Breast reduction and breast lift (mastopexy)
Your may feel that your breasts are too large or too heavy or flabby. They may cause physical discomfort in the form of back pain. They may also be sagging (the areola is under the mammary fold).
In the first case, your surgeon will advise you to have breast reduction surgery consisting in the removal of skin and glandular tissue. In the second case, he will only remove excess skin and reposition the areola.
• Procedure
Breast reduction surgeries and mastopexies are carried out under general anesthesia or under intravenous sedation and take two to three hours.
The surgeon makes two incisions: the first one around the areola and the second one vertically, from the areola to the mammary fold. The excess skin and/or glandular tissue are removed and the nipples and areola are then repositioned. In case of lifting, the surgeon may also insert a prosthesis (cf. breast enlargement surgery).
If she wishes, the patient may also have nipple correction and areola reduction surgeries.

In order to prevent hematoma, drains are sometimes inserted.
To limit scarring, the surgeon uses a very thin thread to suture the incisions. The stitches will be removed after one to two weeks.
• Postoperative care
You will be able to go home on the day of the surgery. If drains have been placed, they will be removed after 2 or 3 days.
You will need to wear a support bra for about one month. Depending on the operation, you will be able to resume normal activities after a week or just a few days. You will nevertheless have to wait one month before attempting sports or heavy physical activities.
The surgery will leave a scar near the nipple as well as a vertical scar from the nipple to the mammary fold. These scars are initially red and then they turn to white. With time, they will be hardly noticeable. Incisions leaving anchor or inverted-T scars are no longer made.