PrimaryTransaxillary primary augmentation
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Your Concerns
Are you facing any of these concerns?
01
I have frequent shoulder and neck tension and pain.
02
Pain or excessive bouncing during exercise is severe.
03
My breasts feel heavy and sagging, making daily life uncomfortable.
04
My breasts limit how my clothes fit and restrict activity.
05
My nipple and areola have dropped, and the shape concerns me.
If any of these concerns resonate,
now is the time to speak with a specialist.
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About Surgery
Why Reduction & Mastopexy Is Complex
Breast reduction with mastopexy in Gangnam, Seoul (Korea) at Umnagumo is a combined volume-reduction + lift procedure that simultaneously addresses pain, neck and shoulder strain, bra-strap grooving, intertriginous skin irritation, ptosis, and postural imbalance caused by excessively large breasts — issues that often persist for years before patients seek surgical care.
Because reduction and lift are performed together, the amount of glandular tissue removed and the lift design must be decided in parallel — not sequentially. Multiple incision lines (periareolar, vertical, and sometimes inframammary) converge at the nipple-areola, making suture-tension management, blood-supply preservation along the pedicle, and structured scar care more demanding than in primary augmentation.
Preserving nipple-areolar sensation and lactation function requires precise dissection that respects the milk-duct system, the dominant intercostal nerve branches, and the vascular pedicle that keeps the nipple-areola viable after repositioning. Pedicle choice (inferior, superomedial, or central) is decided based on the lift distance, glandular density, and your priorities around feeding and sensation.
At Umnagumo, every reduction-mastopexy procedure is performed personally by a plastic surgeon with 25+ years of experience, in collaboration with board-certified anesthesiology specialists managing safety in high-complexity, longer-duration cases. Over 12,000 cumulative breast surgery cases inform precise tissue-resection weight, lift-design geometry, and lift-line planning — and the same depth of care extends to international patients travelling to Korea for the procedure.
By reducing weight and elevating the nipple-areola to its anatomically correct position, this is a high-complexity functional + aesthetic procedure that delivers a lighter, firmer line, comfortable daily life and exercise, and balanced body proportion (individual results may vary).
Why Choose Us
What Makes Umnagumo Reduction & Mastopexy Different
Scar-conscious incision design, fine tissue control, and precise lift-line planning — for a lighter, more natural line and functional comfort, together.
01
Bespoke Design
Most stable design, planned after analyzing your individual condition
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Surgical Time
Approximately 180 minutes
03
Procedure Focus
Safety-first · body-balance harmony
REAL CASES
Breast Augmentation & Revision — Actual Cases
The cases below are Umnagumo breast augmentation (primary) and revision surgeries, each labeled with its type and incision approach.
View All Before & After
These are actual Umnagumo patient cases; results vary by individual. All surgery carries risks such as bleeding and infection, so a thorough consultation with a specialist is required before surgery.
What Published Studies Report About Outcomes After Breast Reduction and Mastopexy
Below are figures reported in studies addressing questions patients commonly ask before breast reduction or mastopexy. Study populations, follow-up periods, outcome definitions, and surgical techniques differed, so these figures do not predict any individual's outcome.
The figures below come from studies with different populations, follow-up periods, outcome definitions, and surgical techniques, so they should not be used to predict an individual patient's outcome. Neither preservation of nipple sensation nor the ability to breastfeed after surgery can be guaranteed. Outcomes may vary with individual factors and surgical technique.
