Breast reduction can be a surgical procedure which is carried out to reduce the size of overly large breasts and to reduce sagging breasts. As with breast augmentation, this procedure is performed mostly on women, but men are known to have the operation as well. Breast reduction operations can help women with heavy, drooping breasts, who as a direct result of the weight of their breasts, could suffer from cervix, back, shoulder, circulation, or breathing troubles. The weight of their breasts could also cause irritation because of bra straps chafing the skin.

Breast reduction surgery can make the breasts smaller, lighter, and firmer. In some operations, it has been known for the surgeon to even cut down the size of the areola or nipples and alter their position.

It should be known that these procedures are mainly carried out on women with fully-developed breasts.It is not recommended for women who are hoping to breast feed, as it could lower the likelihood of feeding success and greatly lower the amount of breast milk created due to the surgery.

Two of the most popular breast reduction methods are the:

inferior pedicle vertical scar method

Both of these are very likely to allow both nipple sensitiveness and the likelihood of successful breastfeeding, compared with other methods of the past era.

The inferior pedicle method, sometimes known as a keyhole or Weiss pattern reduction, requires an anchor-shaped surgical incision which encircles the areola. This incision leads downwards, following the natural curve of the breast. Extra glandular tissue, adipose tissue, and skin is removed. Next, the nipple and areola are put into their new position. One of the downfalls of this method is sometimes the patient may end up with "square" appearing breasts, but this is a basic alternative for women with the biggest, most drooping breasts.

On the other hand, the vertical scar technique, also known as "the SPAIR" or "short  scar breast reduction", is at present gaining great popularity due to the minimum amount of scarring afterwards and a more rounded shape after surgery completion. To perform this, a doctor does what is also known as a "lollipop surgical incision" to the breast, ensuring the least amount of scarring. At the incision point, no horizontal incisions are done, and the scars are less likely to extend with time, as opposed to the Anchor-shaped method. This method has been known to have good long term results.

Liposuction has been used along with the additional breast reduction methods for quite some time, but the more novel liposuction only method is at present gaining popularity. All of the breast reduction processes include a breast lift in addition to the liposuction only process. 

Many women with very large breasts have been known to suffer from back pain, neck pain, shoulder grooving, skin rash under the breasts and in some cases an increased likelihood of migraine attacks. They always appear much bigger than they really are and have difficulty with exercise and with dressing. By undergoing a simple procedure like breast reduction such problems can be a thing of the past, allowing them to live a pain free life to the full.