IamA College freshman who had a breast reduction over spring break to go down almost 7 sizes. AMA! (pictures included) [NSFW]

Jesus you are getting a lot of negative comments, just wanted to say, go you! I hope you heal back fully, mentally and physically, and I also wondered, have you thought about getting them even smaller?

Thank you! My mom actually wanted me to go down to an A (which I didn't want) and I told my dr I wanted to be around a C (in sister sizes I'm a 34C) I feel I'm very proportional and just a teeny bit above, so it doesn't have as many negative impacts on my health, I like having my breasts this size (I liked them large too but they just hurt too much) and I feel I would definitely miss them if I went even smaller.

What?

Isn't that an utterly ridiculous change? Why A? I was under the assumption that most women wanted to be around a C to D range. Or B if they were really into sports?

My mom really hates kinda anything involving my sexuality, and to her smaller = better, especially in that sense, I'm sorry that you're getting downvoted, you're pretty right.

That doesn't seem normal to me, in fact quite the opposite. Your mother was/is obviously a sexual being (hence your existence), and I understand that no parent wants to lose their little princess, but you're in college... I hope you don't take that as me offending your mother, I just find it odd.

No, I completely understand, and that's kinda how I was thinking.

I respect the fact that it's your body and your choice and I'm glad that things are better for you. But I still think you're nuts for not loving what you were gifted with; I'd put up with medical issues if it meant being literally hung like a horse. :P

Still, congrats on the life improvement. :)

Thank you! I understand everyone might think different, I loved the way they looked, but they were just too uncomfortable.

WOW what the fuck is wrong with people? I have small breasts (32AA) but I know because logic that they are just heavy weights of fat (and mammary glands) hanging from your chest - not exactly the most comfortable thing in the world! I know a lot of women who wish they could afford the surgery so I am really glad that you got to have it :)

Me too! I actually wouldn't have been able to afford it without insurance because it'd be around 10,000, but with insurance I only paid a little over a grand. I'm SO happy I did it, the scars kinda scare me right now, but even if they stayed like this, I would do it all over again.

The scars can be made nearly invisible by use of silicone. get a sheet of silicone from your surgeon, or pharmacy. It's about 2-3mm thick and you cut it to whatever size. Measure and cut it to cover your scars +1-2cm over. Wear 8-12 hours/day for 4ish weeks. Putting the silicone on before bed and taking it off when you wake up works great. It should be perfect to put on under the sports bra you are wearing to bed for compression. The scar will end up being the size of of a line drawn with a sharp pencil; totally unnoticeable from a few feet away.

I've heard about this, but I knew that there wasn't any "official" studies or anything on Si sheets, I think I will try this though!

Si is silicon, don't try that!

sorry! I was trying to shorten that, forgot that it was Silicon not Silicone, bad idea! haha.

The fact it cost you a grand pissess me off so much. People should always be entitled to free healthcare.

I actually ran into a huge problem where my doctor at my school refused to clear me because it "was a liability" and only told me this the day before surgery so I couldn't do anything about it.

I had to reschedule for a week later, got cleared with no problems when i got home.. but it cost me an extra 200 to get all the bloodwork again. So that was not fun at all.

Good for you my dear! I had the same surgery at 16. I went from a 38 F to a C cup. I also was able to lose weight afterwards. You will so love this after you are healed up. Don't listen to the haters. You did something great for youself!

Wow! at 16, I can't imagine going through this that young, that s so amazing!

I also have a question, did you see your breast size fluxuate a lot after your surgery with weight loss?

What was the medical reasoning behind this? Were you having pain?

I was having major back/shoulder pain that dated back to 9th grade. Not only that but I would break out in a rash underneath my breasts (and in between) frequently. It also really affected exercising, I used to be really active but anything that required a lot of moving/bouncing (like running) would not only hurt my breasts themselves, but my back too, and I often would have to stop working out in the middle because I couldn't handle it.

My daughter is 16 and is an I cup. We are waiting on a referral from her pediatrician to see a specialist about reduction.

Wow! That's a lot, I can relate to what she's going through physically (and what shes encountering at school). If you want you can pm me, and I can give you my email if she has any questions at all, or just wants support.

What happens if they still grow?

Hopefully they don't grow as much, but they just grow, I just don't think it'll ever be close to what they were before (fingers crossed)

After having your nipples repositioned, do they still have the same amount of sensitivity?

Well, one (right side so left on the picture) has the same amount of sensitivity, and felt the same from the day of surgery. However my left side I have noticed is significantly less sensitive, also I've noticed its scarred a bit more, so I'm hoping it goes back to normal once its full healed (I've heard it can take up to a year but you usually get most sensitivity back).

