Which one fits
- You're happy with the size but they've dropped: a lift.
- They're heavy, and the weight causes neck, back or shoulder pain, rashes under the breast or bra-strap grooves: a reduction, which lifts them too.
- You'd like them a little smaller and higher: a reduction, sometimes called a reduction with a lift.
What a reduction involves
A breast reduction is usually done under a general anaesthetic and takes two to three hours. Fat, breast tissue and skin come away, the nipple moves up while still attached to its blood supply, and the breast is reshaped. Most people stay one or two nights, and drain tubes usually come out after a day or two.
Recovery compared
| Breast lift | Breast reduction | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical cost in Ireland | €6,000 to €8,100 | €6,500 to €9,700 |
| In hospital | Usually one night | One or two nights |
| Off work | At least two weeks | Two to three weeks |
| No heavy lifting | About a month | Up to six weeks |
| Swelling settles | A few months | Around three months |
| Scars | Around the areola, often down to the crease | Usually anchor-shaped, sometimes vertical only |
Breastfeeding
Both can affect breastfeeding. After a reduction, some women can't breastfeed at all, permanently. If you plan more children, talk this through with the surgeon before you decide, and know that a pregnancy can enlarge the breasts again.
Insurance and tax
Health insurance plans normally exclude cosmetic surgery, except to correct disfigurement from a condition you were born with, an accident or a disease. A breast lift for appearance is almost never covered. Check your own policy before anything is booked. If yours is a reduction for health reasons, such as pain from very heavy breasts, ask your insurer whether your plan covers it and what they'd need from your GP and surgeon, before anything is booked. Revenue says tax relief may be available where surgery corrects a health issue.
Risks specific to a reduction
- uneven breasts or nipples
- loss of nipple feeling
- being permanently unable to breastfeed
- part of the skin, fat or nipple losing its blood supply
- extra skin at the ends of the scars that may need a small operation later
Questions people ask
Does a breast reduction lift the breasts?
Yes. A reduction always moves the nipple up and reshapes the breast, so it lifts as it reduces.
How much is a breast reduction in Ireland?
€6,500 to €9,700 privately, depending on the surgeon and the hospital.
Is a breast reduction covered by health insurance?
Cosmetic surgery is normally excluded. If yours is for health reasons, ask your insurer what your plan covers and what they need from your GP, before anything is booked.
Which recovery is longer?
A reduction's, slightly: two to three weeks off work and no heavy lifting for up to six weeks.