All 259 Clinics that provide Breast Reduction in London

Oversized breasts can be the cause of other physical and psyhcological problems, including lower back pains and worries about your general appearance. Breast reduction surgery, or reduction mammaplasty, is designed to reduce the size of your breasts in order to allieviate these problems.

Breast reduction surgery can also be performed on individual breasts in the case where there is some asymmetry between the two breasts.

Length

The procedure can last up to four hours.

Procedure

The procedure is carried out under local anaesthetic and involves repositioning the nipple and its surrounding tissue and removing excess fat cells from the lower breast and underarm area. The goal is to achieve a natural shape to the breast and retain as much sensation and function as possible.

Recovery

You will be required to stay for between 1 and 3 days, and stitches are usually removed between 1 and 2 weeks later. Typically you are required to rest for between 2 and 6 weeks after the operation.

Risks

There can be significant scarring depending on the quality of the surgical stitching, and there can be up to three different scars per breast depending on the exact procedure required. There can be excess skin left after the breast reduction itself which can require another operation later on to remedy. There is also the risk of loss of sensation and function in the nipple itself.

A guide to plastic surgery regulations in the United Kingdom

The Department of Health decides on health policy and oversees the National Health Serice in the UK.

The General Medical Council (GMC) is the self-regulating body for doctors within the UK. It holds a register of all doctors registered to practice within the UK. The GMC provides detailed information online about the current status of all registered doctors. Compensation claims will rest on proof that a failure in the 'Duty to Care' has resulted in injury - these claims are persued throught the civil courts.

The British Medical Association is the chief professional organization for doctors in the UK.

BAPRAS, the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons is the main organization that plastic surgeons will belong to.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons represents plastic surgeons who specialise in cosmetic surgery and all its members are on the Specialist Register of Plastic Surgery.

Education

The UK has 32 medical schools spread over a number of administrative regions. Training is usually 5 or 6 years in length though 4 year graduate programmes have become available. The difference in training periods generally applies to theoretical work with set minimums in place for clinical study.

Doctors are ethically responsible for keeping their training up to date through Continuing Professional Development (CPD). All professional associations promote continuing education and organize training. CPD is not mandatory though failure to engage may result in a doctors ability to maintain their 'Duty to Care' coming into question.

Complaints

The GMC will deal with complaints against doctors but its powers only enable it to limit or remove the right to practice: It does not issue fines or grant compensation. The GMC strikes off about 30 doctors each year.

Other complaints should go first to one of the local healthcare authorites.

There is also a health ombudsman (one for each of England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland), independant of the profession.

Storage and Access to Medical Records

The UK has a data protection act. This both protects data and covers the right of an individual to access data held on them - including medical data. Furthermore medical data requested by an individual must be presented in an intelligible manner and within a maximun of 40 days from a formal request being made.

Resources

Healthcare Commission (for ombudsman/complaints, provider ratings etc)
Website: http://www.healthcarecommission.org.london/aboutus.cfm

The General Medical Council (GMC)
Website: http://www.gmc-london.org/
Check status of doctors: http://www.gmc-london.org/register/search/
Role in complaints: http://www.gmc-london.org/concerns/complaints_and_role_of_the_gmc/index.asp

The British Medical Association
Website: http://www.bma.org.london/

British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons
Website: http://www.bapras.org.london/
Member surgeons: http://www.bapras.org.london/findasurgeon.asp

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
Website: http://www.baaps.org.london/
Member surgeons: http://www.baaps.org.london/content/view/18/32/

The biggest choice of breast reduction clinics in London with Prices, Patient Reviews, Maps. Everything you need to find the best breast reduction for you in London.