Breast reduction surgery is performed to restore your comfort by reducing the size of your breasts. Excess fat, tissue, and skin will be removed to alleviate discomfort such as shoulder, neck and back pain caused by large breasts.

Living an active lifestyle and dressing the way you’d like to can be a challenge with oversized breasts. This procedure is designed to make you look and feel better. Dr. Brooks will resize and reshape your breasts so they are in proportion with the rest of your body.

In order to set up your initial consultation you will need to see your family doctor or a walk in clinic doctor for a referral letter.  The referral process is helpful because your family doctor knows your medical history, family history and your BMI.

If you are still working towards meeting your weight loss goal or to quit smoking please keep in mind your family doctor may hold off on sending your referral letter to Dr. Brooks.

Your family physician knows that Dr. Brooks has some requirements to ensure patients will get the best outcomes after surgery. Dr. Brooks will see patients for consultations if their BMI (body mass index) is under 32, but he will not do the breast reduction surgery until their BMI is under 30.  If you are unsure what your BMI is, head to your Google browser and search BMI calculator then input your information, or give our clinic patient coordinators a call and we can assist you.

Alberta Health Services has a requirement of at least 300g of tissue per breast needed for a reduction or balancing reduction to qualify as a covered (no fee to the patient) surgery.

At the time of your initial consultation you will meet with Dr. Brooks to discuss your breast reduction goals in detail. The surgical steps of your breast reduction procedure will be explained, your reduction options will be presented, and all of your questions will be answered.

If you are still working towards meeting your weight loss goals please keep in mind from the time of your consultation you have one year to book your surgery, or you need to do another consultation and get a new referral letter.  Dr. Brooks will see patients for consultations if their BMI (body mass index) is under 32, but he will not do the breast reduction surgery until their BMI is under 30.

If you are unsure what your BMI is, head to your Google browser and search BMI calculator then input your information, or give our clinic patient coordinators a call and we can assist you.

Incisions can be made around your nipple, from the base of your nipple down to the breast crease, or directly on the surface skin of your breast — above and below your nipple. Dr. Brooks will choose the best incision option for you.

Once the incision is made, the breast is reduced in size and reshaped. Your nipple may be completely removed and replaced.

General anesthesia is used so you will be extremely comfortable and asleep during your procedure.

Breast reduction takes about 2-3 hours to perform. Once you are awake, and our recovery team has cleared you to go, your arranged ride can drive you home. Expect your chest to feel sore for the first 3 to 7 days, your pain medication will help alleviate any discomfort. Plan to take about 1 to 2 weeks off work for rest and recovery.

You will see the results of your breast reduction surgery immediately. Post surgical swelling will take a few weeks to resolve and your incision lines will continue to fade over time.

You can see our standard post-operative care instructions for breast reduction here: View Post-Op Care Instructions

Breast reduction surgery is often combined with tummy tuck surgery for more dramatic, body contouring results. For further information on combining your breast reduction with other surgeries, please discuss this with Dr. Brooks at the time of your consultation.