Breast Reduction in Abu Dhabi: A Patient's Guide

Breast reduction (reduction mammoplasty) removes excess breast tissue, fat and skin to relieve the back, neck and shoulder pain of heavy breasts, and leaves a lighter, lifted breast in proportion to your frame. Every reduction is also a lift: the nipple is moved higher on the smaller breast. Dr. Paulo Michels, a Brazilian board-certified plastic surgeon, performs the operation at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi, where patients from Dubai and across the UAE are seen.

Is my discomfort really coming from my breasts?

The pattern is consistent: aching in the back, neck and shoulders that physiotherapy does not fully fix; grooves worn into the shoulders by bra straps; skin irritation in the fold beneath the breasts, worse in the UAE summer; sport that stopped being enjoyable; and clothes chosen to manage the chest. When several of these appear together, breast weight is the likely cause, and reducing it treats the cause rather than the symptoms. For most patients the relief is early and marked, and posture improves.

A well-fitted bra, physiotherapy and skin care in the fold make heavy breasts easier to live with, and they are worth trying first. They do not remove the weight. The page on heavy breasts explains those measures, and the breast reduction and lift page covers the clinical detail.

What actually happens in the operation?

Two things at once: volume comes down, and the breast is lifted. Excess glandular tissue, fat and skin are removed, the remaining tissue is reshaped, and the nipple is repositioned to sit naturally on the new, lighter breast. In most cases no implant is involved; your own tissue forms the lifted shape.

Two technical choices shape the long-term result:

• The Internal Bra. Support built at the base of the breast from your own tissue, so the reshaped breast is not held by skin alone and settles more slowly over time. See the Internal Bra page.
• Surgical glue closure. Incisions are sealed with a waterproof skin adhesive rather than external stitches, which avoids track-mark scars.

Surgery takes roughly 2.5 to 4 hours depending on the reshaping involved, under general anaesthesia with board-certified anaesthesiologists, and most patients are discharged the same day.

Which incision will I have?

The pattern is matched to your anatomy and the volume being removed:

• Lollipop (vertical) — around the areola plus a vertical line to the crease; suits moderate reductions.
• L-shape (short-scar) — adds a short line outward along the outer crease only, keeping the central cleavage free of scars; used for significant reshaping.
• Anchor (inverted T) — the full pattern, for the largest reductions.

All three place the scars where a bra or swimsuit covers them. Scars mature and fade over 12 to 18 months, but they do not disappear.

Is liposuction alone ever enough?

Occasionally. In a small group of women whose breasts are mostly fatty and whose skin is still elastic, liposuction can reduce volume through tiny incisions. It does not remove glandular tissue, lift the breast or move the nipple, so for most women with heavy, sagging breasts it gives a poorer shape than a formal reduction. Whether it suits you is decided on examination.

Can uneven breasts or large areolas be corrected at the same time?

Yes. Breasts of different sizes are very common, and a different volume of tissue can be removed from each side to bring them closer together. Small differences between the sides remain normal after any breast surgery. Stretched areolas are reduced as the nipple is raised, and long or wide nipples can be reduced in the same operation. Dr. Paulo Michels performs nipple reduction only together with a breast operation such as a lift or reduction, never on its own.

Am I too young, or too old, for a breast reduction?

The operation can be performed once breast development is complete, typically around 18. Women in their 20s, 40s and beyond have it to improve daily comfort. The more useful questions are about timing: whether your breasts have stopped growing, whether your weight has been stable for some months, and whether a pregnancy is planned soon. Pregnancy enlarges the breasts again, so waiting may be sensible if one is close.

What is recovery honestly like?

Most patients describe it as uncomfortable rather than painful: tightness and soreness for the first days, controlled with oral medication. A realistic calendar:

• Day 0: home the same day, in a wire-free surgical compression bra.
• Days 1–7: rest with light walking from the start; many women notice the lighter weight on their shoulders even through the swelling.
• Days 7–10: most patients are back at desk work.
• Weeks 3–4: moderate cardio returns.
• Weeks 4–6: the surgical bra, worn day and night until now, is stopped when you are cleared.
• Week 6: cleared for heavy lifting and high-impact training.

Swelling takes several months to settle fully, so the final shape is judged later than the early relief.

The two questions everyone asks quietly

Sensation. Temporary numbness of the nipple area is common during healing. The techniques used are designed to protect the nerve pathways, and most patients recover their sensitivity. Lasting numbness is possible, especially after very large reductions.

Breastfeeding. Often still possible after reduction, but it cannot be guaranteed. If future pregnancies are on the horizon, raise it at the consultation; timing and technique can be shaped around it.

Will my breasts grow back, and how do I prepare?

The tissue removed does not grow back. Significant weight gain, hormonal change or a later pregnancy can still enlarge the breast tissue that remains, so a stable weight protects the result.

Preparation means reaching a stable weight, stopping smoking at least 4 weeks before surgery and pausing certain medications such as blood thinners; a step-by-step guide is given at the consultation. Breast reduction is not covered by insurance.

In Dr. Paulo Michels’ practice

Dr. Paulo Michels treats every breast reduction as a reduction and a lift together: the nipple is raised and the areola is reduced in the same operation, because heavy breasts almost always sag and have stretched areolas. The nipple normally stays attached to a column of tissue that carries its blood supply and much of its sensation; in exceptionally large reductions, other ways of repositioning it are discussed individually.

He reshapes the patient’s own tissue rather than adding an implant, which is not needed in most cases. His standard Internal Bra is autologous, built from the patient’s own fascia and muscle with permanent sutures at the fold, rather than from a synthetic mesh. The incision is chosen from the volume removed and the skin excess, with the L-shape used when it keeps the central cleavage free of scars.

He does not offer liposuction alone to a woman whose breasts are heavy and sagging, because it cannot lift the breast or move the nipple, and he does not reduce nipples as a stand-alone procedure. The questions patients bring to him are usually the ones in this guide: whether implants are needed, where the scars will sit, and whether sensation and breastfeeding will be preserved.

When should I contact the surgeon during recovery?

Contact the surgical team promptly, rather than waiting for the next scheduled visit, if you observe:

• one breast becoming clearly larger, tighter or more painful than the other;
• redness spreading across the breast skin, or warmth around an incision that is getting worse rather than better;
• a wound that opens, bleeds persistently or produces discharge;
• a change in skin colour around the nipple or areola — dusky, dark or blistering skin;
• pain that is no longer controlled by the prescribed medication.

Describe what you can see and send a photograph if asked. Routine reviews are scheduled in advance and are part of the plan.

How do consultations work, including from Dubai?

Consultations and surgery take place at Elyzee Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Dr. Paulo Michels, board certified by the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery, member of ISAPS, ASPS and EPSS, and winner of the ISAPS Gold Medal for Best Body Contouring at the World Plastic Surgery Olympiads 2025, examines your anatomy, tells you plainly what volume change is realistic and which incision it requires, and provides a transparent, all-inclusive quote after the examination. Patients from Dubai are seen routinely, with appointments grouped to reduce journeys. Consultations are private and unhurried, in English, Portuguese or Spanish.