Amicus Clinic
When breast size causes physical symptoms
Breast size that is disproportionate to the body frame can cause more than discomfort. The weight is carried by the neck, shoulders and upper back, and over time that shows up as persistent pain, grooving where bra straps sit, and skin irritation in the fold beneath the breast. Some people also notice numbness or tingling in the hands, from nerve compression at the shoulder.
The medical term is macromastia. It is diagnosed clinically, in person.
Why weight loss may not resolve it
Breast tissue is part fat and part gland. Fat reduces with weight loss; glandular tissue does not. Where a breast is largely glandular, a person can lose a considerable amount of body weight without the breast changing much.
Supportive bras and physiotherapy can ease the symptoms. They rarely resolve them.
Examination is what distinguishes the two.
What the surgery does
Breast reduction removes excess glandular tissue, fat and skin, and brings the breasts into proportion with the body frame.
Two things change together — volume, and shape. Excess tissue is removed, the skin is tightened, and the nipple-areola complex is repositioned. How much of each is planned after examination.
Surgical markings are made in the upright position, days before the operation. They influence the outcome considerably.
What it involves
- Anaesthesia — general, with local infiltration for comfort afterwards
- Duration — approximately four hours
- Hospital stay — drains are removed the following morning, and most patients go home that day
- First review — around day five
- Patients travelling from outside Trivandrum — plan to stay locally two to three days after surgery
What it costs you
These are not complications. They are the ordinary terms of the operation, and they are worth knowing before deciding.
Scars are permanent. They begin pink and prominent, and fade to thin white lines over 12 to 18 months. How a given person scars is partly genetic. Silicone sheets may help.
Sensation. Nipple sensation is often reduced initially and typically recovers over months. Some loss can be permanent.
Symmetry. Some asymmetry usually remains. Perfect symmetry is rare in nature and after surgery.
Breastfeeding after reduction is uncertain.
Timeline. Physical relief is often immediate, but the final shape becomes apparent at around six to twelve months.
An approach
The planning matters more than the removal. The tissue that is left behind is more important than what is removed — it determines shape, projection and how the result holds over time.
Learn more about breast reduction surgery
The surgeon
Dr. Unnikrishnan S, MCh (Plastic Surgery). Sixteen years in plastic surgery, twelve of them at Amicus Clinic, Pattom, Trivandrum.
Member — International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS); Indian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons; Rhinoplasty Society of India.
Next step
Whether the symptoms relate to breast size, and which approach suits a given patient, is decided in person.
Consultation: ₹500, by appointment.
Amicus Plastic Surgery
Second Floor, Orchid Tower (above V Dental)
Opposite Vydyuti Bhavan, Pattom, Trivandrum 695004
Call or WhatsApp: 8606029728
Monday to Saturday, by appointment only
For information only. Suitability for treatment is decided after an in-person consultation. Individual results vary.