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Breast Lift with Reduction
If your breasts have felt heavy for years, you may already be wondering whether a breast lift with reduction is the operation that fits. For some women the breasts have been large since development, while for others they enlarged and descended after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight gain. At Power Plastic Surgery, breast lift with reduction removes breast tissue and redundant skin, and repositions the nipple-areolar complex higher on the chest. That repositioning is the lift. During your consultation, Dr. Power makes that plan for your anatomy and your goals.
For many women, the weight shows up in ordinary parts of the day. Large breasts can contribute to neck, upper back, and shoulder pain, to difficulty with posture, and to grooving from bra straps. In more severe cases, moisture where skin rests against skin below the breasts can irritate the skin. Reducing breast weight and lifting the breast can improve those concerns. Satisfaction after breast lift with reduction is among the highest reported for plastic surgery procedures, which reflects how much these daily symptoms can matter.
Who Is a Candidate?
If you are considering surgery, the minimum age is generally 18 or older, so that breast development is complete. BMI is not a strict cut-off. A stable target weight is recommended, and BMI is under 30 in most cases. Dr. Power weighs those points together during your consultation. If you smoke, please stop for at least one month before surgery and one month after surgery. That interval lowers the risk of healing complications.
A breast lift with reduction may be performed before or after pregnancies, though results may not be stable if surgery is performed before childbearing and breastfeeding. This page describes breast lift with reduction, and the guidance here is written for women considering this operation.
The Procedure
The incision is chosen for the degree of lift you need, which means an anchor scar or a vertical scar is generally required, depending on the degree of lift. A periareolar incision would not be sufficient for a lift with reduction, so that smaller pattern is not used for this operation.
You have the surgery as day surgery under general anesthetic. It takes 2 to 3 hours in most cases, and you go home the same day. Plan for a ride home and for someone to stay with you for at least 24 hours after the general anesthetic, while drains are generally not used.
Liposuction alone is generally not used, because it would not correct ptosis. Liposuction of the lateral chest may be performed if it is potentially of benefit based on the clinical presentation.
How much tissue is removed is individualized. During your consultation, Dr. Power determines the amount from the clinical examination, your presentation and anatomy, and your goals. Cup size is not an exact measurement. There is no typical amount of tissue and no guaranteed cup size.
Recovery
In the weeks that follow, activity returns in stages. The timeline below sets out what each phase allows, so you can see the whole recovery before the day of surgery.
Recovery Timeline
- Day of surgeryYou have day surgery under general anesthetic, generally lasting 2 to 3 hours, and then you go home the same day. You need a ride home and someone to stay with you for at least 24 hours after the general anesthetic, while drains are generally not used.
- Day after surgeryYou may shower daily, starting the day after surgery, so a shower is already part of that first full day at home.
- DrivingYou may drive once you are no longer taking prescription pain medication and you can maneuver the vehicle safely.
- First weekRest, and return to office work or school when you are ready within the week. You wake with dressings, which may include gauze and a bra or an ACE wrap, and soreness is treated with prescription pain medication.
- About 3 weeksMost bruising and swelling have subsided by about 3 weeks, which is when those early changes have largely eased.
- One monthLight gym exercises are appropriate after one month, and cardio may begin at 4 weeks, so the return to exercise is gradual.
- 6 weeksFull activity as tolerated, including upper-body workouts, is appropriate at 6 weeks, and you may sleep on your side after 6 weeks. The surgical bra has been worn for 6 weeks, and it can help the tissues adhere to their new position during recovery.
Risks
Every operation has risks, and you should hear them in plain language before you decide. The choice is then made with a clear picture of what surgery can involve.
- There is a risk of altered nipple sensation and of a potential effect on the ability to breastfeed, and Dr. Power discusses both with you before surgery.
- Other risks include scarring, asymmetry, bleeding, infection, and delayed healing, and smoking cessation for at least one month before surgery and one month after surgery lowers the risk of healing complications.
- Routine mammogram screening afterward is the same as for women with no history of breast surgery, and tissue removed during surgery is sent for pathology review.
Patient Results
These photographs show breast lift with reduction at Power Plastic Surgery. Photographs taken at 6 weeks are early results, and the result continues to settle over the following months.
Breast Lift with Reduction on One Side
6 weeks after surgery (early results)
Breast Lift with Reduction
6 months after surgery
Breast Lift with Reduction
6 weeks after surgery (early results)
Breast Lift with Reduction
5 months after surgery
Breast Lift with Reduction
5 months after surgery
Individual results vary. See the Breast Lift with Reduction gallery.
Cost in Toronto
Breast Lift with Reduction
$10,140+
This is the starting fee for breast lift with reduction, and it is not OHIP-covered at our private surgical facility.
The starting fee for breast lift with reduction is $10,140+. That is the starting fee on our pricing page. Breast lift with reduction is not OHIP-covered at our private surgical facility. After your consultation, Dr. Power provides a personalized quote. Starting fees are the basis for an exact, all-inclusive quote, valid for six months, and financing is available.
The quote includes the surgeon fee, anesthesia fee, operating room and nursing fees, compression garments and surgical supplies as applicable, an overnight stay if applicable, and HST. A non-refundable 25% deposit secures the surgery date. The balance is due 3 weeks before surgery. Monthly payment plans are available through Beautifi.
