Once you’ve decided to have a breast reduction, the most important decision you have to make is choosing your surgeon. If you are undecided, meeting with a surgeon should help you with your decision.
Consider the process of choosing a surgeon like you’re interviewing them for a job – the most important role of transforming your large boobs into smaller breasts.
Find a Surgeon
Tracking down a good surgeon can feel like hard work. You can start with your general practitioner or primary care doctor as they will be writing your referral anyway.
When considering a surgeon, you want a doctor that is board-certified. Choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon means you can be sure that the doctor has graduated from an accredited medical school.
To find a surgeon, you can look at various websites/organizations including:
Referral from Your General Practitioner/Primary Doctor
You will most likely require a referral from your primary care doctor. Your doctor should have no problems writing you a referral. In Australia, you can use your referral with any surgeon even if it has another surgeon’s details on it. So, you can either get your doctor to do multiple referrals to the different surgeons you are considering, or you can take copies of the referral using the same one.
I suggest keeping a copy for your own records regardless. My referral went missing and was important for me to get a rebate for Medicare. I had to get my primary doctor to re-issue the referral just days before my surgery.
What to Look for in a Surgeon
When choosing a surgeon, you need to focus on the following:
Do you feel comfortable with the surgeon? Do you feel like you can ask them questions?
Do they have the appropriate qualifications and accreditation?
What is included in the costs of the surgery? What happens if there is a complication?
Where will the surgery happen? Hospital? Day surgery clinic?
The way the surgeon responds to your questions will give you a good idea about whether they are right for you.
Evaluate your surgeon as well as their practice. If the office staff are rude, impatient or unhelpful, that’s not a good sign.
You want to feel as comfortable as possible during the breast reduction process.
I strongly recommend you consult three different surgeons.
This will give you a good perspective and help you choose the right surgeon.
Initial Consultation
Once you have found a surgeon you would like to meet with, you will schedule an initial consult. In this appointment, the surgeon will measure and evaluate your breasts. You will need to take off your top and bra. The surgeon will most likely lift your breasts and physically examine them.
If you are uncomfortable about this, take a support person with you (such as a partner, friend or relative with whom you are comfortable about seeing your breasts). You can also ask for a nurse to be present with you during the consultation.
The surgeon may take photos of your breasts at this time or at a later consultation.
They will discuss your breast reduction options with you.
Organize Your Documents
During the breast reduction process, you will acquire a lot of paper! You want to be organized so that you can quickly find what you need. I recommend having a file for all your relevant documents.
Here are some of the things you will need to put in your file:
- Information and brochures provided by surgeons
- Quotes from surgeons
- Contract for your surgery
- Insurance documents and claim forms
- All medical receipts
- Any other relevant documents
Read All the Breast Reduction Surgery Blogs
In this special series of blog posts, Ayesha Hilton shares with you:
The Risks & Benefits of Breast Reduction Surgery
The main types of Breast Reduction Techniques
Breast feeding after a Breast Reduction
How to find a surgeon
Get Your Copy of
Breast Reduction Surgery
The Complete Guide to Breast Reduction Surgery & Recovery