breastreduction

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Breast Reduction Surgery

Above is me before surgery... a picture my husband took when we were on vacation and I wanted him to take a photo of my yummy dinner, and my boobies got in the picture. lol. Below is me after surgery! Soooooo happy!

Breast Reduction

My surgery was Dec 12, 2025 and is probably one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I went from a 40DD (ddd on right side) to a B I believe. (still wearing compression bra) Instant pain relief in my shoulders, neck, and back. I had 873 grams removed from left breast, and 970 grams from right breast. Surgery recovery is ongoing and I used only one pain med from the Dr and switched the next day to just tylenol. But this does not mean this is super easy, it just means the pain is manageable and now time for me to relax, slow down and concentrate on healing. No reaching, no lifting anything heavy, there is restrictions and most of the time i have just been in bed reading and resting. Oh, and my husband gave me the flu a week after surgery, so Christmas was a fun week. Ugh! I was doing good with surgery and my resting and then on top of it i was sick. I just since yesterday have started feeling better finally. Thank goodness! Good luck to all of you that are healing or about to have surgery. It is life changing and the Dr was so right when she said most people say "why did i wait so long!".... at 49 years old now, i have already breastfed 3 babies by 30 years old and been carrying this weight for so many years. I truly am like "why did i wait!" and so excited to wear a cami top, or a bralette and just a pj top at night and be comfortable braless if i want instead of having to wear a bra to bed because they were just so heavy i had no choice but to wear a bra. That and the shoulder, neck and back pain I had been having, gone!! I can't wait to try Yoga with my new tata's. lol! No more spilling out.

Things to do before surgery:

Bring things down from high up, as you won't be reaching for cups, plates, etc. Even make a spot in fridge your area of things you might want so your not reaching up high for your yogurts or protein drinks, etc. I have a bottom drawer freezer, and my biggest thing is that I had a hard time getting it open to get myself ice. It's heavier then i thought. So i was always asking hubby, "can i get some ice please". Because pulling was not on my list of things i needed to be doing.
Get your recovery area cozy and ready with things within reach. Tylenol, Books, Thermometer, Water Bottle, Stool Softners, Chapstick, Phone Charger, Tablet, TV remote, cozy blanket, lot's a pillows and your wedge pillow to help prop you up. (I slept and still do not yet 3 weeks in our spare room, because one thing i learned from my hysterectomy is because i napped and slept alot during the day, i was awake sometimes at odd hours in the night and did not want to disturb my husband so i have my spare room as my dedicated healing area. And I get to make it cozy and nice so it makes me feel better then just thinking I am in my own bed all day.
Have button down pajamas to wear ready.
Some pre made dinners frozen unless you have support and someone to make your meals this can be handy. Protein is very important during healing!

My Amazon Must Have Items (jump to quick print or save for later list)

*this page is not medical advice, please talk to your Dr before taking/using anything listed on this page.

THINGS I NEEDED FOR KEEPING SURGERY SITE STERILE, OR PRE SURGERY

HIBECLENS WASH - Pharmaceutical antiseptic skin cleanser. This is a small bottle but i got this for cleaning my body before surgery as it is a recommended brand to use. Otherwise you can also just use Dial Antibacterial soap. But your Dr might recommend getting this before surgery, mine did. After surgery I used the Dial bar soap. When you are cleared to shower, they will inform you to just let water and soap run over breasts, do not scrub your chest. Do NOT touch your eyes with the Hibeclens! Read all directions on bottle.

ABD PADS - I did get some of these from hospital at discharge and got extra of these just in case, well I am only 18 days post op and already used all from hospital and all that I bought on Amazon, so i am getting another order of these. Used more than i thought. Stock up, you are using 2 at a time and they work nice for covering a good amount of area. I am dealing with 2 openings right now, so i use at least 2 a day.

GUAZE PADS - I do have two openings right now at my t-anchor cut, so I am using guaze and my ABD pads way more then I hoped. :( I am hoping the wounds heal soon. I have gone through SO much guaze. I would start out with a box or two and get more if you get an opening along with more abd pads, as you will need them. I go through a box a week with my two wounds right now. Also, Juven drink mix is recommended to help wound healing and I am upping my protein intake to help with healing.

THINGS THAT I GOT FOR HELPING RECOVERY FROM THE INSIDE

ARNICE TABLETS - For swelling, bruising after surgery. Just put a few under my tounge. (ask your dr if ok!)

GREENS DAILY GUMMIES - I really like these, and bought a couple packages to help with my first month of recovery as I was not really hungry a lot after surgery so this helped make sure i was getting my veggies in daily. I think they taste good!

LIQUID COLLAGEN - This liquid collagen contains 4,000 mg of hydrolyzed collagen peptides (types I & III) to support skin elasticity & firmness. Hydrolization breaks down collagen proteins into tiny peptides for ultimate absorption. Do not take this straight, it is meant to be mixed with water. The taste is not amazing, but it's very doable while i am healing.

MAKUKA HONEY - Ask your dr, but makuka honey is used for wound care. Sadly i have two open wounds, so I bought this to help. I also have a script from my Dr. for a silver cream. Always ask Dr. first before you apply anything to open wounds. I am taking this in to my next appointment and asking if i can start using right away. Some women swear it helped their openings heal quickly, so i am down to try this natural remedy!

