I’ve always been very open about my experiences as someone who grew up with a large chest. Last summer, when I was able to receive a breast reduction, I decided that I would be just as open about the procedure, in case others were considering it and wanted to ask questions. In the last six months, many people have asked me about whether they should pursue a reduction and have expressed their relief to have known someone their age who has undergone the procedure. So, I’ve listed some of the most common questions I’ve received and answered them as honestly as I can. Maybe you want a breast reduction and want to learn from someone who got one, or maybe you’re just curious; either way, enjoy!
Q. Why did you decide to get a breast reduction?
A. Anyone with a large chest is familiar with the refrain of “damn, can I have some?” when we complain about the way our breasts have impacted our lives. However, there are a lot of distinct obstacles and issues that come with having a larger chest. I’ve had back pain since I was seventeen years old, and I hadn’t been able to work out the way I wanted to in years. It was extremely impairing. I couldn’t run, couldn’t sit at a desk normally, couldn’t lay on my stomach. My neck, back, and shoulders were constantly sore which gave me terrible posture and indents in my shoulders. To top it all off, no clothes fit me. I wear a small/medium top now, but before my surgery, I could barely wear a large sweatshirt. More importantly, my breasts were controlling my life. It felt like they were all anyone saw when they looked at me. It was as though they entered a room two minutes before I did because there was simply no way to hide them.
Since my surgery, I feel like a new person. I work out four times a week and a lot of the anxiety I felt when shopping for clothes is lessened. I feel like my breasts are part of me, rather than these things weighing my shoulders down. And, if anyone is wondering, my posture is much better.
Q. What was the downtime/post-surgery pain like?
A. Not bad. At all. It could be that I have a high pain tolerance, but I was more sore than anything else. I was off of the major pain killers after about two days and on Tylenol from there. After surgery, my surgeon put me on bed rest for a week because they didn’t want me to tear my stitches, but that was it. Once I was allowed to move again, I was taking regular walks, but there were still limits on things I could do until I was fully healed (run, swim, lay on my stomach, etc.). Overall, it was around a two-month-long recovery.
Q. What is the scarring like?
A. Whatever normal scars look like? I’m not going to go into heavy detail about where they are because that’s a different article, but I do have scars. I’ve been using bio oil on them for the last six months, which has helped a lot, but it’s obviously a major surgery, so there will be scarring. Honestly, they’re covered by a bikini and a bra so the only people who would see it would most likely not care.
Q. Does having a breast reduction mean you can’t breastfeed if/when you want kids?
A. Short answer: I won’t know until/if I have them, but I’m okay with that. I was told that I should be able to breastfeed by my surgeon, but that is one of the risks that comes with the surgery. When another member of my family had a breast reduction, she couldn’t breastfeed (this was in the 80s, so medicine is different now), which was difficult for her. She assured me, however, that she would still have made the same decision because of how much her surgery improved her life. Personally, I knew there was a risk of not being able to breastfeed, but I made the decision for myself that I would be happier with the surgery, regardless of whether or not I have children.
Q. Have you had any issues since surgery?
A. Medically, no. But I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t require a major internal adjustment. Because I had a large chest for so long, it was part of how I perceived my body. Once I had the reduction, it took a long time to recalibrate my body image internally. There were a few weeks where I had no idea what I looked like because it was such a major change, which was very difficult. It was a positive change, in the long run, but a major change to come to terms with.
A breast reduction is obviously not for everyone, but it changed my life. It didn’t solve all of my issues immediately, but it gave me the freedom to start making healthier choices that have made me feel better in my body. If you are someone who relates to some of the experiences I’ve described above, don’t be afraid to reach out to your primary care physician or even your gynecologist to get a referral or schedule a consultation. Everyone deserves to be happy in their body, and if this makes you as happy as it made me, then I want that for you.