Breast Reduction Surgery: Achieving Relief and Aesthetic Balance

If the weight of your oversized breasts is causing you pain, there’s no need to keep suffering because relief is possible. For many people, breast reduction surgery is a decision driven by the desire for physical relief and improved self-confidence. The weight from oversized breasts often leads to chronic conditions, including severe back, neck, or shoulder pain, shoulder grooves, rashes under the breast, and discomfort during simple activities like exercising. 

Having more beautiful breasts does not always mean having bigger breasts. It’s about finding the optimal shape and proportion for your frame. A skilled cosmetic surgeon like Dr. Trevor Brooks at Essentials Medi Spa can help you achieve this with breast reduction surgery. This procedure, also known as a reduction mammoplasty, works by removing excess breast tissue, fat, and sagging, stretched skin to achieve a lighter, firmer, and more proportionate contour.

While non-surgical methods like weight loss, physiotherapy, or proper bra support might offer temporary comfort, research suggests these treatments rarely result in permanent pain relief for individuals with constant, severe symptoms. This is because the underlying issue of excess weight and stretched skin is not addressed. Unfortunately, once your skin has stretched, it cannot shrink back down to your preferred state naturally. Surgery will have to be performed to permanently remove your unwanted breast weight, skin, and breast tissue to achieve your breast reduction goals.

Successfully undergoing breast reduction surgery has a profound impact, as it might also help improve self-image and the ability to take part in physical activities comfortably and frequently.

The Most Important Decision: Selecting Your Surgeon

If you are considering breast reduction surgery, the most critical factor influencing your safety and results is choosing a plastic surgeon. It’s vital to select a surgeon who is board certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada to ensure they are specifically trained and experienced in cosmetic surgery and will perform the procedure in an accredited facility like Essentials Medi Spa. This is necessary for minimizing risks because breast reduction surgery has the same risks as other major surgeries, including bleeding, infection, and reactions to anesthesia.

To begin your due diligence, you can search for a plastic surgeon near you. 

During your consultation, you can ask Dr. Brooks how frequently he performs breast reductions. Have a close look at his "before and after" photo galleries (which some consenting patients have given permission to use on Facebook/Instagram). Pay particular attention to results where the “before” photos look similar to you. This will help you gauge Dr. Brooks’ aesthetic style.

Post-Surgery and Long-Term Results

Breast reduction surgery is generally performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia. After the incisions are made (removing excess tissue, fat, and skin, and reshaping with dissolvable sutures), the nipple is moved to a higher position.

Initial recovery requires planning. You will be sore for the first few days and need pain medication. Most patients can typically resume light walking immediately after surgery and feel ready to drive and return to a desk job within one week after they are no longer taking prescription pain medication. 

Dr. Brooks recommends you wait a minimum of three to four weeks before resuming strenuous exercise like running and 6-8 weeks for upper body exercises. 

The long-term results of breast reduction surgery are generally permanent, offering smaller, lighter breasts for a lifetime if you maintain a stable weight. While swelling will ease within a few months, subtle changes can occur for up to six to 12 months as the final shape settles and scars fade. It’s important to remember that normal aging and significant weight fluctuations can still affect breast shape over time.Future pregnancies are also likely to change the shape, size, and overall appearance of your breasts due to hormonal shifts and weight changes, potentially reversing some of the breast reduction surgery results. If you’re planning to have more children, consult with Dr. Brooks to weigh the pros and cons of having the procedure now versus later.

Almost all of the patients that Dr. Brooks has seen for breast reduction surgery are extremely excited about their results. Patients report they can breathe better, don’t have as many headaches, sleep better at night, and no longer have neck, shoulder or back pain, and can purchase more affordable bras. Most importantly, breast reduction patients feel more comfortable in their own skin. Shopping for clothing becomes fun and exercising isn’t a problem anymore.

Health Care Coverage 

Alberta Health Services has specific criteria for coverage in Alberta.

If the surgery is performed to ease documented physical symptoms like chronic back, neck, or shoulder pain due to oversized breasts, it may be covered. The breasts must be large enough to remove at least 350g of breast tissue (this is approximately the volume of a 500ml can of pop). Patients must also be non-smokers with a BMI (body mass index) below 30 (you can calculate your BMI using a quick Google search). Reduction surgery for aesthetic reasons is typically paid for by the individual. 

Additional treatments or cosmetic procedures often done by Dr. Brooks during a breast reduction, like liposuction, aren’t covered by Alberta Health Services, but can be beneficial to attain a better shape, especially in the axilla (underarm area).

Ready to learn more about breast reduction surgery? Consult with Dr. Trevor Brooks at Essentials Medi Spa.

If your family doctor or a walk-in clinic physician refers you, they can fax their referral letter to Dr. Brooks’ medical clinic.

NOTE: As of November 1st, 2025, Dr. Brooks has stopped accepting AHS covered breast reduction surgery consults due to the decreased payments from Alberta Health Services.  Plastic Surgeons in Alberta are currently negotiating and hope to be able to offer these surgeries at private surgical facilities again in the near future, but at this time, only cosmetic mastopexy reductions (paid for by the patient) are being booked with Dr. Brooks.

Book your consultation now!