Breast reduction surgery has been something I knew would be a part of my life from the day I grew out of a DD bra and just kept going. After years of back pain and kyphosis, under-boob skin problems, squishing out of ugly grandma bras, and painful headaches, I FINALLY had the surgery a couple of months ago!
Queue the party music!
Now, I was expecting to have the surgery, have some pain for a few days, and then be back to normal after a couple of weeks. Boy did I get the wool pulled over my eyes! It was way more intense than I anticipated, and for anyone out there interested in getting breast reduction surgery, I just want to be the first to say you are NOT alone in experiencing some of these things!
Here are the things that no one warned me about with my breast reduction surgery:
You won’t be showering for a week.
They don’t tell you that until right before your surgery, so stock up on dry shampoo and deodorant.
The first time you shower, you’ll likely be lightheaded.
I totally didn’t expect this at all, but it’s like the smells from the surgical dressings or something were heightened and I honestly thought I was going to pass out. Just be prepared to maybe have some help or plan to sit down in the shower for a bit.
The swelling feels like you’re milk is coming in.
Only there is no relief of pumping or breastfeeding to get rid of it! Insert crying emoji. I found icing really helps out (try these awesome ice packs, their the perfect size!) and then I actually found lightly massaging helps. I use my jade roller on my boobs instead of my face haha.
Your nipples are going to peel.
Over and over and over again! Talk about gross! This might depend on the type of breast reduction surgery you have, I had a nipple graft, so when the casts were removed from my nipples they started to peel. The doctor said to expect it to happen several times over the coming months.
Nothing sexier than lizard skin nipples.
If you do have a nipple graft, plan on looking like Deadpool.
I really have no better comparison for what the skin on your nipples and around them looks like other than Deadpool skin. It’s freaking glamorous.
The incision feels like wearing the world’s sharpest underwire.
I thought it was maybe the tape they used, or the bolsters maybe. All I know is that it feels like you have the worst bra ever on and you can’t take it off!
No heat allowed!
This is probably a no brainer, but for swelling and pain they say you CAN’T use any kind of heat or heating pad because the skin is so sensitive it can burn easier. Only plan on using ice packs.
Your boobs are going to seem fake.
They are rock hard and super swollen. I’m almost 2 months out at the time of writing this and they still don’t move even a teeny, tiny bit! After doing some research and consulting with my doctor, I’ve learned that this will likely be the case for the first several months and up to the first year.
Don’t plan on wearing normal shirts.
Because you can’t lift your arms above your head. Duh. Stock up on zip-ups and button-ups.
Related: How to Know if Breast Reduction Surgery is Right for You
It’s a full year of healing.
The surgery might only take 6-12 weeks to heal before you can return to normal activity, but I found out afterward that it’s about a full year before your body really settles into your new look and you stop having random swelling and pain.
You will want to spend endless amounts of money on new bras.
And I see no reason to restrain yourself from doing it. Treat yo’ self!
O.M.G. the itching is the worst!
I expected pain. I expected some swelling. I expected to look like I had swapped boobs with Frankenstein’s wife. But the itching?No. I did not expect that. It’s like having thousands of mosquito bites all over the places you can’t scratch. And you really can’t use cream the first few weeks. And the top layer of skin that itches is also conveniently numb (someone tell me how that works?!), so when you scratch it does nothing.
You can’t lift your arms.
I wasn’t even allowed to move them for like a full week, although I’ve heard other people with different stories. My incisions happen to go all the way under my arm to my back because that is how far back my boobs extended, so they cut right through everything in that area and even though I’m allowed to move now, I still can’t lift my arm above my head without some difficulty. It’s very tight and painful.
Wanna reach for something? You can’t do that either.
No reaching! And no repetitive motions (like vacuuming back and forth, or dishes where you’re going back and forth from the sink to the dishwasher,etc.) You need your boobies to heal properly though, so follow the rules!
Expect emotional waves.
I’ve literally been looking forward to the day I lopped off the TaTas for years, so when I felt anxiety and sad over it all I was totally thrown off. Like… what? Why do I feel like this? It’s totally normal though. I asked my doctor. 😉 The first two weeks after surgery especially I felt really up and down in general.
Thankfully, I was way happier with my results than I could have expected, which helped me out of those blue moments.
Stretch marks might happen.
