I (Darlene) have known and respected the blogger behind Les Gros Bonnets for many years–I even got to spend an afternoon with her in Paris four years ago. Her perspective on the H+ experience is invaluable, and I couldn’t believe Hourglassy‘s good fortune when she contacted me after her breast reduction surgery to suggest writing for us. You are going to get SO MUCH out of her new column, Still Busty.


When I decided to get a breast reduction, I had fantasies of going really small, running free with nothing in the way. I quickly realized that it wasn’t even an option. There are various reasons why you might end up larger than you expected after a reduction, some avoidable, some not.

If your surgeon and you have different images of what « a full C » is…

During your consult, the surgeon is going to discuss with you the size they can get you too.  Be aware that most people have a skewed view of cup sizes and if they say  they can bring you down to a C cup or D cup, that is pretty meaningless, especially if you’re wearing a small band size, as in my experience, when people mention cup sizes without specifying band size, they tend to have a 34-36 band in mind. In any case, check if you are on the same page by asking them to show you pictures of past patients with results similar to what you can expect. Asking if they think they can get your breasts half as small or two-third as small will give you a more accurate idea than discussing cup size. You may want to ask them how many grams, pounds or cc they’re planning to remove. They won’t be able to tell you for sure, but their answer will help you figure out if you’re on the same page. 

This graph can be helpful to get an idea of how much your breasts weigh.

If your surgeon is concerned with an aesthetic ideal…

The surgeon might tell you not to worry about size and that they are just going to make you more proportional. It can be helpful if you want the relief of a reduction, but have a hard time picturing what you will look like in your future size. Still, I have some issues with that way of proceeding. Most people don’t have this surgery for cosmetic reasons alone, so being proportional might not be your goal. A chubbier woman might want to be almost flat chested because that would suit her lifestyle better, a smaller woman might want to stay somewhat busty because she built her identity that way. The patient might have unrealistic expectations but the surgeon should at least listen and discuss. Some surgeons think that since they are the experts, they get to decide what will look best on you. I believe you are the expert on how you feel in your body and should make sure there is some dialogue. If the surgeon seems to force their aesthetic tastes on you, don’t be scared to shop around.

If your breasts are on the wide side…

If your surgeon say they want to make your breasts proportional, they might mean a completely different thing from what I discussed above. A reduction will not impact your breast footprint, that is the width and height of where your breast root attach to your chest. It can only reduce the projection (or length) and possibly the fullness.As a result, reduced breasts tend to be wider and taller, so shallower. At some point, reducing them further would give a shape with almost no projection, like very wide pancakes. Beyond the potential aesthetic concern, that shape will be hard to fit in a regular bra. Of course, if this is something you don’t mind, discuss it with your surgeon. 

If you start from a very large size/have dense tissue

Large reductions are kown to be riskier. Complications such as nipple necrosis in particular are more frequent after a certain size. To avoid compromising blood flow, a surgeon may decide to remove less breast tissue than originally planned. If the distance between your collarbone and your nipple is longer than around 40 cm and/or if you want to remove a large amount of tissue (say over 1500 g/breast), they may also recommend you have a free nipple graft, a procedure through which your nipple is completely cut off and sewn back later instead of keeping it attached to a band of tissue before replacing it at the right spot. Should you chose to get a free nipple graft, beware that you’ll very likely won’t be able to breastfeed or have erotic feeling in your nipple anymore. Once again, discuss it with your surgeon and if you’re feeling unsure, shop around.

As for me, I measured as a 34L the week before my surgery and was a 34FF/G two weeks after. I wish I could have gone smaller (and I might still loose a cup size or two, as you only get your definite result one year post op), but I went in knowing from the start that with my size and breast footprint, I would never be a 34C/D. I felt that it would still be worth it to get in the D-G range. And I’m thrilled this could be achieved without a free nipple graft. Whatever you decide, be sure to do your research and manage your expectations.