When is the right time for a breast reduction?

A breast reduction can be done any time the size and weight of the breasts interfere with your lifestyle. This may include limiting clothing options, limiting the ability to perform exercise or physical activities, and physical pain from the weight. I would recommend, however, not having a breast reduction performed within six months of breast feeding as the breasts are changing rapidly during this time and the long term results may be unpredictable. In some women, breast reduction may interfere with the ability to breast feed, however, this is not true in the majority of cases.

Breast reduction performed by liposuction alone is an option for selected women.

Thank you for your question. The best time is when you decide the pain, activity issues and postural changes are significant. Breast reductions are performed on women much younger these days and are very happy. Breast feeding may or may not be an issue depending on the surgical technique. Discuss your case with a plastic surgeon. Good luck.

Assuming that your breast size has stabilized over the last year and is no longer enlarging, breast reduction can be performed at any time that the size and the weight bother you enough that you want to do something about it. While most patients following a breast reduction are capable of breastfeeding, some patients are not able to effectively breastfeed. If that is a concern for you, you may want to wait until after you are finished with pregnancies. However, if your breasts are very uncomfortable now, they will be significantly more uncomfortable during pregnancy unless you have a breast reduction. I would suggest you have a consultation with a plastic surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) that you can find through Smart Beauty Guide.

Robert Singer, M.D., FACS
La Jolla, California