October 31, 2026 | Breast, Breast Lift, Breast Reduction
The Billie Eilish rumor started with two photos on X, her 2023 Met Gala look next to a recent strapless top, and a claim with no source (IBTimes UK). Nothing is confirmed and no doctor is quoted. I will not diagnose her from a screenshot. The commentary is on drworldwide.com. This is the surgical half, in the words I use in the exam room.
Who Comes In for a Reduction
“You’re going to have probably more than half a kilo removed from each side, so it’s going to be something you’ll feel: relief in your back and in your neck. And your clothes will fit better, and you’ll be able to move around better and everything.”
Our staff, to a patient in her seventies who asked whether she was too old: “Our oldest patient was eighty.”
What the Operation Does
“For the breast it would be a complete lift and reduction. You are going to have a scar that is a circle around the areola, one that goes up and down, and one from side to side. With that I can lift and reduce at the same time. To leave the nipple and areola still connected with blood flow, I am limited in how much tissue I can remove. If I remove too much, the blood does not reach the nipple and areola. So there is a middle ground.”
“I think right now you are about a double or triple D. We can probably get you to a C, okay? There is still going to be breast there, but obviously with much less weight.”
“A D would be about 500 grams from each side. If you wanted a little smaller, that can be done too. So we would remove about 500 from each side, and that’s going to suit you very well. Five hundred grams is more than a pound, so in total it’s going to be more than two pounds.”
“There are different approaches to a breast reduction:- liposuction alone- scar around areola- lollipop scar- full anchor type scar”
“A breast lift will always give a perkier look, more upper fullness, and cleavage, but it’s going to have usually a natural slope on top.”
| Changes with a reduction | Can be mimicked in a photo by |
|---|---|
| Less weight, less volume | A minimizer bra, a loose top |
| Nipple moved up, above the fold | A push-up bra, posture |
| Areola made smaller | Not visible in a photo either way |
| Scars around the areola, vertical, along the fold | A strapless top hides all three |
| Glandular tissue removed for good | Weight loss removes fat, not gland |
How Much Can Come Off
“There is a limit to how much I can remove, because as I am removing the tissue, I am cutting blood vessels and nerves that go to the nipple. So if we remove too much, obviously the nipple dies because circulation does not reach it, and that is why I am telling you that a C is probably going to be the smallest.”
“If we wanted smaller, then what we can do is take the nipple and the areola as a graft, almost like a sticker. We remove it, we do the whole reduction, and we put it back on the skin.”
“Yes, it can be done. The reduction can be repeated.”
Should You Lose Weight First
“Losing weight will help you feel lighter on top and can reduce the breast a little. The breast has two tissues, the glandular tissue that does not change and is sometimes still growing, and the fat tissue that changes with weight. You have a lot of glandular tissue, so with weight changes the breast size will not change that much.”
“You can do the surgery now. But if you plan to lose weight, it is better to do it when you are close to your goal, because if we operate and then you lose weight, things can hang again.”
“During pregnancy they can grow, because the breast tissue and the fat will grow. If you gain weight, they can grow.”
The Risks I Always Discuss
“Risks: there is always a risk you may lose sensation in the nipple, less than ten percent, but possible. There is also a risk of not enough circulation to the nipple and areola, in which case part of that tissue can die and we can lose it, and that risk is less than one percent. Very low, but you should always know it is possible. You will still have breast tissue connected to the nipple, so in theory breastfeeding later should be possible, but we cannot say the exact percentage.”
“The risks of this surgery are few. The most common is in that incision that is like a T; that part where the incisions meet can sometimes open up a little. If that happens, we just do gauze changes until it closes. What worries us most is the areola, and that is why we are very careful about how much tissue to remove, but there is always a possibility, less than 1 percent, that part of it can die.”
Mesh, Drains and the Side of the Chest
“We use a mesh on the inside that is going to help hold all that heavy tissue, so that the skin is not what is holding it, because the skin is going to break down. We do have to place drains, and those usually stay a week, sometimes two.”
“And we put in a mesh that is going to hold up the gland, so the skin doesn’t stretch out again and drop. Right now you’re at 31; ideally they’re between 19 and 21. So 10 centimeters, which is almost 4 inches, is what we need to lift.”
“And here you are a little full, so when we make the breast smaller, sometimes this shows. So a lot of times I recommend doing liposuction in this area so that it does not look like you still have breast tissue on the side.”
Anesthesia, Surgery and Recovery
“A breast reduction is a significant procedure and I’m not aware of anybody performing them with local anesthesia. It can be performed with deep sedation and an intercostal block. Keep in mind that general anesthesia is extremely safe in a healthy patient.”
“The full surgery is about four to four and a half hours, general anesthesia, you go home the same day. Recovery is almost a week to return to calm activity, and four weeks to return to exercise, lifting, running, swimming.”
“You are going to see an immediate change, but it is going to be swollen and a little bigger than the final. Usually when we say the result is there, it is six months, but obviously most of it is at the beginning and then it is very small things. After a month you can buy your new bra. You can use underwire, any bra.”
“For the arm, I do not think you need to lift it, just liposuction. The skin looks good, so we do liposuction of the whole arm, and then we use something called BodyTite so the skin springs up and tightens.”
“I recommend my patients use some type of supportive bra at all times even after a breast reduction or lift.”
“You should follow your surgeon’s protocol and advice. Sleeping on your sides or stomach can put pressure on your incisions and result in complications.”
What It Costs Here
“As of this writing, a breast reduction starts at 14,500 dollars. You can always find our current fees at agulloplasticsurgery.com/fees, which is the page we keep updated.”
Internal bra mesh adds to the cost when it is used, and “Liposuction is often combined with a breast reduction to refine the sides and the contour, and any additional lifting of the breast can add to the total as well.”
Current numbers: fees. Full breakdown: breast reduction cost. What to ask: consultation questions. The areola on its own: areola and nipple reduction. The consultation version is on the Southwest Plastic Surgery post.
Why Choose Dr. Agullo
Dr. Agullo is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, completed his plastic surgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and serves as Clinical Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Castle Connolly Top Doctor thirteen consecutive years, 2014 through 2026. Every reduction is done in the practice’s QUAD A accredited surgery center, with internal support mesh when it is the right call.
Ready to Talk?
If the weight is wearing on your back and neck, come in. I will tell you what a reduction would change for you, what it would not, and what the scars look like at a year.
Call (915) 590-7900, text 1-866-814-0038, or book online at agulloplasticsurgery.com. #StayBeautiful
Find me at @RealDrWorldWide on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, @Agullo on X, or @AgulloPlasticSurgery on Facebook.
