Breast reduction surgery

Also known as: breast reduction mammaplasty, reduction mammaplasty

We offer the latest surgical techniques to reduce your breast size if you’re having problems or if you simply want to have smaller breasts.

Easy access

Call us today to book an appointment

Fast referral

Get seen and treated within 14 days

What is it for?

Alleviate physical and psychological discomfort

Breast reduction surgery consultation at The London Clinic

Breast reduction surgery involves the removal of excess fat, breast tissue and excess skin from one or both breasts to make them smaller, lighter and more lifted.

For many women, breast reduction surgery is life changing. Daily life is much more comfortable, with improved sleep, better posture and a renewed sense of confidence.

If you have very large breasts (macromastia) in proportion to your frame, it can cause backache, neck pain and shoulder pain.

You may also have poor sleep and skin issues. Playing active sport or wearing certain clothes may not be possible or you may feel self-conscious.

If having large breasts is impacting your daily life, then you may be considering breast reduction surgery.

At The London Clinic, our world-leading plastic and reconstructive surgeons will share their in-depth expertise and tailor your treatment to your needs and wishes.

Whatever your reasons for choosing breast reduction surgery, at The London Clinic you’ll get easy access to a leading consultant with a compassionate and experienced care team with you every step of the way.

Treatment overview

Based on your individual needs, your cosmetic surgeon will explain the best surgical procedure for you.

Breast reduction surgery for women is a more extensive operation compared to breast enlargement (augmentation).

Throughout your stay at The London Clinic, you’ll have your own dedicated care team who’ll be on hand to look after you and make sure you are as comfortable as possible.

You’ll have your own private suite, so you can relax in comfort after your operation with a dedicated nursing team on hand at all times.

We’re particularly sensitive people from different cultures and backgrounds, including the transgender community.

You can select from our many world-leading cosmetic surgeons for your breast reduction surgery.

With everything under one roof, we offer a more complete, compassionate kind of care from pre-admission, right through to aftercare and follow up.

Contact us today to start your treatment journey and so you can start living the life you love.

Breast reduction techniques that minimise scarring

The Lejour breast reduction technique involves smaller, less extensive incisions to minimise scarring.

The surgery removes excess skin by means of smaller incisions around the areola, and in a vertical line from the areola down to the breast crease.

The breast tissue and skin is then moulded and secured with stitching to give a smaller yet still natural breast shape.

This method of breast reduction generally produces better results in younger women who still have a great deal of elasticity in their skin.

Your consultant will discuss with you whether this is an option at your consultation.

After your operation

After the operation our surgical team will take care of you and take you back to your private room when you’re ready.

Your wellbeing is our priority and to make you feel more at home we offer extra touches like a personalised food menu and concierge service.

Complementary therapies such as physiotherapy, acupuncture and counselling are also available, which can help you to relax and get more out of your stay.

Once you’re ready to leave The London Clinic will support you with an aftercare program and check to see you’re recovering well at home.

A follow-up appointment will be arranged with your cosmetic surgeon a week after your surgery, so they can check on your progress and answer any questions.

FAQs

After your mammaplasty surgery you’ll be feeling quite sore for the first couple of days which is completely normal. Initially you may experience a number of symptoms including:

  • Discomfort
  • Swelling
  • Bruising
  • Lumpiness
  • Hardness

While you’re with us and once at home, your care team will provide you with pain relief to make you more comfortable.

Swelling and bruising usually wears off after about a month but it can take two to six weeks to fully recover from the surgery.

You should find your incision scars start to fade after a few months.

If you have any loss of sensation in your nipples, it normally returns after a few weeks.

It may be a couple of weeks before you can drive and up to six weeks before you can exercise intensely.

Your cosmetic surgeon may suggest wearing a sports bra until you’ve fully recovered.

Breast reduction surgery is a common procedure and is generally safe. However, all surgery carries the risk of side effects.

The majority of patients make a full recovery after breast reduction with no complications.

A small number of patients experience rare side-effects post-surgery including:

  • Excessive bleeding
  • Blood clots
  • Permanent scarring
  • Breast tissue damage
  • Permanent loss of nipple sensation to all or part of the nipple
  • Inability to breastfeed

Talk to your care team if you have any concerns about your procedure. They’re always happy to help.

The procedure normally takes two to three hours, and you’ll need to stay with us for one or two nights after the operation.

The surgery is done under general anaesthetic, so you’ll be asleep throughout. Your surgeon will make a series of incisions (tiny cuts) down and underneath each breast.

Excess tissue is removed, and the nipples are repositioned. The skin is then reshaped to ensure your breasts are aesthetically pleasing.

The incisions are closed using dissolvable stiches, which normally take a couple of weeks to disappear.

Your surgeon may attach a small drainage tube to each breast to capture any excess fluid. These will be left in place while you recover and are removed before you leave to go home.

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We offer Fixed Price Packages

Where possible, we’ll provide a fixed-price package for your hospital care. This covers your hospital stay, nursing, and use of our facilities, giving you a clear guide to what those costs will be.
  • Pre-op assessment
  • Hospital stay, nursing care and meals
  • Tests, scans and physio during your stay
  • Take-home medication (up to 5 days)
  • Post-op follow-up appointments
  • Standard equipment or prosthesis (if needed)
  • Unplanned extended stay or ITU (if clinically required)
  • Initial consultation and any tests done during it
  • Consultant and anaesthetist fees (quoted separately)
  • Physio or therapy before or after your stay
  • Diagnostics before admission (unless agreed in your plan)
  • Specialist medication beyond 5 days
  • Ambulance transport or bespoke prosthetics

Your consultant’s fees are quoted separately and shared directly by their office after your consultation. These professional fees cover the time, expertise, and care provided by your consultant before, during, and after your treatment. See our full terms and conditions

Timeline

At The London Clinic we offer instant access to world-class consultants and many of the latest treatments, so you can get back to the life you love.

Book an appointment Initial consultationTwo-week cool off periodThorough pre-admission assessmentThe day of your operationAftercareFollow-up
Why choose The London Clinic?

Why choose The London Clinic?

Trusted for over 90 years, The London Clinic is an independent charitable hospital that reinvests into care, research, and support for those who can’t easily access private treatment.

The UK’s largest independent hospital

More patients choose The London Clinic than any other.

Top-rated by real patients

4.86/5 from over 1,600 reviews on Doctify and over 4.5 on Google.

Full intensive care on-site

World-class 13-bed ICU for expert support if your care becomes complex.

Investing in clinical excellence

Backed by Northwestern, we equip our teams with cutting-edge medical equipment.

0% Finance Options

We’ve teamed up with Chrysalis to offer you funding options that allow you to spread the cost of your treatment.

If you choose to pay for your treatment at The London Clinic over 12 months, you can make use of a great 0% interest option and pay nothing extra. Or you can choose to pay over two to five years at 14.9% APR.

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Trustees of the London Clinic Ltd trading as The London Clinic is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The London Clinic is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. Cancer treatments or transplants aren’t covered by finance packages. Finance options are only available for UK patients.