On a pain scale of 1-10 how was recovery for the first few days?

Without medication: a 9

With medication: a 2 or 3, mostly just uncomfortable

What medication and dosage are you on and for how long?

I was on percocet for every 4 hours, but I stopped that and took extra strength tylenol according to the bottle. I stopped that after like 8 days

My wife is (edit) close to OP. Her back problems really bother her sometimes. Although yoga has helped. She desperately wants a reduction and loss of sensitivity is her biggest fear.The second is recovery time. What has your timeline of pain and ability to get back to normal been? Have any advice in general for someone just starting to go down this road.

The pain was bad only when I didn't take my medication, I then switched to extra strength Tylenol because I was reacting to the pain meds. But just the Tylenol kept me pretty much pain free. I drove over 5 hours a mere 8 days after the surgery (I'm a full time student). And I would have left sooner but I had to wait to get my drains removed, my surgeon said most people can go back to work in a week, just no heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for 6-8 weeks. Also no swimming for that time as well (of course this varies but this is my specifics)

My advice is if she's thinking about it make a consultation! a surgeon can talk her through everything, and allow her to make a well educated decision, I still haven't even healed yet and this is probably the best decision I've ever made.

Ah, the pains of womanhood that I can never understand and comprehend.

Hope everything goes well for you.

Thank you! I really appreciate this!

Bless your heart! I'm 5'6 and a 36D, and my shoulders stay tense and my back aches constantly.... I can't begin to imagine how much pain you were in. Good for you for taking a proactive step while still so young.

This is a peculiar question, but it pertains to something I'm looking into: I know with many reductions, the size of the areola is suited to the larger size breast. With the repositioning of your nipples, did you opt to have the areolas reduced in size as well? A girlfriend of mine had this done following a reduction, so I'm curious as to whether that was part of your surgery.

Again, congrats! Enjoy less limited mobility and less underboob sweat! :)

Edit: a word

Thank you so much!

Yes the areola was made smaller, my surgeon said that was standard, and I think if they were kept the same size they would look really unnatural, so although I thought it was a bit weird, it makes sense to me know (especially after watching other br surgeries, it just makes sense).

If you were going to rob a bank and could only arm yourself with standard items found at the grocery store, which items would you choose and how would you use them?

Thanks, big fan.

Hm, they have large knives at the grocery store? Probably grab a few of those, or make a mace out of a toy and small knives, that would be unique.

Probably one of the most creative answers I've received for this question! A toy-based-knife-mace/morning star-thing would be really threatening.

Anyhow, I hope your surgery has helps with the back problems and the girls recover quickly!

Thanks a lot!

Will you still be able to breast feed?

My doctor said that it was very likely that I would be able to, because that was a real high priority for me. And personally since one of my nipple feels exactly the same, I think I am going to be able to.

I hope this doesn't happen, but if you find the other breast unable to breast feed, that may cause issues with the milk building up inside.

This is actually a fear of mine :(

Only time will tell I guess, I'm hoping that doesn't happen though.

My wife had a reduction at 18. It wasn't quite as drastic as yours. I think she may have gotten the short straw as far as luck they reduced her from a DD to a C cup and had really dark scarring. It is the same pattern as yours. She wasn't able to express enough milk for our daughter so we had to supplement formula. They were shaped nice though and the scarring didn't bother me. They seem to have good sensitivity still. So just some food for thought be proactive on the healing process

This is good to hear, I haven't heard to many long term results, I hope I can breast feed, that is really important to me, but I understand that its still a possibility, I'm glad it worked out for you guys!

I'm glad you made the choice in the reduction. Your back/shoulders/posture will love you for it in the long haul. I hope you heal fast and correctly. Q: "How has this surgery affected you emotionally and psycologically?" Q: "Any improvements physically i.e. feeling more pep, less winded etc etc?"

Emotionally, I think its reduced a lot of stress. A factor I don't really mention to people is how much having large breasts hurt me emotionally, people "joked" about them all the time, and I've been groped by strangers (and friends!) far too often to be normal, and they really made my self esteem lower because of how heavy I looked in normal clothes, I often had to buy XXL.

I actually have noticed I get winded a LOT less quickly. Other than that I haven't really exercised, but I definitely feel lighter, and a lot more confident (and better posture as well).

