Caroline's tummy tuck and breast reduction surgery

Published on 10 August 2026

Caroline underwent tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and breast reduction (mammoplasty) surgery at Benenden Hospital in February 2026. From an early age, Caroline was unhappy with the size of her breasts and the neck and back pain they caused.

After attending a Benenden Hospital webinar on breast reduction surgery, Caroline knew straight away that she wanted to learn more about how treatment could help her.

Caroline shared, “I would thoroughly recommend this service. If anybody’s thinking about having this surgery done, don’t think any more about it. Book your consultation, start the journey to the new you, and get the surgery done. It will change your life for the better.

“I’m very fortunate enough to live about 10 minutes away from the hospital. So, in February of this year I had abdominoplasty and breast reduction surgeries at the same time.”

How were your breasts impacting your everyday life before reduction surgery?

“By my early-mid teens my breasts were already a double F, very heavy, one was larger than the other, completely out of proportion with the rest of my body. I had neck pain, back pain and was very unhappy with the way I looked.

“I’d been thinking about it for a very long time and then I saw an advertisement on Facebook for a webinar for breast reduction, so I clicked the link and booked my appointment straight away.”

Why did you choose Benenden Hospital for your treatment?

“I chose Benenden Hospital because I realised that they have a very good reputation, and that after speaking with Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon Mr Simon Mackey and Senior Staff Nurse in Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Lexie Otana, I felt very, very comfortable with the explanations about my surgery. I knew that I was going to come to Benenden Hospital for my surgery at that point – I never looked anywhere else.”

What was your experience of the environment and staff?

“I arrived early in the morning and was met at Reception by some very friendly people. They told me exactly where I needed to be and that I would be taken to my room after that, which was spotlessly clean.

“I met with various staff, an anaesthetist who was lovely and explained what was going to happen, and then Mr Mackey came to see me before the surgery.

“I didn’t have a single worry at all about the surgeries. After speaking with Mr Mackey, he explained everything so well and even said to me that he was very fussy about the end result. What more could I ask for?”

What happened post-surgery?

“When I got back to my room, I woke up fairly quickly. I actually felt amazing, I didn’t feel that I’d had surgery at all. There was no pain whatsoever. People were coming in to see me regularly to make sure everything was okay, asking me if I was alright. I was absolutely fine.

“They carried on throughout the night, coming in to see me to make sure that everything was okay. It was like having a friend staying with you all night. It was lovely.

“Mr Mackey came to see me again later in the day, he also came to see me first thing on the Sunday morning, and then said that everything was fine and I could go home.

“The recovery was absolutely amazing. I had no pain from the breast reduction whatsoever. The tummy tuck procedure was a little different because, obviously, they’re repairing muscle and the surgery is quite invasive, but I didn’t have any problems at all. Sitting, standing – just had to take things a little bit easier for a few days, maybe a week or two, and after that it became the norm.

“The aftercare was excellent. I did have a slight worry afterwards and I phoned through to Benenden Hospital and spoke to Lexie who reassured me and invited me in to take a look. Everything was fine.

“I met with Lexie weekly for several weeks after that. She helped me with the dressings and kept an eye on all the wounds to make sure everything was okay. I just sailed through it.”

What improvements has your breast reduction made to your life?

“The surgery has changed my life for the better. I have so many more options with clothing. I don’t feel self-conscious anymore. I don’t have any worries about having to cover up myself with baggy t-shirts all the time. I can now look forward to a summer where I can wear anything I like, rather than just covering everything up.

“It’s changed my life for the better.”

Breast reduction surgery at Benenden Hospital

You can book your initial plastic and cosmetic surgery consultation through our online booking tool. To find out more about tummy tuck surgery, female breast reduction surgery and our other plastic and cosmetic procedures please complete our online enquiry form, contact us via Livechat or call our Private Patient team on 01580 363158.

Read more patient stories like Caroline’s:

You can also find out more about many of our treatments by attending one of our upcoming free webinars.