Breast Reduction: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

The decision to use drains on breast reduction has to individualized to each patient.

For very large reductions, many plastic surgeons choose to use drains because of the increased surface area under the skin.

However, for smaller lifts, a drain is not usually necessary.

99% of the time I do not use a drain. However, having a drain really is no big deal and really should not be a determining factor in whether or not you choose that plastic surgeon. (David Shafer, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Drains in breast reduction. Why use drains? How do they work?

Drains are something placed during surgery. They come out through a small hole near the crease under your breasts. Not all breast reductions use drains. Some doctors always use them, some never, and some vary depending on the size of the reduction or fattiness of the tissue.

Drains generally stay in a for a day or two. They can be irritating at where they go through the skin, but are otherwise not painful. They are removed easily, and the removal tends to feel weird, but not painful. (Lauren Greenberg, MD, Palo Alto Plastic Surgeon)

The use of drains in breast reduction comes down to the Doctors training, experience and preference…. You will find various opinions about which is better, but both are practiced.

Use of drains with Breast reduction

There are a few instances when drains are needed following breast reduction. If liposuction is performed in the lateral aspect of the breast/axilla to improve lateral contour of the breasts, a drain should be used.

Also, if tumescent fluid is used intraoperatively to the breasts, drains should be used. Many plastic surgeons do not do either of the above, so they often will not use drains (and this is supported in the literature on breast reduction).

I personally use drains in all of my breast reductions because I do use tumescent fluid in my reduction cases. I feel that this limits blood loss during surgery (because of the epinephrine in the tumescent fluid) and I strongly feel that my patients wake up with less pain due to the use of lidocaine in the tumescent fluid. (W. Bryant Walker, MD, Jackson Physician)

I feel that placement of drains is a personal preference for most surgeons. I always place drains in my breast reduction patients. One of the biggest complications in breast reduction surgery is the formation of a hematoma (blood clot) in the breast tissue.

Although it is not very common, it can be detrimental to not only the contour of the breast but it can also compromise the blood flow to the nipple-areolar complex which is repositioned during the surgery.

For this reason placing a drain can allow for blood to not accumulate in the breast tissue but instead go into the drain bulbs. I usually remove the drains 2-3 days post-operatively unless the output is high.

Again like most other concerns on this forum be sure to consult with your surgeon and seek only board certified plastic surgeons for both advice and treatment. (Amir Tahernia, MD, FACS, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

I haven’t used drains in over 5 years with my breast reduction surgeries. Some surgeons do use drains but I have not found it necessary. (Andrew T. Cohen, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

Breast reduction and drains

Drains are sometimes used during breast reduction surgery. There placed at the time the procedure. They may cause mild redness/tenderness around entrance site at the skin. Removal remove of the drains is done when output is low enough.

Local anesthesia can be used at the time of drain removal to minimize discomfort. (Tom J. Pousti, MD, FACS, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)

Breast reduction drains

I use drains in all my breast reductions because I found that the complication rate when down markedly after I began to do so.

The drains aren’t a big deal. When there is a lot of surgery, the risk of seroma formation increases and the drains reduce this potential.

Although they may not be necessary in small reductions, my breast reduction patients tend not to have small reductions (basically because insurance companies do not pay for them). I do not use drains in mastopexies or lifts. (Robert L. Kraft, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)