There are limits to how small you can go with a reduction.
Yes, yes, I know for many of my large breasted patients they want them off. Gone. You are done with the whole breast thing. I get that. But there are two basic reasons you can’t or shouldn’t go super small.
1. Technically, the breast reduction is usually done with a breast pedicle. In English, this means the blood supply to your nipple areola is coming from a chunk of breast tissue. You don’t fully cut off the nipple and areola (phew!). It stays attached to the underlying breast tissue.
The droopier you are, the bigger and longer the pedicle. You can’t make the pedicle too small- you need to keep the blood supply adequate, so your nipple and areola live.
2. Aesthetically. I find cup sizes are hard to talk about. Getting slightly deep here (we are in California …) What is a B cup? A C cup? When you say “B” and I say “B” are we picturing the same thing? We know a 36 C versus a 34 C is not the same amount of breast tissue. In fact, a 32D can look quite normal.
When you talk about size, it is hard to distinguish exactly what size you are currently and what size you want to get to. A B cup is a pretty small breast. I think the basic consideration is to think about proportion. When you have been large breasted your entire life, you are used to the proportion it gives. Your belly never has looked large because your breasts are larger.
You may really want to be small in the chest. I am happy to get you as close to where you want as safely possible. Things to help you think:
- Find photos of the “ideal” size you like.
- Look at your body. Imagine your breasts are small.
- Strap down your breasts in a really tight bra and imagine they are gone. Do you like how you look?
My advice is always to err too large, not too small. We can always remove a little with lipo after. It is hard to add some back.