Breast Reduction

Yes, with the Medicare Item Number: 45523.

Are you with NIB?

For patients insured with NIB, please note they are advising a number of their patients that they will not guarantee cover until after the operation to ensure it was truly non-cosmetic. NIB patients should simply ensure they confirm that their level of cover includes the item number 45523, as Dr Moncrieff only quotes this number when he believes a patient has the clinical need required for that Medicare number and therefore meet the standards required if you have cover for breast reductions. You may also consider changing funds and this article may assist.

Yes we do. We understand that surgery is a serious investment. To help you understand your payment options you may like to read our dedicated article here.

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. Patients seeking breast reduction surgery are typically troubled by disproportionately large breasts that cause physical discomfort, pain or functional limitations.

As a specialist plastic surgeon and a father of three, I recognise that being able to make the choice to breastfeed is very important for women and their families! That’s because when I perform this surgery, I invest the time to protect the milk ducts, nerves, breast tissue and glandular tissue as much as possible.

As a result, many women I operate on go on to successfully breastfeed after a breast reduction or lift surgery.

And while many women think the nipple is removed in a breast reduction, the technique I use does not involve removal. Instead, I reshape the areola and position it with the nerves and milk ducts intact to the new position on the chest wall.

Some patients of mine who have had breast reductions between babies have actually reported that they weren’t able to feed the first time around due to the excessive size of their breasts, but were able to breast feed the second baby after their reduction.

But of course, there are no guarantees! Just as with women who have not had surgery, some women are not able to breast feed at all and others will need the assistance of a lactation consultant to help manage early feeding issues.

To read the full answer, visit this article.

Dr Moncrieff performs breast reduction surgery on women of all ages, shapes and sizes and they all have different starting and finishing cup sizes depending on those factors. Routinely, Dr Moncrieff’s breast reduction patients can drop anywhere from 2-5 cup sizes post-surgery. More information about how small a breast reduction can make you is here.

We understand there is no access to public training hospitals for breast reductions in the Hunter. 

And Dr Moncrieff is not able to offer no-gap reductions as the cost of providing 5 star care in our practice far exceeds the nominal amount the private health funds are willing to pay for this procedure.

For more information on these topics, please visit the dedicated article here.

The level of pain experienced during breast reduction surgery varies from person to person. It's important to note that breast reduction is a surgical procedure, and like any surgery, it involves some degree of discomfort and recovery time. Breast reduction surgery will involve swelling, bruising, bloating and discomfort in the immediate post-operative period.

Our anesthetists will prescribe post-surgery medications to help manage pain and discomfort in the immediate post-operative period. Patients are advised to follow our post-operative care instructions carefully to minimise discomfort and promote healing. In most cases, discomfort gradually decreases over the days and weeks following surgery.

Learn about our 5 star difference here.

The minimum age for breast reduction surgery can vary depending on several factors, including the individual's physical breast development, emotional maturity, and medical need for surgery. Patients under the age of 18 require parental consent and a referral letter from their GP prior to scheduling an initial consultation with Dr Moncrieff.

If you are considering having a baby in the next year or two, or if breastfeeding is important to you, Dr Moncrieff will encourage you to complete your family before going ahead with breast surgery to achieve maximum longevity from your surgical results. However, if children are more than a few years away, there is no problem enjoying your surgical results before you become a mum. More information about pregnancy and plastic can be found here.

Dr Moncrieff finds that many women with large breasts request that he makes them “almost flat chested” to alleviate their discomfort after years of struggling with neck, back and shoulder pain. In most cases, this kind of request is actually impossible without serious health and aesthetic issues.

The main reason that very large breasts can’t be made as small as an A or B cup is due to the limited 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. The other main factor in determining your new breast size is balancing your overall figure from an aesthetic point of view. If you are curvy all over, very small breasts can make other parts of the body look out of proportion.

More information about how small a breast reduction can make you can be found here.

Your weight can make a big difference to the safety and outcome of your surgery – so we can’t ignore it.

In this article, Dr Moncrieff outlines why it matters and the weight range to aim for before starting the surgical journey.

A BMI at or under 28 is required for most patients for surgery, with a BMI of 30 being the maximum that Dr Moncrieff will accept due to increased risks of surgery.  An easy BMI calculator is here.

All surgery is serious and you need to weigh up the potential benefits with the 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, delayed or slow healing wounds (including death of tissue), asymmetry and in rare cases, loss of the nipple.

Your surgeon will discuss these risks, and how you can reduce them before and after surgery, in your consultation. You will also be given written material covering these risks.

More information about the risks of plastic surgery and broader general surgery can be found on our dedicated risks page.