Side Effects after Breast Reduction Surgery

While many women lack an ideal amount of volume in the breasts, there are also a number of women who have too much breast tissue. Breasts that are overly large and heavy can cause emotional and physical discomfort that cannot be relieved without surgical treatment. Dr. Gregory T. Mesna offers breast reduction surgery to improve body proportions and ease the physical strain and emotional embarrassment of large, dense breasts. Here, Dr. Mesna prepares his Minneapolis patients for the breast reduction side effects that can be expected following this surgical procedure.

Side Effects

During breast reduction surgery, significant alterations are made to the size and shape of the breasts and, possibly, the underlying muscle. As a result, the body will require ample time to adjust to and recover from these alterations. As the body’s natural response to surgery, patients will experience side effects during this recovery period. Below are brief explanations of the side effects most likely to be experienced following breast reduction surgery:

• Fatigue: Many patients are surprised by how tired and worn down they feel following breast reduction surgery. This is the body reacting, not only to the surgical alterations, but also to the effects of anesthesia. For the first couple of days after surgery, patients are likely to do little more than sleep and rest.
• Pain: Breast reduction surgery is likely to cause significant discomfort or pain. The breasts and chest wall will feel sore and tender and may be bruised as well. This discomfort will be aggravated by any movement of the chest muscles, so it is important to avoid exercise or strenuous activity (lifting included). Most pain will subside in about a week, but prescribed pain medication can be used in the meantime to control the patient’s level of discomfort.
• Swelling: The breasts are likely to be significantly swollen for at least the first several days after surgery. This swelling may make it difficult to fully see the smaller size of the breasts. As swelling subsides, the new shape and size of the breasts will become more evident.
• Dry, itchy skin: The breast skin will be tighter following breast reduction surgery and is likely to feel dry or itchy as a result. With Dr. Mesna’s approval, moisturizers can be used to alleviate this dryness, but patients must be very careful to avoid the incision sites.
• Loss of sensation: During breast reduction surgery, alterations are made that can affect the sensation of the nipples and areolas (sometimes the nipples are even repositioned). This loss of (or change in) sensation may last up to six months and, in rare cases, may be permanent.
• Scars: Scars are an unavoidable part of breast reduction surgery. However, scars will fade as healing progresses and should fade significantly within several months after surgery.

Schedule an Appointment

Overly large breasts can put excessive strain on the neck, back, and shoulder muscles, causing a significant amount of physical discomfort. Additionally, patients with disproportionately large breasts are likely to experience social and emotional discomfort. If large breasts are a problem for you and you are interested in learning about improving body proportion through breast reduction surgery, schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregory Mesna at your earliest convenience. We look forward to hearing from you!