The same risks, excessive bleeding, infection, poor healing or scarring, must be considered in both procedures (breast reduction and breast lift). Numbness can be experienced early in the recovery period in at least half of the cases, and it may take six to twelve months to recover sensation in the surgical area.

It is rare, but sometimes the transpositioned nipple and areola don't heal and special wound care procedures must be used. Some of these cases require an additional skin graft to obtain a final coverage of the area. In the extreme, some of the nipple/areola tissue may be lost.