Yes. Stretch marks. This is something that completely threw me off, my boobs were getting smaller so why did I get stretch marks?! Because of the new position and all of the swelling, my skin had to stretch. I have very little elasticity in my skin naturally, meaning I get stretch marks really easy, so bam. A couple weeks after surgery, there they were. My brand-new tiger stripes to represent my fierce new boobs, ha!
Numbness is normal.
So this is something that I definitely did not expect in the slightest, but it actually makes sense. My doctor had told me I wouldn’t regain sensation in my nipples, but I also have total numbness around my incisions, particularly under my arms where my incision wraps around to my back. It’s really weird to not have any feeling on the skin right there.
Of course, it’s not uncomfortable or bad or anything, just a little weird!
The back pain relief is almost instantaneous.
I expected my back pain to take a while to feel better, I could not believe how quickly it was gone though! Again, this could just be my experience but I was overjoyed and feel like it’s worth sharing!
I’m sure there are more that I will get to experience as the healing process continues on and I’ll be sure to come back and update this page as I think of them! If you haven’t read all the details about my surgery, you can find that post here.Â
XXOO Sunny
Aj hall
May 4, 2019 at 7:40 pm (2 years ago)Thank you for your post! It’s refreshing to hear that someone else had the same experience with breast reduction surgery. The internet is full of women who appear to have breaded through surgery with minimal pain and inconvenience. This rally made me feel like I was a wimp for feeling all of the pain I had.
Sunny
May 6, 2019 at 12:19 pm (2 years ago)You are definitely not a wimp, you are strong and beautiful! I’m so glad you found this helpful, thank you so much for reading! XO
Miriam
June 8, 2019 at 2:54 pm (2 years ago)I’m currently in the research process of my reduction. I had the consult with the surgeon. His nurse is doing the authorization to see if my insurance will cover the procedure. While in wait, I’m reading up on different experiences and this blog post popped up. I’m so glad I found it and I’m taking notes. Thank you for being so open about it so those of us who are pre-op can see what we may face after the surgery.
Sunny
June 9, 2019 at 8:51 pm (2 years ago)It’s so wonderful to hear your story and that you’ve found this post helpful! I wish you all the best in your surgery process!
Angie
August 1, 2019 at 6:01 pm (1 year ago)I have literally counted the days until I could have my reduction done .. NOW I am nervous! lol – it was kind of freaking me out a bit, but I feel sooooo much better after reading your post! THANK YOU for sharing!!
Sunny
August 1, 2019 at 7:43 pm (1 year ago)Oh how exciting for you!! Seriously, it’s going to be the best thing you’ve ever done, I promise! I totally get the nerves, they are normal, but I promise you’ve got nothing to be nervous for! Thank you so much for reading! XXOO
Devan
August 14, 2019 at 4:26 am (1 year ago)Thank you for sharing! I am currently 5 days post-op and was looking for reassurance. My surgeon has been totally different than any other stories I’ve herd (I took my dressings off the first day, showered then also, put Vaseline on all of the incisions after every shower, stretch as often as possible, no drainage tubes, walk every hour, no bra, only cotton t shirts for the first week to 10 days…). I seem to be healing okay, but I’m very uncomfortable. The itching is the worst and the tightness is odd. I went from an i to a c and looking down is sooo weird. (Did I mention he said not to look in the mirror for the first 2 weeks.) I’ve waited for this for a little over 10 years though and I’m so excited to see the end result. Good luck to everyone thinking about having a reduction done and I totally agree about the immediate back pain relief, my mom and husband said I was even sitting straighter right out of surgery. Again, thank you for sharing! It’s nice to know I’m not alone.
Sunny
August 14, 2019 at 11:49 am (1 year ago)Oh girl, you are DEFINITELY NOT ALONE!! Haha I still feel like it’s weird to look down and have no boobs there compared to what it used to be, and it’s been 7 months for me now! So crazy! It’s definitely going to heal up and I’m certain you’ll love it, seriously it’s the best decision I’ve ever made and has totally changed my quality of life! I’m so happy for you! I hope that the discomfort passes quickly!