You will never regret this decision. I had a reduction about 10 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made. I went from a DDD to a C. No regrets whatsoever. The scars are barely visible after all this time. I remember being pretty uncomfortable for a while though so I hope you're 100% healed soon. My nerve pains lasted for months until they were finally gone but that was more of an annoyance than anything. I did, however, think seriously about burning my compression bra. Man I hated that thing by the time I was done with it! I'm very happy for you- this surgery changed my life in many ways, all of them positive!

I'm already getting annoyed by my compression bra! only another month and I should be good to go!

I hope I never regret it, and the way I feel now, I seriously don't think I ever will! (I can finally see my shoes, yay!)

Congrats. That is a big step. It's quite a surgical procedure from the looks of it. I wish you the best in your recovery.

Thank you! It really is a huge difference, and I notice it makes everything I do different, and I'm very glad for that. :)

How do you feel about all the negative comments such as "that was like slapping god in the face" or other douchey comments, does it hurt or can you brush it off?

I'm just brushing it off, honestly I'm used to way worse insults, and I'd rather deal with them here if it means that I can help someone like me. When I was looking into this I read anything I could get my hands on, watched 30 surgeries online, and I still wished I could read more. So i think its worth it if I get to help someone like me feel more comfortable. It still huts somewhat, but that's my reasoning.

Thank you for doing this and I hope you can help more women that need this surgery get over the social stigma. You're great!

Thank you! I hope I can too!

My wife had a reduction and used emu oil to help decrease scarring. You may want to check it out.

Thanks! I'll look into it, I feel I'll have a long list of scar treatments, hopefully one of them will work!

I just wanted to say congrats! As a 29F, I feel your pain to some degree. I did want to gently chide you however that wearing the easier 32D will eventually cause your back some stress as well. What I've done is find the closest I can in cup size and alter the band down. Found a great tailor to do it for me for 7 dollars a bra. eventually I learned to do it myself. Your bras last longer when they are the proper band size, your shoulders take less of the weight, and you'll be happier! It must feel like a huge load off, but your size is still nothing to sneeze at and you'll need the long-term support! Also, try figleaves or bare necessities or other online retailers, I also buy a ton of close-outs on eBay!

I'm so excited when I read stories like these however, good for you. You made a wise decision!

I know! It's bad, I figured if I get a couple cheaper bras and wear them on the tightest hook it would be close enough, and then I'll look into seeing if I can find my actual size (one thing I really hated was the guess and check that ordering online was like-not knowing if it would fit or not).

I know I still need to take care of myself and thanks for reminding me!

Have you noticed that guys or any other people have been giving you less (or maybe more) attention since you had the surgery?

Actually, I haven't noticed that much of a difference, only the people that I've known for a bit, and knew about the surgery had comments like "aw I'm gonna miss the girls" or "you look so much more proportional!"

Does it still hurt?

If I run into something (my chest gets compressed) it'll hurt, or if i rub the scars it hurts. I can't really run around too much, but on average it doesn't hurt at all.

I had a breast reduction when I was 16, I'm 34 now. I was at 32 DD. At five feet tall, 100 lbs that was a real problem for me. I went down to a C. Now, three kids later, I'm an A.

Wow! what made you go down after you had children?

I'm not masaimara, but mine also reduced a lot after I stopped nursing my daughter. A good friend even asked me where they'd gone ;)

But then they came back - bigger than before (not as big as when they were full of milk, but almost). I was a D before pregnancy, didn't wear bras thru the breast feeding years, didn't have to for a few years after that, and now I'm a DD. No idea why.

I guess female bodies sure are fickle at times!

I just want to say good for you for making a decision that is very difficult. My girlfriend had this surgery during Xmas break. We have been dating for about a year and she told me she wanted to have this surgery as well. I was in full support for her. Yes I was upset to lose the beautiful breasts that would no longer be (went from a ddd to a c) . However the most important thing is to look out for your own health. She still has healing scars but she is still beautiful!

She is so lucky to have someone that is so supportive of her! You're pretty amazing :)

I really don't know how to phrase this question without it sounding seedy, even though it's a legit question -

Will you regain the same level of senstivity in the nipples for sexual purposes? Obviously the breasts are a very sensitive zone for many women, and i'm wondering if it would have any long term effect for you. Also, was there some way of ensuring your nipples wouldn't become erect during the recovery process? I mean, that could potentially cause some damage...

Anyway, ignore the haters on here. You made the choice that was right for you. Hope everything goes well for you in the extended recovery process. Take care.

Well, my nipples do get erect still, it doesnt seem like it causes a problem (the actual nipple isnt separated from the skin during surgery).

