Minimum Size for Breast Reduction

One of the most common questions that we receive from our patients considering breast reduction surgery is “how small can I go?”

After years of struggling with neck, back and shoulder pain, I find that many women with large breasts request that I make them “almost flat chested” to alleviate their discomfort! In most cases, this kind of request is actually impossible without serious health issues and aesthetic issues.

The risk of a dead nipple in excessive reductions

One of main reasons that very large breasts can’t be made as small as an A or B cup is due to the blood supply to the nipple area during surgery. If too much breast tissue is removed, the excessive reduction in blood supply can potentially result in nipple and tissue death, and no-one wants a dead nipple! Adequate blood flow is required both during surgery and post-operatively to ensure effective wound healing.

Compromised blood supply to the nipple can also lead to loss of sensitivity and inability to breast feed which is relevant to my younger patients who choose to undergo breast reduction surgery before babies. This is a rare but serious risk, especially when attempting a significant reduction.

For this reason, the minimum size your breasts can be made with breast reduction surgery is usually predetermined by your anatomy.

Balancing your breasts to your body

Another major factor in determining your new breast size is balancing your overall figure from an aesthetic point of view. If you are curvy all over, tiny breasts often make other parts of the body look out of proportion. You still want your breasts to be the most projecting part of your side profile, rather than the focus being on your tummy!

This means that while 2-3kg of breast tissue is regularly removed in bigger breast reduction cases, it may mean a size decrease from a G cup to a DD, rather than a B or C. It is important to keep in mind that a breast reduction will not only make your breasts smaller overall, but they will be lighter, firmer and uplifted regardless of the resulting cup size.

For patients considering a breast reduction or lift, our 3D Vectra Surgery Simulation is a great tool to help visualise potential surgical results. While it is not able to demonstrate very large reductions, it is ideal for patients seeing smaller breast reductions and lifts.

Of course, I will work closely with you during your consultation to ensure I understands your goals and can achieve your desired outcome.

So what is possible?

Each patient's case is unique, and final breast size is determined only during a personalised consultation. I perform breast reduction surgery on women of all ages, shapes and sizes and they all have different starting and finishing cup sizes depending on all of those factors.

It is also important to mention that there is no metric for cup size measurement, and cup size does vary significantly based on underwear brands and styles, so your 'E' cup may look different to another patient's 'E' cup!

Scroll on for lots of examples of life-changing breast reductions and information about their cup size changes.

From a 10F to 10D                 From a 10G to 10C

From a 10G to a 10D             From a 10F to a 10C

From a 12F/G to 12D              From a 10E to 10C

From a 10F to 10C                  From a 14JJ to 14DD

From a 14H to 14D                 From a 12F to 12D

Tip: Check out our breast reduction before and after gallery to see more real patient outcomes.

Who is a good candidate for breast reduction?

Patients seeking breast reduction surgery are typically troubled by disproportionately large breasts that cause physical discomfort, pain, skin irritation or functional limitations. There is no specific breast size that qualifies universally for breast reduction surgery, as the decision to undergo the procedure is based on individual factors and symptoms rather than a specific cup size or breast measurement. Patient's seeking breast reduction surgery should otherwise be in good health with realistic expectations of the surgical procedure.

Types of breast reduction techniques

Breast reduction surgery has come a long way over time. Some of the most popular techniques to perform breast reduction surgery are:

• The 'anchor' incision technique
• The vertical incision or 'lollipop' technique
• The liposuction-assisted breast reduction technique

Which breast reduction technique do I use?

I use a modern anchor incision breast reduction technique with internal bra, which involves use of internal sutures to provide strength to the new breast shape, rather than just relying on external stitches. This technique allows for volume reduction, reshaping of the breast, nipple/areola reduction and a breast lift all in the one operation. This is achieved with only a short vertical scar up the breast, incision around the areola and another under the breast fold.

The nipple is not 'removed' in the vast majority of cases, as the risk of graft failure is too high. Instead, it remains attached to the nipple blood supply and moved upwards. I also incorporate liposuction techniques into many of my breast reduction cases to achieve the best possible result. To find out more about how a breast reduction is performed, you can watch a narrated 3D animation here.

Recovery and aftercare

Following breast reduction surgery, most patients require 2 weeks off work (or longer for more physical job roles). Gentle lower body exercise (i.e. walking) may be resumed 2-3 weeks following the procedure. Surgical garments and dressings will need to be worn for 6 weeks post-operatively. Upper body exercise, heavy lifting and high impact physical activity should be avoided until the wounds are fully healed (which is about 12 weeks post-surgery for most women).

It is important to follow your aftercare instructions diligently and attend your post-operative appointments to support the healing process and surgical outcome. More information about recovering from a breast reduction procedure can be found here.

Potential risks and complications

All surgery is serious and you will need to weigh up the potential benefits with the possible risks.

There are two main categories of risks and complications to consider when considering breast reduction surgery.

The first category of risks apply to all forms of major surgery and include: infection, bleeding and an adverse reaction to the anaesthetic. 

The next category of risks and complications which are more specific to breast reductions include: change in nipple sensation or loss of nipple sensation, infection, slow or delayed wound healing (including death of tissue), asymmetry and in rare cases, loss of the nipple. More information about the risks of plastic surgery and broader general surgery can be found on our dedicated risks page.

Alternatives to breast reduction surgery

While breast reduction surgery is often the most effective solution to address overly large breasts, other viable options include the use of supportive bras, or utilising physiotherapy to help address postural issues and neck, back and shoulder symptoms. These options may help manage symptoms but don't remove excess breast tissue.

What about patients hoping to increase breast size?

This can be achieved with breast augmentation surgery, rather than a breast reduction.

Ready to begin your surgical journey?

While breast reduction surgery can significantly improve quality of life for my patients, there are limitations to how small breasts can safely be made.

A great jumping off point is to book a 3D Vectra Surgery Simulation $100 appointment with our Practice Manager (the cost is rebated against my consultation fee). While this simulation is not perfect for all reductions, this is still a great chance to discuss the costs, Medicare rebates, recovery time, and to begin planning your timeline for surgery. The other major benefit of having this appointment first is that our Practice Manager controls my schedule, so she can fast track you a consultation with me if you do decide to continue exploring your surgical options.

More information on our breast reduction Newcastle service.

Call our friendly team on (02) 4920 7700 or send us a message using the contact form below.