I Got Breast Reduction Surgery. Here Are 10 Things I Wish I'd Known Before

For nearly 15 years, I was known by everyone because of my chest — and not my face or personality.

By the time I was 10, I was out of a training bra and shopping in the “little ladies” section of the store. By age 13, I was a DD. People don’t believe me when I say that. However, my chest’s growth was so noticeable in junior high that a rumor was started saying I’d gotten breast implants.

For nearly 10 of those 15 years, I wondered what life would be like if I got breast reduction surgery. It wasn’t until I was 21 that I realized I really wanted the surgery. The pain in my neck and back was excruciating. I couldn’t work out without wearing both a regular bra and a sports bra. Sometimes, I even wore two sports bras. I couldn’t wear a tank top without showing excessive inches of cleavage. I felt inappropriate in a bikini at the beach. I just wanted to have normal boobs.

Being 21, though, I wasn’t ready to look into the costs of breast reduction surgery. I knew that the surgery would leave me with scars, and I was vain (I still am, but I’ve since sucked it up).

It wasn’t until after my 23rd birthday that I looked at other people’s experiences and saw their breast reduction “before” and “after” photos. It was hard to deny how drastic of a change surgery looked to be. I didn’t just want it: I needed it.

But here’s the thing: before I met with my surgeon, I hadn’t even realized what surgery entailed. It was often hard to look at photos of other women’s experiences because the photos were so intimate. Fortunately, if you’re not comfortable looking at images of other women’s boobs, this is a much safer review of surgery. A surgeon can show you those “before” and “after” photos.

Keep reading below to see a “safe for work” list of 10 things every woman considering a breast reduction surgery should know.

What Is Breast Reduction Surgery?

What Is Breast Reduction Surgery? Ana Luisa Suarez for LittleThings

Simply put, a breast reduction is a surgery to make large chests smaller. However, there is so much more to it than that.

“Breast reduction, also known as reduction mammoplasty, is a procedure to remove excess breast fat, glandular tissue, and skin to achieve a breast size in proportion with your body, and to alleviate the discomfort associated with overly large breasts,” according to plasticsurgery.org.

What that doesn’t really tell you is this: breast reduction means you will have centimeters (or inches) of skin cut off your body, fatty breast tissue removed, and multiple nerve endings cut and put back together. The most notable part of surgery is that your nipples will be cut off, resized, and placed higher on your breast.

On top of that, you will have two drains and too many stitches to count directly after surgery. The drains are hooked up to your chest as a way to catch excess fluids from surgery. They come out after three to seven days, depending on how much fluid is draining out of you. All of your stitches will come out roughly two weeks after surgery.

Tip #1: You Will Have To Wear A Bra 24/7

Tip #1: You Will Have To Wear A Bra 24/7 Ana Luisa Suarez for LittleThings

This is something I had not, under any circumstances, realized before I had the procedure. My surgeon most likely mentioned it to me, but I was so excited to finally get my surgery that I could have missed this part. And let me tell you, it is something you do not want to miss.

I loved not wearing a bra. The second I got home every day, I would quite literally rip my bra off and throw it. I was ready to not wear a bra after surgery, as I knew I could “get away with it.” Having big boobs, on the other hand, made me feel like I couldn’t get away with it: it was just too noticeable when I wasn’t wearing a bra, and it would leave me feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

Well, you need to wear a bra, day and night. After surgery, your breasts are like molding clay, meaning they will change shape for months. Even six months out, mine are still changing. A good, supportive bra helps your breasts get a nice, desirable shape.

Tip #2: You Might Never Be Able To Wear Underwire Again

Tip #2: You Might Never Be Able To Wear Underwire Again Ana Luisa Suarez for LittleThings

Going off the fact that you need to wear a bra 24/7, you will first be told you cannot wear underwire bras. Every woman with a large chest knows that does not sound right. How will I get any support without underwire?

Those first six weeks after surgery, the incisions will be too sensitive for underwire. So, you’re tasked with finding a supportive bra that has no underwire. Don’t settle for the first one. Try on every bra that fits these criteria, as you’ll be wearing it a lot!

When you’re cleared to wear underwire, you will learn which bras you simply cannot wear. The underwire sits right on top of your scars and will be extremely uncomfortable. I personally cannot wear any bras that have zero padding. Anything that is very lacy is also too uncomfortable. Still, I will say that having smaller boobs helped me find a line of underwire bras that worked for me. I bought five bras, just because they weren’t $65 each.

Photo: Little Things