| 지표 | 수치 | 연구 조건 | 출처 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall complication rate | 5.1% overall · 2.1% major (30 days) | US NSQIP registry, 3,538 patients, 30-day follow-up. Major complications were defined as deep infection or return to the OR. On multivariable analysis, morbid obesity was independently associated with any complication and smoking with both any and major complications. | Fischer et al., Aesthet Surg J 2014 |
| Profile of major complications | hematoma ~77% of major | A separate study of 760 patients (median follow-up, 2.7 years) reported major complications in 4.0%; about 77% of the major complications were hematomas. Minor complications were reported in 34.0% and consisted mainly of minor wound problems, including partial dehiscence and delayed healing. These figures are not directly comparable with those in the row above because the follow-up periods and complication definitions differed. | Palve et al., Gland Surg 2022 |
| Nipple sensation change (breast-level; n=548) | decreased 19% · unchanged 74% · increased 7.3% | 274 patients, 548 breasts, with nipple sensation assessed subjectively within 8 weeks of surgery (percentages may not sum to 100% because of rounding). Because this is a subjective assessment at 8 weeks, the study alone cannot establish later recovery or a permanent-change rate; sensation can change permanently. The study included groups defined by different combinations of incision pattern and pedicle technique, so it does not isolate the effect of either component or establish that any technique is superior. | Payton et al., Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2022 |
| Reported breastfeeding success (study populations) | ~62% (2024 review) | A 2024 systematic review reported an overall breastfeeding success rate of about 62% across the included study populations; this does not predict an individual's outcome. It also found that women with a history of breast-reduction surgery had approximately 3.5 times the odds of unsuccessful breastfeeding compared with women without such surgery. This association does not establish that surgery caused the outcome, and an odds ratio is not the same as a probability. A 2017 review (a systematic review of 51 observational studies, with women who had children as the denominator) separately reported cohort-level medians according to the degree to which continuity between glandular tissue and the nipple was preserved; those descriptive subgroup findings do not establish causation or predict or guarantee any individual's ability to breastfeed. | Koussayer 2024; Kraut et al., PLoS One 2017 |
| Patient-reported satisfaction and bodily pain | satisfaction 67.6–100% | A review of 95 studies involving 9,716 patients summarized patient-reported outcomes. Overall satisfaction — as reported by the 58 studies/5,867 patients that assessed it — ranged from 67.6% to 100% across studies, with a mean of 90.3%; BREAST-Q satisfaction ranged from 76% to 95%, and reported improvements in SF-36 bodily pain scores ranged from 22% to 83%. Because most outcomes were self-reported, the estimates may be affected by response bias. These findings do not mean that pain fully resolves after surgery or that every patient experiences improvement. | Lonie et al., Gland Surg 2019 |
| Incision pattern and scarring | scars remain; appearance varies | A meta-analysis of 11 studies comparing vertical and inverted-T incision patterns reported lower overall complications in the vertical group and higher wound dehiscence in the inverted-T group, but the authors judged the two to be similar in overall safety. It did not establish that either approach is superior for an individual patient, and the analysis could not, by itself, determine scar length or visibility. All surgical incisions leave permanent scars, and scar appearance varies among individuals. | Li et al., Aesthetic Plast Surg 2021 |
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Definitions of a 'major complication' differed across studies. In the study reporting a 34.0% minor-complication rate, minor complications consisted mainly of wound problems such as partial dehiscence and delayed healing. Satisfaction estimates relied heavily on self-report and may be affected by response bias. These findings describe study populations and should not be used to predict the direction or magnitude of an individual's outcome.
AFTER CARE PROCESS
Umnagumo Plastic Surgery Post-Op Follow-Up Timeline
Day 10
Status and recovery check
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Suture removal at the surgical site
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Inflammation-marker blood test
Week 3
Status and recovery check
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Scar-care guidance and instruction
Month 2
Status and recovery check
FAQ
Reduction & Mastopexy FAQ
Scar location and extent depend on the incision pattern chosen for your case: periareolar only (for mild reductions and small lifts), vertical / “lollipop” (for moderate ptosis and reduction), or inverted-T / anchor (for large reductions and severe ptosis). All scars begin to lighten from 2–3 months and typically resemble a thin pale line by 6–12 months, with structured silicone-tape and UV-protection care.
We use a pedicle-based technique (most commonly inferior or superomedial pedicle) that preserves the milk-duct system and the neurovascular supply to the nipple-areola complex. In most cases, lactation function is maintained — though, as with any breast surgery, no surgeon can guarantee future breastfeeding. We discuss your specific tissue pattern and pedicle choice in consultation.
Return to office work and light daily activity is typically 5–7 days. Light exercise is possible from 4 weeks; chest-loaded strength training from 6–8 weeks. International patients usually plan a 7–10 day stay in Korea covering pre-op consultation, surgery, drain removal, and stitch-out — long enough to clear the early high-risk window before flying.
When the breast is both large and ptotic, doing reduction without addressing ptosis simply leaves the same hanging shape at a smaller volume, and doing a lift alone on a heavy breast often relapses within months. Combining reduction with mastopexy at one operation produces the most stable, longest-lasting improvement in shape, function (weight relief), and longevity — and avoids putting you through two recoveries.
Consultation
Talk to a Specialist
Our specialists, with 25+ years of experience, consult with you personally.
Receive a tailored diagnosis and optimal surgical plan, made for you.