During mammoplasty—a surgical procedure to reshape the breast—the breast may be reduced, augmented, or reconstructed.

Breast reduction mammoplasty reduces breast size by removing excess breast skin and underlying tissue and reshaping the contour of large breasts. The surgeon also repositions the nipple and areola. Breast reduction is usually performed to relieve physical discomfort related to large breast size, including backache, shoulder ache, poor posture, fatigue, and irritation or fungal infection under the breast. However, it may be done simply because the patient is self-conscious about the size of her breasts. Although the procedure is permanent, breast size can increase with weight gain, use of birth control pills, and pregnancy. Breast reduction may also be performed on the unaffected breast in a patient who has had a mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction mammoplasty. In this case, the goal is to make the size of the unaffected breast closer to that of the reconstructed breast.

Breast augmentation mammoplasty may be performed to augment or enlarge breast size and shape. It’s usually done because the patient is self-conscious about her small breasts.

Breast reconstruction mammoplasty is done to reconstruct the breast after surgery for cancer. In addition to restoring a more normal breast shape, the surgery may help relieve emotional distress caused by mastectomy, improve the patient’s self-image, and restore her sexual identity.

Mammoplasty is usually performed after the breasts are fully developed. It isn’t
recommended for females who want to breast-feed. Breast reconstruction is contraindicated when metastasis is possible, if healing is impaired, or if the patient has unrealistic expectations about the procedure.