Hello, this is Woori Plastic Surgery.
Today, we’d like to look at one of the topics many people worry about most: the timing of breast reduction surgery. If you are considering breast reduction, please pay attention!
When is better, before or after childbirth?
In modern times, many more people than before consider breast reduction surgery before childbirth or breastfeeding. One of the most common questions from people who come in for consultations is whether it is better to have surgery before or after childbirth. There is no exact answer as to which timing is definitively better. However, surgical techniques have advanced, and changes in breast shape after breastfeeding are much less than in the past, so if the discomfort is significant, it is reasonable to consider surgery regardless of whether you plan to have children.
Will the shape change after childbirth and breastfeeding?
Will the shape change if you become pregnant and breastfeed after breast reduction surgery? To put it simply, compared with the past, shape changes caused by childbirth and breastfeeding after surgery are much smaller. In the past, it was not uncommon for the breasts to become significantly altered or sag after childbirth and breastfeeding, but now, as surgical techniques have advanced, the way tissue is handled, the incision methods, and the ability to maintain shape have all improved.
The extent of change is not zero, but it is greatly reduced. For example, a breast with a volume of about 30 before surgery may increase to about 60 during breastfeeding and then later return to around 25 to 30. The key point is that the smaller the degree of change, the less sagging and shape distortion there tends to be. Because surgery has already reduced a large amount of volume, the skin is relatively less likely to stretch greatly during childbirth and breastfeeding.
Differences depending on the incision method
There are various methods such as periareolar incision, vertical incision, and Wise-pattern incision, but the difference in breastfeeding function according to the surgical method is not large. As also noted in studies,
a person’s original breastfeeding ability has a greater influence, and the incision method does not interfere with breastfeeding. Therefore, even if you are planning to have children, there is no need to avoid a specific incision method.
Why surgery before childbirth has become more common
Recently, many people in their 20s and 30s are choosing to have breast reduction surgery in advance, and there are two main reasons for this.
✔️ Because the discomfort in daily life is too great
Shoulder and neck pain, worsening posture, and severe limitations in activity make it hard to wait until after childbirth.
✔️ Because it is known that shape distortion is not severe even if childbirth occurs after surgery
Thanks to advances in technique, concerns that the breasts will sag again after childbirth, as in the past, have decreased.
Many people worry about how much the shape may change during childbirth and breastfeeding after breast reduction surgery, but in reality, you can expect results that are much more stable than in the past. What matters most is your current discomfort and satisfaction with daily life, and the timing of surgery itself does not determine the answer. If you are considering breast reduction, we recommend consulting with a specialist so that you can make a plan suited to your situation.
