Chronic pain
Persistent back, neck, and shoulder pain from sustained breast weight carried through every day.
Sieveking/Plastic Surgery/Breast Reduction
Breast Reduction in Nashville
Physical Relief · Lifted Shape · Lasting Proportion
Breast reduction removes excess tissue and skin to relieve chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain and restore a silhouette proportionate to your frame. Where pain, shoulder grooving, or limited activity have shaped daily life, the cost is well beyond clothing size — and there is a precise surgical answer.
Relief, proportion, and renewed confidence. A reduction and a lift in one operation. Among plastic surgery’s highest-satisfaction procedures.
Volume reduced. Shape restored. Documented physical symptoms addressed.
Breast reduction — known clinically as reduction mammaplasty — removes excess breast tissue, fat, and skin to reduce volume, reshape the breast mound, and reposition the nipple-areola complex to a more natural, youthful height on the chest. Because the procedure addresses both volume and skin laxity, patients gain a meaningful lift and size reduction in the same operation.
Breast reduction is unique in that it addresses both aesthetic concerns and documented physical symptoms — chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain, skin irritation beneath the breast fold called intertrigo, and postural changes linked to excess breast weight. It consistently ranks among the highest patient-satisfaction procedures in plastic surgery, and Dr. Sieveking brings more than 25 years of breast surgery experience to every reduction.
The approach
Breast reduction techniques at Sieveking.
The right technique depends on the degree of reduction needed, the amount of skin laxity present, and your overall breast anatomy — Dr. Sieveking recommends the most appropriate approach during your consultation. It is worth distinguishing reduction from a standalone lift: a breast lift reshapes and raises the breast without significant volume removal, while a reduction changes volume and lifts simultaneously.
The anchor (inverted-T, or Wise pattern) approach is the most common for moderate to significant reductions. Incisions circle the areola, extend vertically to the breast crease, and follow the inframammary fold, allowing the greatest degree of tissue removal and the most precise reshaping of a ptotic breast. Scars are well concealed by a bra or swimsuit.
The vertical (lollipop) technique places incisions around the areola and straight down to the breast crease, without the horizontal component — well suited for moderate reductions with less significant skin laxity, producing somewhat less scarring and a slightly more projected shape.
In carefully selected patients whose excess volume is primarily fatty tissue and whose skin retains good elasticity, liposuction alone or with minimal incisions may reduce breast size, though it does not produce a meaningful lift. Almost all of Dr. Sieveking’s breast reduction patients also benefit from SAFE Liposuction, which thins and contours the axilla and upper breast fold.
Concerns breast reduction addresses.
Reduction mammaplasty is appropriate for patients experiencing physical symptoms, aesthetic concerns, or both.
Shoulder grooving
Deep grooves worn into the shoulders by bra straps bearing the weight of the breasts.
Skin irritation
Recurring rashes and irritation beneath the breast fold, known clinically as intertrigo.
Postural and nerve symptoms
Postural changes and nerve symptoms, such as arm tingling or numbness, linked to breast weight.
Restricted activity
Physical activity and exercise limited or abandoned because of breast size and weight.
Ptosis and asymmetry
Breast sagging and asymmetry that develop under sustained weight, compounding physical symptoms.
Why choose this procedure
Benefits measured in daily life.
Breast reduction addresses documented physical symptoms and aesthetic concerns in the same operation — relief and restored proportion together.
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Relief from chronic pain
Removing excess tissue addresses the documented physical symptoms of breast weight — chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain and postural strain.
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A reduction and a lift
Because the procedure addresses both volume and skin laxity, patients gain a meaningful lift and size reduction in a single operation.
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Activity restored
With breast weight addressed at its source, the physical activity and exercise that size once restricted become comfortable again for many patients.
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Clothing that fits
Difficulty finding clothing that fits is among the most common concerns patients bring to consultation; restored proportion makes fit predictable again.
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Documented satisfaction
Breast reduction consistently ranks among the highest patient-satisfaction procedures in plastic surgery — relief and renewed confidence arriving in the same operation.
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On-site surgery center
Surgery is performed on an outpatient basis at the practice’s brand-new on-site surgery center, and most patients go home the same day.
The goal of every reduction is a proportionate, natural silhouette that suits your individual frame — results that look and feel like the body you were always meant to have.
Before & after
Individual results vary. Discuss your goals and candidacy at your consultation.
Selected results
Natural results, designed around the individual.
Breast reduction cases are included in our full results archive — each pair represents a single patient photographed at the same angle, light, and camera.
The journey from consultation to lasting relief.
01
Consultation
A thorough, unhurried evaluation
Your consultation with Dr. Sieveking covers your medical history, current symptoms, aesthetic goals, breast anatomy, and technique options. Expect an honest conversation about incision patterns, expected scarring, recovery, and realistic results — there is no agenda beyond helping you make the best-informed decision for your health and goals. For those who require travel or childcare, a telehealth visit with Dr. Sieveking is available as an alternative to an in-person consultation.
