Last fact-checked: 6 September 2020

Many women (and men) are choosing to have their surgery for breast reduction abroad not only to save on costs but also because it allows them the time to relax on holiday before having to get back into their normal routines at home.

Medical Departures has partnered with the best clinics in dozens of countries around the world that deliver a wide range of cosmetic procedures, including those offering breast reduction and augmentations for thousands less than back home.

If you are unhappy because your breasts are disproportionately too large for your body—or they are a source of physical discomfort, then you may certainly be a candidate for breast reduction.

If you are self-conscious about the size, if one breast is much larger than the other or if your nipples and areolas (the dark skin surrounding the nipples) point downward you may also want to consider a breast reduction.

Before your breast reduction surgery, you may:

• Have a mammogram (if you’re over 40), a chest x-ray or an ECG.
• Achieve weight goals and lifestyle changes to minimize complications
• Stop smoking at least six weeks before surgery to promote healing

After breast reduction surgery, you should:

• Arrange for someone to pick you up and to stay with you on the first night after your operation
• Eat healthily to encourage healing
• Take it easy for at least a week and wear loose-fitting clothes that you don’t need to lift your arms over your head to get into.

The time taken to complete the procedure depends on how much breast tissue needs removing. There may also be two surgeons working on each breast, which may speed up the process. Typically, the surgery takes 90 minutes to three hours.

Your surgeon will give you detailed instructions on what to do during the recovery process, and what to expect with regard to symptoms and potential signs to look out for. It is important to remember that as we are all individuals, the time it takes to recover varies, so you will want to take your own recovery at its own pace.

Immediately after surgery you will be bandaged and may wear wound drains. These will usually be removed within a week. You will also feel stiff, sore and tender and probably not want to move very much for the first few days, but this will gradually ease as time goes by.

Stitches will be removed around 10 days after your procedure and your swelling and bruising should be subsiding at that time. Movement should be improved although it will take several more weeks before your mobility returns to normal and before you can do anything strenuous such as heavy lifting.

It could be up to six months before you are completely healed, inside and out.

Medical Departures has over a decade of experience working with the best clinics and hospitals in dozens of locations around the world. We only partner with reliable clinics so you are assured of receiving quality care and impressive results. 

While no medical procedure can ever be guaranteed, you can mitigate any problems by booking with a reliable facility that you can trust. This is why Medical Departures makes it our business to work with the best, carrying out our own pre-screening checks before we partner with any medical facilities. 

Our checks include:

• Searching criminal/legal records
• Collating and publishing real patient reviews
• Verifying doctor and surgeon qualifications
• Confirming professional memberships

In popular, reliable medical travel destinations such as Mexico, Costa Rica or Thailand, patients discover cost savings of 50-80%. This is compared to the United States where a breast reduction costs around $12,500. 

Check out the prices below in some of the world's top medical tourism destinations and click through to see our list of partner clinics: 

• In Mexico, prices for breast reductions are around $3,900
• In Thailand, breast reduction costs around $3,800
• In the Philippines, breast reduction costs on average $3,700

Browse our clinics above or head straight to our global listings page to see all of our clinics and hospitals that offer breast reduction surgery. 

Book directly with us online or connect with our Customer Care Team to lock in the best prices online and enjoy 24-hour assistance before, during and after your trip. 

Sources:

Breast Reduction Surgery. WebMD. 3 February 2019. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/cosmetic-procedures-breast-reduction-surgery

Craven, Cameron MD, The five factors of breast augmentation. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 29 July 2016. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/the-five-factors-of-breast-augmentation

International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Website accessed: 19 March 2020. https://www.isaps.org/

Smokers who quit one month before surgery reap benefits: UN health agency. UN News. 20 January 2020. https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1055591