Judy Murphy
August 14, 2019 at 4:01 pm (1 year ago)Hi there! I am 4 wks post op! I went from a supposedly G/H to I hope a C cup. In my case i had a lollipop incision and so far not so bad for itching, the breast tissue all over is tender, but getting better each day. I had one breast a bit larger from swelling for a few days and prayed hard it wasn’t a permanent thing, so far so good! I went a week with sitting in a tub and hubby washed my back. Hair i was able to wash in the laundry sink. I was fortunate that I could raise my arms up or out to do that or i know I’d go crazy not washing my hair. Styling was another issue lets just say I was oh natural for a bit!! Sleeping on my back was not fun but got used to it. I didn’t have any issues with odour from the surgery and not a ton of bruising. Tons of rest an good food and water are a must. Walking is also a must! I still get the shocks in the healing tissue and twinges when i have done something I shouldn’t have like open the freezer door without bracing myself first. Skin is sensitive and is a pain but in the end I think worth it. I was still in my old size of 34 g bras the past few weeks due to swelling but have noticed that they are getting a bit lose and uncomfortable. Small fortune on very good sport bras the past few yrs, compression bras so I figured I would use them for now. Finally seeing some changes. I hope they will be a C as right now I am looking at D cups. I had a friend tell me that it can take time to get to your settled size and everyone is different. Just like every bra is made different. My G cup fits in one brand but not another. I know there is still much healing to take place. I am into strength training, cardio and yoga, chomping at the bit, but also knowing that I must rest and take it easy. It is a hard decision and I am glad I made it. Good luck to all who decide to get a reduction! Have lots of gauze for padding, get yourself really good post op bras and sport bras, try to be comfortable, remember pain management is key keep on top of it.
Sunny
August 27, 2019 at 2:22 pm (1 year ago)Oh congratulations on the surgery!! It sounds like it was really successful, I’m so glad that you made that decision too! It’s definitely not easy at first, but it’s been so life changing for me and it sounds like it’s been the same way for you!! So glad that you shared these details, thank you SO much for being here and supporting this community! It’s so important we all share our stories!
Ela Iliesi
December 4, 2019 at 3:43 pm (1 year ago)Having the surgery tomorrow and the tips on ice packs and zip up blouses are so great! Thanks so much for the article
Sunny
December 5, 2019 at 8:57 pm (1 year ago)How exciting!! I hope some of these tips help you out, congratulations and good luck with everything!! You’re going to be so happy! Sending you so much love!
Amanda
December 13, 2019 at 7:47 am (1 year ago)Thank you so much for your post. I am having the surgery in about a month (34H) and was wanting to find realistic stories about the recovery. I am a bit nervous about the procedure, but more nervous about the recovery. I wanted to know how to prepare for after. I just can’t take the pain anymore. It is a weird bunch of emotions. Excitement, nerves, weirdly grieving the loss of a part of myself. I know I will be happier afterward though
Sunny
December 13, 2019 at 12:17 pm (1 year ago)Oh my gosh, how exciting! I definitely know the feeling. I totally felt like I was losing part of my identity or something, which sounds crazy, but that’s how I felt. You’ll be so, so happy though, I promise! I can’t tell you the incredible gift it has been to have had my surgery. I’m excited for you and I hope it goes really well! Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment on my post! <3 Sending love and best wishes for your upcoming procedure!
Jo Potts
January 18, 2020 at 3:27 pm (1 year ago)I am scheduled to have my surgery in two weeks. I am excited and nervous. I am scheduled to be off work for 4 weeks. I travel a lot by airplane for my job. We will see if I can lift a suitcase over my head in 4 weeks…it sounds pretty doubtful. I am a scheduled cruise 10 weeks after my surgery. After 10 weeks were you able to be seen in a swimsuit or were you still in a compression bra 24/7?
Sunny
January 21, 2020 at 2:47 pm (1 year ago)Yay how exciting! I’m so excited for you! It might be tricky to lift anything over your head 4 weeks post-op so definitely try to get some help for that if you can. I would definitely say at about 10 weeks post op I would have been able to wear a swimsuit! Especially one that has a tiny bit of structure around the chest, like a built in cup or bra, that would work just fine! Sounds like it’s going to be a fun trip!
