What is Breast Reduction Surgery?
Breast reduction surgery (reduction mammaplasty) removes excess breast tissue, fat and skin to achieve a smaller, lighter breast that is better proportioned to the body. The procedure simultaneously lifts and reshapes the breast, moving the nipple and areola to a more youthful, natural position. Every breast reduction is, in effect, also a breast uplift.
Disproportionately large breasts cause significant physical problems for many women — chronic pain in the neck, shoulders and back, deep bra strap grooves, skin fold irritation or infection beneath the breast, and difficulty exercising or maintaining good posture. For patients experiencing these symptoms, breast reduction can be genuinely transformative, offering relief that physiotherapy and weight loss alone rarely achieve.
Mr. Blackburn uses well-established surgical techniques, including the vertical (lollipop) and Wise-pattern (anchor) approaches, selected according to each patient's anatomy and the volume to be removed. Scar placement is carefully planned and always discussed at consultation.
Who is a Good Candidate?
Breast reduction is suitable for women whose breast size causes physical symptoms, limits activity, or creates significant self-consciousness. Weight should ideally be stable, and smoking must be stopped well before surgery to reduce wound-healing risks. Mr. Blackburn takes a thorough medical history at consultation and advises honestly on whether surgery is appropriate and the right time to proceed.
The Surgical Approach
Surgery is performed under general anaesthesia, typically lasting 2–3 hours. The chest wall skin is marked preoperatively with the patient standing. Excess breast tissue, fat and skin are removed, and the nipple–areola complex is repositioned to a higher, more natural position while maintaining its blood supply. The breast is shaped and the skin closed in layers. A drain tube is sometimes used for the first 24 hours.
Where patients also have breast asymmetry, the two sides are carefully adjusted at the same operation to achieve greater balance. The final result is a smaller, lighter, better-shaped breast with a repositioned nipple.
Recovery
Most patients are comfortable going home the day after surgery. Light activity resumes within 1–2 weeks and the majority of patients return to desk-based work within 2–3 weeks. Upper body exercise should be avoided for 6 weeks. Swelling and bruising resolve over 6–8 weeks, and scars continue to mature and fade over 12–18 months.
Mr. Blackburn's practice follows an evidence-based scar management protocol beginning with 3M Micropore tape — see the scar care guide for full details.
- Relieves neck, shoulder and back pain in the majority of patients
- Every reduction also lifts and reshapes the breast
- Natural-looking, symmetrical results tailored to your anatomy
- Scars planned within bra line wherever possible
- New Victoria Hospital Kingston & Mount Alvernia Guildford