by boobs have only got bigger since the children. when i started secondary school i had alot of attention from other kids/boys that i was not confortable with, people only really pointed out the size of my boobs rather than the person iam. i hate how i look and i hate my boobs bras are more expersive taht i can buy and 9/10 times places do not stock them as i live in a small town nd have to order of the internet or travel. i have serve neck pain its like my neck aches 24/7 and serve back pain too, my spine is arching and is really sore i cant sleep on my back as i feel they are suffcating me. i really need help all my life i have been dieting and tryin to lose my weight i feel im fighting a losing battle. im always aware of them and often find myself looking down at them as often find it looking like i have 4 boobs where the top of the bra cuts through them bulge out the top i know this is properly due to not wareing the right bras but this is hard witht he cost of a desent bra. please can u help me as the doctors dont x
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