Kriss
April 7, 2020 at 9:56 am (10 months ago)I was scheduled to have my surgery next week but due to coronavirus, it is now postponed. I’ve been looking forward to it for so long as I to have back issues, headaches and also none of my tops fit well. They all look awkward. I’m a little disappointed that now I have to wait but also on other hand I’m getting nervous about it. I’m just scared with all I read. Thank you for your post as it was very informative. Hopefully it will be rescheduled soon before I chicken out. Lol but during this difficult crisis all the world is facing with this awful pandemic, my heart and prayers go out to everyone affected and prayers for everything to stay healthy. Thank you
Sunny
April 11, 2020 at 12:02 pm (9 months ago)Oh no I’m so sorry to hear you had to have it rescheduled! Things have certainly gotten crazy right now, but trust me you are going to LOVE it when you are finally able to get it done! It’s going to help your back pain and headaches, it has been one o fate best things I’ve done! Sending you so much love and well wishes!
Zeenie
October 29, 2019 at 10:23 am (1 year ago)I’ve had my surgery three weeks ago. My nipples are at two different heights and angles, and both my boobs feel different. The left one is harder than the right one. Has that happened with anyone? And oh, I had really really not expected this to happen… My boobs had been sagging for so long, my nipples were literally next to my navel. Now that they’ve been uplifted, they’re perky and PAINFUL. I’ve full sensation in both my nipples. I need to wear the support bra most of the times, or a soft one when I’ve taken it off. Has anyone else gone through this?
Sunny
October 29, 2019 at 5:15 pm (1 year ago)I’ve actually heard that can happen! I had a nipple graft so my nipples were basically black and dead looking for like a month, and now as they’ve been healing they’ve been very freckly looking. I don’t have any sensitivity on the surface, but underneath I can definitely feel that it feels different. The first couple of months were the hardest because that’s when they were the most painful, seriously it felt like I had Frankenstein porn boobs or something, it was very painful and I had to wear a support bra the whole time! It does ease up though! After a couple months, it significantly improves! I’m almost a year past the surgery now (about ten months) and I don’t experience that pain or insane perkiness anymore. It’s hard at first, but hang in there. You’ll start to feel better soon, love!
Jaime
August 7, 2020 at 2:14 am (6 months ago)I realize I’m several months late from when you had your surgery but Omg YES. I am 3 1/2 weeks postop, the zingers and twinges are crazy uncomfortable and I have a huge hematoma in my right breast complicating things. Been eating Advil and Tylenol like skittles, cuz thanks to said hematoma, I have one that is bigger than the other and the entire boob is an ugly shade of yellowish Brownish blue. Super sexy. And uncomfortable. Rock hard. But The worst thing that I have encountered so far are the nipple sensations…they’re at like…1000%… It is like walking around with your hands tied behind your back in a freezer with no shirt on … nothing you can do, no way to make it stop, and is brought on by the tiniest of twitches! The nipples are misery. Pure and simple. I’ve been spraying them with Bactine, all over, because there’s lidocaine in it and it feels so nice.But I finally have discovered that by covering the nipple completely with scar away strips, is the only way I can operate With any level of comfort. Heading up to the doctor again tomorrow to have this huge right one looked at to make sure it’s “healing correctly.“ PS -what was said here about heat is absolutely right, DONT DO IT. I made the mistake of falling asleep on my heating pad a couple of days ago because my back was sore from, surprise, all the sleeping on my back in the last few weeks and I must’ve turned slightly over because I ended up with a quarter sized blister on the right side of my boob, Which I cannot feel because there’s zero sensation in that area. *eye roll* There’s a part of me that kind of resents my surgeon for not preparing me better for the after portion of this ordeal. I feel like they could do a WAY better job of communicating all of the weird side effects that are possible. I don’t need a medical guide breakdown, just a solid heads up, ya know? I got a list of generic speak postop maybes but that was about it. Sounds like a bunch of drama, complaints, lol…but I have to tell you that they DO look great and I know that I will be in such a better place once they’ve healed more. If you’re a woman who has lived with large breasts for your whole life, take the plunge… You won’t regret it. Just prepare yourself mentally for all of the potential weird things that can happen after surgery so it doesn’t blindside you. 🙂
Sunny
September 4, 2020 at 9:55 pm (5 months ago)Oh my gosh thank you so, so, SO much for sharing your experience!!! It’s definitely not a cake walk, it’s so hard physically and emotionally, BUT it’s the best thing ever, totally worth it! Thank you again for sharing and all of your support!