‘Before undergoing reduction mammaplasty, one of the most important decisions that must be made is where and how to place each breast reduction incision. Ultimately, this will depend on the patient’s anatomy, how much excess breast tissue they would like to have removed, and other considerations such as whether the patient would like to breastfeed in the future and, of course, scarring.

Ultimately, all patients undergoing traditional breast reduction surgery will end up with scars. It is part of the nature of this surgery: Incisions are required, and incisions result in scars. The same goes for other common plastic surgery procedures like breast augmentation, tummy tuck surgery, and any procedure requiring incisions.

But the good news is, with a well-trained and experienced surgeon, scars will be limited, and they will become more difficult to see in just one or two years. Plus, you will have a breast shape that you are happier with, less pain and discomfort, and an overall boost in your self-confidence.

With all of that said, we certainly understand that patients want to do everything they can to minimize scarring after breast reduction. So, below, we’ve created a list of our top tips for reducing the appearance of scars as much as possible.

First, however, let’s discuss where breast reduction scars are typically located.

Breast Reduction Surgery Incision Placement

If you look at breast reduction before and after photos, you’ll see that breast reduction scars appear wherever an incision was made during surgery. The decision as to where each incision is placed will depend on how much breast tissue and skin needs to be removed, what cup size (and breast shape) the patient desires, and the patient’s overall anatomy.

Most breast reductions will involve one of the following incision patterns:

Wise Pattern Technique

Also known as an “anchor incision breast reduction”, the Wise pattern was developed in the 1950s. It is still used today.

With the Wise incision pattern, three incisions are made:

1 around the outer edge of the areola
1 vertically down the lower portion of the breast (from the lower edge of the areola to the breast crease
1 along the inframammary fold (breast crease)

Vertical Incision Method

Also called a “lollipop breast reduction” or a “keyhole reduction”, the vertical incision method involves two incisions on the breast skin:

1 around the outer edge of the areola
1 vertically down the lower portion of the breast (from the lower edge of the areola to the breast crease

Breast Reduction Incision Details

After anesthesia has been administered and the incisions made, your surgeon will perform the tissue removal and skin excision. Excess fat will be removed as needed.

They will then reshape the breasts, repositioning the nipple and areola if needed. Finally, they will conclude the surgical procedure by carefully closing each incision.

How to Minimize Scars After Breast Reduction

Scars from breast reduction look different right after surgery when compared with how they look throughout the breast reduction incision healing phase. Later, after one or two years, they will look quite different again. Here are some tips for minimizing their appearance:

Always follow all of your surgeon’s recovery instructions
Wear your compression garment as needed
Care for your incision sites as directed
Do not strain or stretch your incision sites
Use massage to reduce swelling as directed
Use silicone topical gels as directed to help fade scars
Keep scars out of the sun

Breast Reduction Surgery Q&As

Are breast reduction incisions painful?

Yes, you will experience some level of discomfort after having your underlying breast tissue removed with surgery. This is a part of the breast reduction recovery process and is to be expected. Fortunately, pain medication can be prescribed, and the discomfort should be short-lived and begin fading within a few days.

What if I get an infected breast reduction incision?

If, when removing your surgical bra, you notice any signs of infection, contact your plastic surgeon as soon as possible. Some signs of infection after breast reduction include a persistent high fever, excessive or worsening breast pain, excessive bleeding, highly pigmented redness around the incision site, and rapid swelling that won’t go away.

Do I need a breast lift or breast reduction surgery?

While the primary goal of a breast lift is to simply lift and reshape the breasts and the primary goal of breast reduction is to reduce the overall size of the breasts, both of these surgeries are actually quite similar.

For this reason, they get confused somewhat frequently. Book a consultation to know for sure which surgery is right for you.

Who is a good candidate for breast reduction?

If you have very large breasts that are causing you localized or transferred pain, physical or emotional discomfort, and other symptoms, you may be a good candidate for breast reduction surgery. Patients should be in good physical health, at a stable healthy weight, and without ongoing conditions such as breast cancer, which may require concurrent treatment or care.

Can breast reduction be performed with liposuction?

Yes, some plastic surgeons perform what is commonly known as “minimal scar breast reduction”. This procedure uses liposuction only to reduce fat in the breasts and achieve a smaller overall chest size.

This procedure is only for women who are looking for a slight reduction in breast size and who do not have significant sagging. The latter would primarily benefit from the actual excision of excess tissue and skin.

How expensive is breast reduction surgery?

You’ll find that breast reduction surgery cost ranges vary depending on where in the country you are, what your specific surgeon specializes in (and charges as their surgeon’s fee), and the scope of your surgery. If you have excess breast volume and would like to undergo reduction surgery, schedule a consultation to learn more about pricing.

Set Up Your Consultation Appointment Today

Whether you’ve only recently started considering breast reduction surgery or it’s been something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, the place to start is by booking a consultation appointment.

Female board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ashley Steinberg specializes in breast reduction surgery for women with extremely large breasts. To learn more about the breast reduction procedure and to find out if you’re a candidate for surgery, please call today to set up your appointment with Dr. Steinberg.