Considering a breast reduction?

 

A breast reduction, also known as a reduction mammaplasty, is a surgery where breast tissue and skin are removed to reduce the size of the breasts while also re-shaping and lifting them. This surgery can not only help to alleviate some of the symptoms associated with large breasts such as back, neck, and breast pain, but also lead to a more youthful looking breast shape and size. •

Most women who seek a breast reduction usually have a few things in common. The following issues are often described by women who might benefit from breast reduction surgery:   

        • You feel as if your breasts are too large or disproportional to your body frame 

• Your breasts are heavy and pendulous and your areola and/or nipples point downwards or seem much lower on your chest than you would like• You have disproportionate breast sizes, where one breast is much larger than the other breast• You have neck, back, upper shoulder, or breast pain secondary to your large or heavy breasts• You have chronic skin infections/irritation to the skin underneath your breasts• You find it difficult to exercise due to your large breast size (or feel the need to wear multiple sports bras to give you the support while exercising) or have trouble finding clothes or bras that fit you

If these symptoms resonate with you, the first step in seeing if you are a good candidate would be to either discuss this with your primary care provider or find a board-certified plastic surgeon in your area and set up a consultation.  At that visit, your plastic surgeon will determine if it would be safe and appropriate to recommend a breast reduction for you.  If it is, your plastic surgeon will then send your consultation note documenting how much breast tissue he/she thinks would be removed during your surgery to get you to the size you'd like to be and clinical photographs to your insurance company for insurance authorization. For the most part, when women have significant disruptions in activities of daily living as a result of their large and heavy breasts, insurance companies will cover this surgery, though every company is different.