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Despite hearing and reading stories about the incredible happiness and satisfaction that women realize following breast reduction surgery (reduction mammoplasty), there are some patients that I see who are under the impression that the initial recovery is often quite uncomfortable. As a consequence, they have delayed pursuing the surgery which can markedly improve their quality of life.

So: Is breast reduction surgery painful?

You might guess that it would be uncomfortable given the nature of the incisions which are typically in an inverted “T” shape and extend along most or the entire crease at the bottom of the breast. They are, in fact, multiple times larger than the one used for a breast augmentation.

Fortunately, you will be quite happy and relieved to learn that most of my patients find the postoperative course following a reduction mammoplasty to be surprisingly quite benign. Some patients will take pain medication for a few days; others don’t even take any. Of course, there are some women who do require analgesics for a longer period of time.

Virtually all of my patients are up and walking around the day of surgery with some even going out to dinner that night though they are instructed not to drive at least that first day. Most do return to sedentary type jobs (not much lifting) by around 5 days postoperatively with the remainder usually by one week.

So if you have been interested in pursuing breast reduction surgery but feared that you would experience a lot of pain afterwards, now you know the real answer.

For more information on breast reduction surgery or for any other plastic surgery procedure that I perform or to schedule a consultation with me, you can call my office at 480-451-3000.

Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona

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