PROCEDURES / BREAST
Breast Reduction and Lift
on Long Island
For many women, combining a breast reduction with a breast lift offers a comprehensive solution for improving physical comfort and appearance. For over 30 years, Dr. Harris has been one of the top breast reduction and lift surgeon for Long Island and NYC women looking for more comfort and confidence.
Dr. Harris specializes in breast augmentation, including breast reductions and lifts, and uses the cutting-edge Harris Plastic Surgery trUfit Approach to ensure a smooth recovery and lasting results. His state-of-the-art surgical techniques mean less risk of infection, quicker recovery times, and the best results.
Breast Reduction and Lift on Long Island
While breast reduction and breast lift surgeries are distinct procedures, a breast reduction incorporates a breast lift into the technique. This combined breast reduction and lift addresses both excess volume and sagging tissue in a single procedure.
Breast reduction may be ideal if you experience chronic back pain, sagging, asymmetry, or struggle with ill-fitting clothing. Since a breast reduction incorporates a breast lift as well, multiple concerns are addressed in one surgery, with a single recovery period and one set of incisions, minimizing downtime and scarring compared to multiple surgeries.
After a breast reduction and lift, many patients feel more comfortable and enjoy improved posture, better-fitting clothing, and new confidence. If you’re looking to relieve chronic pain or correct poor outcomes from previous surgeries, a breast reduction and lift can offer lasting benefits.
What Happens During Breast Reduction and Lift Surgery
Each surgery is unique, and Dr. Harris uses cutting-edge techniques to ensure each patient gets gorgeous results. Depending on your goals and anatomy, Dr. Harris might:
Remove excess breast tissue, fat, and skin to alleviate heaviness and achieve a more proportionate size
Reshape and elevate the breast mound, lifting it to a higher, more youthful position
Reposition the nipple-areola complex to a more natural, forward-facing location
Correct asymmetry, implant complications, or scar positioning from prior procedures
Incorporate fat grafting or internal scaffolds (like Galaflex®) to support long-term shape and reduce sagging
Depending on your needs, Dr. Harris sometimes uses a lollipop (vertical) or anchor (inverted T) incision pattern. This allows for more precise reshaping while minimizing skin tension, ensuring better healing and less visible scarring.
The good thing is, you don’t have to worry about any of this. You’ll be fast asleep and won’t feel a thing. Surgeries are performed out-patient and under general anesthesia, and patients go home the same day.
Recovery
Most patients who follow post-op guidelines experience a smooth and manageable recovery process. Before surgery, prepare to take one to two weeks off work for initial recovery. You’ll also need to wear a supportive bra for several weeks to promote healing and maintain shape. Expect some swelling and bruising during the first 7 to 14 days.
After surgery, you should avoid strenuous activity for 2 to 4 weeks. Most women feel comfortable getting up and moving around in just a few weeks. Though permanent, expect surgical scars to fade and lighten over time. These are also strategically placed to be concealed by clothing and bras, allowing you to enjoy your results. Lastly, attend regular follow-up appointments to enable your doctor to monitor your progress and results.
Beautiful Results That Last a Lifetime
We love helping patients feel like their best selves. After surgery, patients often remark how their clothes fit them better and that they feel more confident. And the benefits aren’t just aesthetic; breast reduction can mean less back and neck pain, more effortless movement, and less discomfort throughout the day. Check out our results gallery to see more of our work.
Cost and Insurance
Many breast reduction procedures, including combined reduction-lift surgeries, are eligible for insurance coverage when proven medically necessary. Coverage is more likely to be granted to patients experiencing:
- Persistent pain in the back, neck, or shoulders
- Skin irritation or rashes beneath the breasts
- Functional limitations from breast size or weight
- Issues related to prior breast reconstruction
- 18 and older for saline implants, 22 and older for silicone implants
In addition, the No Surprise Act protects patients from unexpected bills for out-of-network care, including plastic surgery. Uninsured patients or those who opt to self-pay must receive a Good Faith Estimate in advance. For non-emergency procedures, like breast reduction and lift on Long Island or NYC, you can still choose your surgeon even if they are out-of-network. This law allows patients to select their surgeon even if the doctor is outside their insurance plan’s preferred network. Patients will pay the same copayments, deductibles, and coinsurance as they would for an in-network surgeon, provided the procedure is performed at an in-network hospital or facility.
Meet Your Surgeon
Stephen U. Harris, MD FACS
Dr. Stephen U. Harris is a board-certified plastic surgeon and recognized expert in breast reduction and reconstruction surgeries, having performed thousands in his career. When it comes to patient care, his philosophy is that every surgery should improve overall quality of life, not just appearance. Dr. Harris stays up-to-date on all the latest advancements in breast augmentation, reconstruction, and reduction and is a recognized innovator in the field. In fact, he was the first surgeon at Good Samaritan Hospital to offer primary prepectoral implant breast reconstruction, as well as secondary prepectoral revision surgery.
Dr. Harris also serves as Chief of Plastic Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, New York, and is an active staff surgeon (and former Chief of Plastic Surgery) at South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, New York.
Expert Breast Reduction and Lift on Long Island and NYC
If you’re struggling with your breast shape or size, a breast reduction and lift may be the step you need to reclaim your comfort and confidence. Dr. Stephen Harris’s patient-centric approach has helped many women enjoy symmetry, softness, and lasting results. Schedule your personalized consultation to explore your breast reduction and lift options on Long Island and NYC.
Reach out to our office to schedule your consultation to learn more. You can also contact us by phone/text.