02
Procedure
Outpatient surgery in the on-site center
Breast reduction is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes 2–4 hours. In most cases, the nipple-areola complex remains attached to the underlying tissue on a pedicle, preserving blood supply and, in most patients, nipple sensation. Surgery is performed on an outpatient basis at the practice’s brand-new on-site surgery center, and most patients go home the same day with detailed post-operative instructions.
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Recovery
Substantially better within the first week
Soreness, swelling, and tightness are normal in the first several days, and most patients feel substantially better within the first week. Patients with sedentary work typically return in 1–2 weeks; more physically demanding roles require additional time. Upper-body exercise and heavier lifting are restricted for at least 4–6 weeks. Pairing your recovery with the functional medicine and weight loss management programs available at Sieveking Plastic Surgery can further support long-term wellness after surgery.
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Results
A proportion designed to endure
Breast shape continues to settle over 3–12 months, and scars soften and fade progressively with consistent scar care. The structural results of reduction mammaplasty are long-lasting for most patients: those who maintain a stable weight and do not undergo future pregnancies typically preserve their results most reliably, and the proportionate improvement achieved through well-performed reduction surgery typically endures for many years.
Why Sieveking
Meet Dr. Sieveking
Why choose Sieveking for breast reduction.
Stanford-trained. Triple board-certified (including The American Board of Wound Management, ABWM) plastic surgeon.
Dr. Nicholas Sieveking is Stanford-trained and triple board-certified (including The American Board of Wound Management, ABWM) in plastic and reconstructive surgery, with fellowship training in anti-aging and functional medicine and a post-residency fellowship under Ivo Pitanguy, one of the most celebrated plastic surgeons in the world. He has been named Best Plastic Surgeon in Nashville multiple times.
Sieveking Plastic Surgery is the only practice in Middle Tennessee combining world-class plastic surgery, advanced medical aesthetics, and clinical functional and longevity medicine under one triple board-certified (including The American Board of Wound Management, ABWM) physician at a single address. For reduction patients, that integration means surgical care, recovery support, and long-term health goals can be addressed by the same trusted team without leaving Franklin.
More than 90% of new patients arrive by referral — a testament to the trust this practice has earned over more than two decades in Middle Tennessee — and every exceptional result begins with an honest, unhurried conversation about your goals, your anatomy, and the path forward.
Investment
Cost of breast reduction.
The cost of breast reduction depends on the extent of the reduction, the technique required, and anesthesia and facility considerations, with pricing reviewed transparently at consultation before anything is scheduled. Patients seeking insurance coverage should be aware that most insurers require documented medical necessity, physician records confirming physical symptoms, evidence that conservative treatments have been attempted, and a planned tissue removal meeting the insurer’s specific threshold.
Our team can advise on documentation during your consultation; coverage is always determined by your individual plan and is never guaranteed. For patients investing directly, financing is available through PatientFi and CareCredit, and HSA and FSA funds are accepted where eligible — with a complete accounting of what the fee includes before any decision is made.
Questions, answered.
The questions most prospective patients ask before booking a consultation.
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Good candidates are adults in stable general health, at or near a stable weight, experiencing physical symptoms or significant distress related to disproportionately large breasts. Non-smokers are preferred. A consultation with Dr. Sieveking is the only reliable way to confirm candidacy and determine the best approach for your anatomy and goals.
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Breast reduction at Sieveking Plastic Surgery is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes 2–4 hours. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis at the practice’s on-site surgery center, and most patients go home the same day with detailed post-operative instructions and direct access to the care team.
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Most patients return to sedentary work within 1–2 weeks; more physically demanding roles require additional time. Upper-body exercise and lifting are restricted for approximately 4–6 weeks. Swelling resolves over several months, and the final breast shape and softened scars emerge fully over 6–12 months.
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In some cases, yes. Coverage typically requires documented medical necessity, evidence that conservative treatments have been attempted, and a planned tissue removal meeting the insurer’s minimum threshold. Our team can advise on the documentation process at consultation, though coverage is determined by your individual plan and can never be guaranteed.
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Breast reduction can affect breastfeeding ability because ducts and glandular tissue are reduced during the procedure. Many patients are still able to breastfeed after surgery, but this cannot be guaranteed. Patients planning future pregnancies are strongly encouraged to discuss timing with Dr. Sieveking before scheduling surgery.
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The structural results of reduction mammaplasty are long-lasting for most patients. Those who maintain a stable weight and do not undergo future pregnancies typically preserve their results most reliably. Significant weight change, pregnancy, and the natural changes of aging can affect breast shape over time, but the proportionate improvement achieved through well-performed reduction surgery typically endures for many years.
More in Plastic Surgery.
Facial Sculpting
Breast Surgery
Begin your journey
Find lasting relief through breast reduction at Sieveking Plastic Surgery in Franklin, TN.
If you are ready to learn whether breast reduction is the right step for you, we invite you to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Sieveking at 1200 Old Hillsboro Road in Franklin. Every exceptional result begins with an honest, unhurried conversation about your goals, your anatomy, and the path forward. For those who require travel or childcare, a telehealth visit with Dr. Sieveking is available as an alternative to an in-person consultation.
1200 Old Hillsboro Road, B2 · Franklin, Tennessee
Mon–Thu 9–4:30 · Fri by appointment