Patient-Friendly Explanation

After large weight loss the breasts often deflate but remain heavy, causing neck, shoulder and upper back pain and skin irritation underneath. Breast reduction surgery removes the excess tissue and reshapes the breast to a size in proportion with the body. It is done under general anaesthesia, and most patients go home the same day or the next day.

Clinical Definition

Reduction mammoplasty is planned around breast volume, ptosis grade and skin quality, and is usually performed with a superomedial or inferior pedicle and either a Wise-pattern or vertical scar, removing roughly 300 to 1,500 g per side. Surgery relieves macromastia symptoms and posture-related pain; risks include altered nipple sensation, asymmetry, hypertrophic scarring, impaired lactation and, rarely, nipple necrosis, with higher wound complication rates in smokers and patients with poorly controlled diabetes.

Why It Matters

Weight should be stable before surgery, because further significant loss or regain alters the result, so reduction is planned after a patient has reached the maintenance phase of a weight management programme.