It may be possible to achieve a “C” cup size from a “DD” cup size with breast reduction, but the results depend on numerous factors and there are associated risks with larger reductions, such as compromising blood flow to the nipple and wound healing problems.
Your plastic surgeon should examine you and be able to make recommendations as to what is feasible in your particular case. (Olivia Hutchinson, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)
Any size can be achieved with a breast reduction.
A breast reduction can yield any size a patient wants. The technique may have to be altered if a huge breast is to be made extremely small, but it can be done. (Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD, Atlanta Plastic Surgeon)
The main goal in breast reduction surgery is to relieve the significant strain on your shoulders, neck, and upper back. Meeting a cup size is something we try to achieve but not the primary goal or always predictable.
Also, there is a limit to how much breast tissue can be removed in most breast reduction techniques because blood vessels to the nipple must be spared. (Naveen Setty, MD, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
It’s Highly Probably That a C Cup is Attainable Following Breast Reduction
Although it’s impossible to guarantee a cup size following breast reduction surgery, it’s highly probable that a C cup is attainable. The majority of patients who are undergoing breast reduction surgery want resolution of their symptoms and improved breast aesthetics.Improvement in breast aesthetics requires the creation of new breasts with good shape and contour that have been lifted into proper position. It’s important that they have good harmony, balance and proportion with the surrounding structures.
For many women, this occurs when their breast are measured as C cups. Several factors must be considered when creating a C cup breast. Of these patient safety should have the highest priority.
Attempts to over reduce the breast can potentially damage the blood supply to the nipple areola complex and lead to an increased complication rate.
In this situation, the insurance company requires removal of a set amount of tissue. Finally, everyone definition of a cup size might be slightly different and for this reason confusion can exist regarding cup size as well.
In the vast majority of cases a C cup is attainable. It’s important to discuss breast size with your surgeon prior to proceeding with breast reduction. Your surgeon should be able to give you a relatively good ideal of your final breast size by examining you and considering insurance criteria. (Richard J. Bruneteau, MD, Omaha Plastic Surgeon)
C cup after breast reduction? Maybe, maybe not
We always do our best to get the breast size down to what our patients desire during a breast reduction, but it’s not always possible. We have to preserve enough breast tissue to keep a healthy blood supply to the nipple complex, so that limits the amount of tissue we can safely remove.
Possible for breast reduction from DDD cup to the C-cup range
Breast Reduction surgery is performed, as you may expect, by excising portions of breast tissue. As a consequence a certain amount of blood vessels are sacrificed in this tissue. The surgeon must be sure that enough blood vessels are left intact to provide adequate blood supply to the remaining tissue.
Therefore unlimited amounts of tissue cannot be removed or else the circulation may be compromised leading to major healing problems, That being said, it is quite possible to reduce a DDD cup size to a C cup with proper care.
Appropriate cup size after breast reduction
A surgeon should be able to produce almost any breast size when performing breast reduction. But the most important question is what is a prudent reduction. There are a number of factors to consider, such as proportionate breast size to the patient’s torso, the type of technique required to achieve the desired size, etc.
In my practice, after hearing the patients initial desire as to the cup size, I spend significant amount of time discussing this issue with the patient, pointing out some factors that might not be apparent to the patient.
How low can you go with a breast reduction?
Breast reduction of very large breasts can be performed safely. However, your plastic surgeon will always limit the amount of tissue that he or she is removing to limit the risk to the nipple/areola.
With newer breast reduction techniques is it actually possible to perform very large reductions without the worry about the blood supply to the nipple/areola. Talk to your plastic surgeon about your wishes, and perhaps seek a second opinion of you are unhappy with the response you get.
Breast reduction and size
A patient should give her surgeon a clue as to how large she wishes to be after surgery .. I personally like a “c” cup. The majority of woman with super large breasts initially request that the entire breast be taken off.
It is the irresponsible surgeon who would listen. I request that patients bring me a picture of the size of the breast that they would like to end up with. This is usually a “c” or small d.
The photo is a good starting place for a discussion to begin. You can have it all removed but it is not a good idea. You will miss not having something. (Gary H. Manchester, MD (retired), San Diego Plastic Surgeon)
Final breast cup size is determined by your personal goals and the technique used
The final breast cup size after a breast reduction surgery is determined by the technique that the plastic surgeon uses and goals that you discussed before the surgery. For a significant reduction in size, larger incisions may be necessary to remove all the excess skin.
Typically 95% of the breast reductions we perform in our practice are through the lollipop incision or the periareolar incision. For extremely large breasts, a wise pattern excision which is also known as the anchor incision may be necessary in a small percent of cases. (Pat Pazmino, MD, FACS, Miami Plastic Surgeon)
Breast Reduction can make your breasts as small as the blood supply will allow
The limits of this operation are really going to depend on your anatomy and your goals. If what you want is for your breasts to be as small as possible without regard for proportion or appearance, there is no question that very small breasts can be achieved.
I would consider this carefully. I would also ask your surgeon to show you many photos of their prior breast reduction patients- as there is a great difference between breasts which are smaller and breasts which are smaller AND lovely.
There are many surgeons who can make your breasts smaller. There are a great deal fewer who can give you breasts which are smaller AND shapely, round, and pretty. (Armando Soto, MD, FACS, Orlando Plastic Surgeon)
Breast reduction reduces breast size (obviously) but the exact result (cup wise) can be hard to predict. The operation is designed to make the result optimal for healing. I have seen patients who have gone elsewhere and over-reduction has led to wound problems.
They essentially removed so much tissue that the remaining breast could not heal. You might be a bit larger than a C of course depending upon what kind of bra you buy and your pre-op breast dimensions.
This is definitely a topic to discuss with your surgeon before the operation so you are both seeing “eye to eye.”. (John P. Di Saia, MD, Orange Plastic Surgeon)
C cup after breast reduction a possibility
Most likely you would be able to obtain the C of your youth and, to some degree, improve the perkiness of your breast area, as well. You should set up a consultation with a plastic surgeon to have him or her evaluate your personal body type as well as the size and amount of breast tissue you have.
Breast Size after Breast Reduction
There is no way to promise a particular bra size after any breast surgery – there is no uniformly followed measurement system! That being said, a “C” cup is a reasonable goal and should be attainable.
You may want to be careful if you are trying to have your breast reduction performed under insurance.
Insurance companies often have arbitrary numbers that they want to see (such as 500 grams removed per side), and this can restrict your results. If your surgeon’s hands are tied to the insurance rules, you might end up with a B cup… Discuss your goals with your surgeon and review their before and after photos. If you like the type of results they achieve with other patients, you will probably be happy after your surgery. (Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)
Dont focus on cup size; focus on comfort and shape
Every patient wants to know whar cup size they will be after a breast reduction. This is impossible to tell. We usually tell patients that they will be significantly smaller, more comfortable and their breasts will fit their body.
Some studies have shown that upto 25% of women still fit their old bra! Those same studies show more than 80% satisfaction and comfort rate after the surgery. (Michael Weinberg, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)
As many as it takes so that your reshaped breasts fit your body well
My goal in breast reduction surgery is not to match a preconceived cup size. Rather, I attempt to create a result that is both aesthetically pleasing and in beautiful proportion to the patient’s body. (James C. Grotting, MD, FACS, Birmingham Plastic Surgeon)
You need to have about 650 grams removed from each breast
It is certainly easy to take you from a DDD to a C with a breast reduction. There are a number of useful formulas to determine how much tissue to remove. I just give you one example.
I recommend a vertical breast reduction with a lollypop scar. (George J. Beraka, MD (retired), Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)