Breast Lift with Reduction is not one of the choices on the consultation form. Please name breast lift with reduction in your message so we can prepare for the procedure you have in mind.
Related Procedures
Liposuction of the lateral chest may be performed with breast lift with reduction when the examination suggests it will help. A lift without tissue removal is a different operation, described on the breast lift page, and liposuction on its own is described separately.
Breast lift with reduction is commonly combined with a tummy tuck in one surgery, a combination often called a mommy makeover. An overnight stay is required for tummy tucks and mommy makeovers. Breast lift with reduction by itself remains day surgery.
If you would like to read more before your visit, these pages go further into why patients have breast reduction and what to expect after breast reduction.
About Your Surgeon
Dr. Stephanie Power, MD, MSc, FRCSC
Plastic surgeon certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Your breast lift with reduction consultation at Power Plastic Surgery is with Dr. Power, who will examine you and talk through a plan that fits your anatomy and your goals. She earned her MD and completed her plastic surgery residency at the University of Western Ontario, where she also completed an MSc in Medical Biophysics, and she received her Royal College certification in Plastic Surgery (FRCSC) in 2013. She then completed fellowships in Aesthetic Surgery and in Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Toronto, having graduated with honours from Princeton University before medicine. Her Toronto practice has an all-female team, so the people who care for you from consultation through surgery are women.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a breast lift with reduction?
A breast lift with reduction removes breast tissue, tightens the skin envelope by removing redundant skin, and repositions the nipple-areolar complex higher on the chest. The operation reduces breast size and also produces a lift, and Dr. Power plans it for your anatomy and your goals during your consultation.
Which incisions are used?
An anchor scar or a vertical scar is generally required, depending on the degree of lift, and a periareolar incision would not be sufficient for a lift with reduction. The pattern is chosen for the lift you need, so the scar follows what your examination shows.
Is liposuction alone enough?
Generally, no, because liposuction alone would not correct ptosis, so it is not used as the whole operation. Liposuction of the lateral chest may still be performed if it is potentially of benefit based on the clinical presentation.
How is the surgery done, and will I stay overnight?
Breast lift with reduction is day surgery under general anesthetic, and it takes 2 to 3 hours in most cases, so you go home the same day. You need a ride home and someone to stay with you for at least 24 hours after the general anesthetic.
Are drains used?
Drains are generally not used for breast lift with reduction surgery, so drain care is not part of the usual recovery after this operation.
When can I return to work and exercise?
You may return to office work or school within a week, and light gym exercises are appropriate after one month. Full activity as tolerated, including upper-body workouts, is appropriate at 6 weeks, and a surgical bra is worn for 6 weeks, which can help the tissues adhere to their new position during recovery.
What are the risks?
There is a risk of altered nipple sensation and of a potential effect on the ability to breastfeed, and other risks include scarring, asymmetry, bleeding, infection, and delayed healing. Dr. Power reviews these with you before you decide on surgery, so you hear them during your consultation.
Do I need to stop smoking?
Yes, please stop for at least one month before surgery and one month after surgery, because smoking cessation over that interval lowers the risk of healing complications.
Is breast lift with reduction covered by OHIP?
No, breast lift with reduction is not OHIP-covered at our private surgical facility, so the surgery is arranged privately.
What is the starting fee?
The starting fee for Breast Lift with Reduction is $10,140+, as listed on our pricing page, and you receive a personalized quote after consultation.
Who is a candidate?
The minimum age is generally 18 or older, so that breast development is complete, and BMI is not a strict cut-off. A stable target weight is recommended, and BMI is under 30 in most cases. Surgery may be performed before or after pregnancies, though results may not be stable if it is performed before childbearing and breastfeeding.
Where are the before-and-after photographs?
The Patient Results section includes photographs of five breast lift with reduction cases: one side at 6 weeks, both sides at 6 months, both sides at 6 weeks, and two cases at 5 months. Photographs at 6 weeks are early results, and the result continues to settle over the following months. Individual results vary.
Is this page for breast lift with reduction?
Yes, this page describes breast lift with reduction, so the operation and the recovery described here are written for women.
How much tissue is removed?
The amount is individualized, and it is determined from the clinical examination, your presentation and anatomy, and your goals. Cup size is not an exact measurement, so there is no typical amount and no guaranteed cup size.
When can I shower, drive, and sleep on my side?
You may shower daily, starting the day after surgery, and you may drive once you are no longer taking prescription pain medication and can maneuver the vehicle safely. You may sleep on your side after 6 weeks, once that earlier stretch of recovery has passed.
What mammogram screening is recommended after breast lift with reduction?
Routine screening is the same as for women with no history of breast surgery, and tissue removed during surgery is sent for pathology review.
Can breast lift with reduction be combined with a tummy tuck?
Yes, breast lift with reduction is commonly combined with a tummy tuck in one surgery, and that combination is often called a mommy makeover, while an overnight stay is required for tummy tucks and mommy makeovers.
"I think the best results are natural-looking. Refreshed and reflected by a patient’s self-confidence."
- DR. STEPHANIE POWER