I actually wasn't very sensitive to begin with, but one nipple is definitely as sensitive-if not more, than it was before, the other is okay sensitivity wise, but It still has a lot of healing to go

How long did it take for you to make this decision? Also, congrats :)

I wanted this since 10th grade (although then I really didn't fully understand the risks/concequences) I seriously began looking into it senior year of high school, and the whole process from consultation to surgery was about 6 months (I kinda shopped around with surgeons).

The poor things look so depressed after ten days. How painful/sore did you feel, and for how long?

They certainly had a lot taken out of them!

They were actually really sore after surgery, I didn't want to take too much medicine, so I went to bed without anything, and woke up crying it hurt so bad. So after I learned not to do that, and kept taking my medicine on time it was really just uncomfortable for about a week, I stopped taking anything when I got to school (so about 8 days in) and it was just sore, and only kinda hurt where my drains came out.

I am sure it was a miserable operation, but sure hope you are feeling better and a whole lot more comfortable.

Thank you! When I was healing a day or two after the surgery I was thinking "what have I done to myself????" but I am really glad I did it now, and hopefully everything goes well from now on!

I went the opposite way, choosing implants instead of a reduction. I see you've mentioned pain in other replies. Was it pain or pressure? For me, it was more pressure (like an elephant sitting on my chest). Is that not the case for a reduction?

There was actually pressure (I would get winded super easy).

But the main problem was actual back pain, like I need to lie down and not move for a while back pain.

Unless you mean after surgery, it was definitely pain not pressure, my chest actually felt a lot lighter and easier to breathe

7 sizes is quite a difference. What new things are you planning to do now that you don't have two humans hanging from your chest?

Definitely start running, and exercising again. And the more superficial part of me is really excited to buy bras in the US, and not have to purchase a dress 3 sizes too big and still look awful.

Any regrets?

The scars really scare me right now, but I would do it over in a heartbeat.

The scars will almost disappear over time. My fiancé had a reduction done 3 years ago and they keep going more and more away. Cocoa butter is great for it. The smell was horrid because of the shaping they did during the surgery.

I will deff try that! I have bio oil, and I guess I'll see how that works

Good for you! I knew a very nice young woman when I was in high school who was quite petite but very well endowed and ended up getting breast reduction surgery around the same age as you (college freshman) and the relief she felt afterwards was physically palpable. I'm sure like her you've had to hear some hateful words about it but hopefully also like her you've had strong family support and a couple of guy friends with few qualms about "encouraging" a positive attitude in would-be detractors.

You're a beautiful person and healing majestically, please revel in the love of others because you absolutely deserve to feel good.

I'm very lucky my parents are 100% supportive as is my best friend who always is there to support me when he thinks I need help.

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Yes! I did, I imagine they won't be all gone, but I already feel a difference so they will be significantly reduced.

Good for you! I just had a consult for reduction, and am waiting for an answer from my insurance company. Did you get approved on the first try? What kind of proof did they need to deem it medically necessary? Thank you very much for sharing.

I did get approved on the first try. My surgeon was very surprised though, he originally though I would get rejected and they would tell me to see a chiropractor and such.

However, I think what helped me was I have a history of back pain from 9th grade, and my general doctor actually suggested to me a breast reduction in 10th grade, so she wrote me a "recommendation" letter for the insurance, which I think helped a lot.

Just wondering why there aren't any bra less/shirtless before pictures? Would be interesting to see before and after side by side.

Because I meant to take some with the markings and such, but in the midst of everything I forgot, so my apologies :(

1.Did you consider breast reduction by liposuction ? 2.Are both your breasts same size? 3.How long is it going to be for them to completely heal ?

1. Yes, but it wouldn't remove as much tissue and I wanted. So it wasn't really feasible.
2. Yes, they're now the same size, they were slightly uneven before. 3.about a year to be completely healed, but it should be as close as possible to healed around 6-7 months.

forgive me for my ignorance, but i'm (well obv) male, and i tend to not ask such a gender specific question to my (few?) female friends.

But whats the medical drawbacks from having to big breasts? Is it hard walking around or is there other issues?

As i tend to hear lots of girls/women gets breast implants to "grow" them bigger, it would be interesting knowing why someone would want them smaller other than personal inconvenient reasons.

They caused severe back/shoulder pain, and I would get rashes around my breasts because they were so large and would always run together. Also they would pull down (affect my posture) and I would slump even more to hide them, they also really affected me mentally (people would make fun of me, cat calls, random groping).

You look great!

Thanks so much!

Maybe it is the way the pictures are. But you said 30HH? They don't look that big in the before photos. I guess it's because I'm a guy and don't have them, also I don't know how bra sizes work.

