How long is the recovery for a breast reduction?

A breast reduction is one of the more common plastic surgery procedures today. A patient with very large breasts usually complains of  back and shoulder pain,  shoulders with grooving from the bra support and itching of the breast crease. The surgery may take 3-6 hours to perform under general anesthesia. There are scars on the breast that usually fade over 6 months to a year. Most patients choose the benefit of the smaller breasts to the risks of scarring. The length of recovery from surgery varies on the amount of breast tissue removed. Generally 2-6 weeks is needed to recover following the breast reduction surgery.