THINGS THAT I GOT FOR HELPING SCARS, OR DRY BREASTS

SILICONE SCAR GEL - This is one of the most common things needed for weeks after surgery when all are healed. You can discuss with Dr when you can start using silicone scar gel or sicicone scar tape. You want to make sure you are healed before starting, so that will be different for everyone wether it's 4 weeks, 6 weeks, etc... talk to Dr. This will help flatten scars and help them appear lighter. I still have not started using this, but i do have it ready to go when approved to do so. I am also going to use Silicone Scar Sheets as well. I recommended an affordable scar gel - but if you want a good but more expensive recommendation, i would say Biocorneum Advance Scar Treatment

AQUAPHOR HEALING OINTMENT - This is another item Dr might recommend you use. And it might be for on a wound, for dry breasts, mine got so flaky that I used it to help for around my incisions.

BIO OIL - I did not realize just how dry my breasts where going to be after surgery. And i am talking about flaking dry! I put a little of this around my surgery site just on dry parts of my breast, but do not use on scars until you are fully healed! And of course i dab some on my tummy too to help with those stretch marks, lol.

THINGS THAT I GOT THAT THEY SAID I NEEDED AFTER SURGERY

COMPRESSION BRA - Must have item is your compression bra. They sent me home with one after surgery but I definitely needed to get another one so i could wash the other. So I do recommend having at least 2. Also, some nights when my swelling was bad I was so uncomfortable in my compression bra that i took a compression tank top i had and folded it and made a tube top out of it. Thank me later, the width was wider and it still gave me compression but i did not have the digging into my sides that the bra gave me. Always seemed to be unbearable in the evening. (or something like this) But since i had a tank top one, i just made due with what I had. Do go by what your Dr says though, I have seen on my surgery support group, some doctors might not recommend compression, so this will all depend on your dr, how much they are removing, etc.. I had a large reduction so i had drainage tubes and told to wear compression bra.

THINGS THAT I GOT FOR MY COMFORT AFTER SURGERY :)

WEDGE PILLOW - So I bought this last year for when i had my hysterectomy and it was so helpful, and one of the main things with a breast reduction is after you have to sleep on your back and you have to rest in bed and heal. This is so helpful for resting in bed, for sleeping and something I use every day in my healing journey even if i am just reading in bed resting.

MASECTOMY PILLOW - This is one item I have seen on my breast reduction support group that some women deem not needed and some women love theirs so I am posting this as i do see the benefits! If you have a long drive after surgery, or have large dog in house that might get excited and jump up on you or just want a little extra protection then this can be a very good item to have handy. I did not end up getting this one as i used a throw pillow, or a squishy is helpful for in car or even a rolled up towel.

*this page is not medical advice, please talk to your Dr before taking/using anything listed on this page.

THINGS TO REMEMBER AFTER SURGERY

Make sure your tape is completely dry after showering. My tape I was told to not remove until it fell off by itself, but even though tape was hard and dry on outside, when it finally fell off i could see it was pretty moist underneath, which i think helped open up wounds for me. :( I do wish i would have at least made sure after a week that the tape was not moist underneath. Eww.
Call Dr. with any concerns, email pics of any possible wound openings, infections, etc. They are there to help you navigate this and any questions.
No reaching - There is not much you can do to avoid getting an opening , and plenty of us did absolutely nothing. I literally was in bed sick with flu and got my opening, I was not cooking, no kids to take care of, no laundry, and just going back and forth to bathroom and I got two openings. But avoid reaching, bending, and pulling or pushing. I could not even pull my bottom freezer open to get ice, I had my hubby do it for me. So be very careful of reaching even if it feels ok to do so until you know that under boob area is healed as that's the "weak" spot where most openings happen.
Up your protein intake, and drink your water. Protein helps with healing , so make sure you are getting enough. I like Adkins protein drinks the most, but you can use any brand you like.
Number one complaint I have seen on the breast reduction support group I joined is that the compression bras being so uncomfortable at certain times. This also happened with me. I tend to feel ok during day, then swell up at night making me want to tear off my bra. I ended up using a compression tank top when this happened, but basically it would be if I was going to buy one, it would be like a tube top. This helped when I was in my swelling mode, and then I'd go back to my compression bra. But the relief it provided was instant so i would have one handy just in case you are having a bad swelling day.
Keep things next to your bed to reach for easily. i used a shower caddy to keep my meds, chap stick, and other little things near me that I might want. I even looped my phone charger cord through the top so it did not fall on floor and I could easily grab if that idea helps anyone!

If I think of anything else, as I am too still healing right now, I will add it to this blog. Hope this information is helpful and cheers to your new and improved life, especially if you were dealing with pain. It has been unreal how much better I feel now. If your surgery is coming up, congrats and can't wait for you to be onto the healing stage!

Not scheduled for surgery yet? If you would like some Before Surgery Help on what to ask at your first appointment, such as about side lipo, costs and things to ask at your first appointment. I wrote a bit about that as well.

Hugs,

Christina