Yeah, It's kinda a weird sizing thing like a 30HH = 42DDD I think? If that puts it in perspective, Like it basically means they were large for my small frame.

What movie do others rave about that you think are overrated? Do you have any tattoos? Coffee, tea or soda?

Uh... JAWS is so overrated, I didn't really see it as a classic.

I have one tattoo, getting another.

Soda... but I'm insanely unhealthy.

Congratulations! I'm glad it was successful. I just wanna say I love your username by the way.

Thanks! on both parts :) I thought the name was fitting

did... did it hurt?

It did at first! But not once I took some medication, and now not at all

I had a girlfriend who had a reduction a few years ago. Her breasts were hard as a rock for like 6 weeks afterwards before they finally felt like real boobs again. Have you had the same happen with your surgery?

Have you had any action since the surgery or are they still way too sore/sensitive?

I have an extremely hard section on one side I'm hoping will soon go away, but both breasts used to be a lot harder, so I know their healing.

And they still are too sore-I've tried going there, it did not go well.

Asking this is all seriousness, what size did you have before and what size did you go down to? I ask cause they did look overly huge to begin with.

I agree and was also wondering the before size?

30HH before, 30DD/32D after

When I first saw the before pictures I thought "Wow those are amazing! Don't get rid of them!!" Then when I saw the afters it was "holy fuck those are AFTER ... MY GOD" before must have been like constant weightlifting...

Yeah, I feel kinda flat at times because I'm used to them being so large, but I realized I'm still a bit above average, so its really letting me realize how large I really was before.

i dated a girl with big boobs she would complain about back and shoulder pains and her bra straps would dig into her shoulders plus she couldnt really run without holding her tits, anyways how does it feel i'd imagine it would be nice getting that stress off your chest

It feels like I got 3 lbs off my chest, its a very liberating feeling.

Did they ever suggest diet and exercise (strengthening your core) and have you noticed less pain in your back or better natural posture?

Good for you, we all love breasts, but taking the step now and probably will have a bigger positive impact over your life :)

Yes my regular doctor did, but I am in fairly good shape, and I worked out frequently enough already (even doing yoga and pilates and such). So my surgeon said I probably wouldn't be suggested to change my routine (which they didnt).

My posture was mostly my fault, it hurt so I slouched, I wanted to hide my breasts so I slouched-which did not help me at all.

And thank you!

I would suggest yoga as well, focusing on the core, back and chest. My mother when I was younger was much more robust and when visiting India she was told to do some yoga as it would strengthen and aid in the body to adjust itself. Ironically it worked and hear body shape reduced significantly, so I would suggest once you do get to the point where your Dr. oks working out, try some yoga or general stretching.

Yes definitely, I'm looking forward to getting back into yoga!

You're beautiful. You have so much courage to be who you want to be.

Thank you really! I haven't got a lot of that in person, and I feel the positive people on this thread outweigh the negative.

This is really interesting. I'm curious as to the emotional side of it for you. When did you first decide you wanted to get breast reduction? And how long did it take you before you made the decision to get it done. Did you have a boyfriend? What were his thoughts?

I first decided I wanted it in High school, but I didn't go for a consultation until the beginning of college, I wanted to make sure that this was the right step for me and I did a ton of research and realized that I was ready to have it done.

I do not have a boyfriend, but most of the men that are close to me were extremely supportive of me- they knew this is what I wanted, and that support would help me.

Two and a half pounds is more than a kilogram, just fyi. Hope everything goes well!

I know, it was more than 600g per breast, so >1200g total, my doctor said 2.5-3 pounds.

There is a slight asymmetry. Is that going to go away after healing?

I honestly don't notice an asymmetry, but they are still swollen, so perhaps!

do you think it was worth it for those scars ? not going to lie, the picture where it looks like your nipples have both been removed then sewn all back up really freaks me out

yes, the scars right now absolutely terrify me, I call them "frankenboobs" but I would do it again in a heartbeat, I feel so much better now while healing, I can imagine how much better I'll feel all healed up.

If i was doing this just for cosmetic reasons, absolutely not worth it-add in health problems, then 100% worth it.

I don't see much difference in before and after. Other than scars... (theyll grow back). but why are republicans up in arms over insurance paying for birth control. This is what we should be fighting against!

What do you mean they'll grow back?

And I don't have a photo with clothes but my measurement went down about 7 inches around my bust, so there is a noticeable different.

It's like slapping god in the face.

I've gotten this a lot! But I really couldn't handle it anymore, it might not seem like a lot on its own, but try taking a 3 lb weight and wearing it as a necklace, not fun at all :(