When your body talks, listen

Sarah Manavis

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If you're a woman under 40 with bigger than average breasts, you have probably spent the last year being pushed to have a breast reduction.

On TikTok and Instagram, you can find hundreds of thousands of posts, some getting millions of views, documenting the process of dropping multiple cup sizes and the beloved results for those who have had one.

What defines most of these videos is the dramatic before and after: clothes fitting better than ever, the appearance of substantial weight loss, buoyed by the fact that breast reductions don't just make your boobs smaller, but perkier. Through a simple procedure, your breasts can be shaped to your precise taste. A previously unimaginable, bra-free life becomes possible.

This may be why breast reductions have quickly become one of the most sought-after beauty treatments since the pandemic: they are now the second most popular cosmetic surgery in the UK and saw a 64% increase in the US between 2019 and 2024. Private breast reduction surgeries typically cost just under £10,000 in the UK - generally a couple of thousand more than the cost of breast augmentation, due to the longer surgery times for reduction. To qualify for reduction surgery on the NHS you must meet specific criteria (demonstrable neck and back pain, skin irritation, a proven effort to resolve these issues through other means) before a potentially years-long wait.

Some women have claimed the NHS has discouraged them, with mixed opinion about the impact on breastfeeding.