Hi I Am 16 Years Old Would I Qualify for a Breast Reduction?

asked 7 months ago by EmmaVancouver in Vancouver BC
Latest answer by Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Question viewed 167 times
Tags: age 17 or under, DD cup, insurance, neck pain

I'm 5'5 weigh 160 and my breast size is 36DD I get extremely bad neck aches and back aches and I find it very difficult to excersize. would I qualify for a breast reduction and would my insurance cover it?

9 answers to Hi I Am 16 Years Old Would I Qualify for a Breast Reduction?

Breast reduction in teenagers

It would be best if you were able to lose some weight before committing to a major surgical procedure that will leave significant scars and likely an inability to breast feed a baby. With weight loss, your breasts may very well shrink and your back pain improve. Many overweight ladies tell their doctors "my breasts don't respond to weight loss" but in fact they have never lost weight! I do a lot of surgery on patients who have lost weight and they... more

Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Breast Reduction for teenagers

There are two parts to your question, one medical and one insurance. I do not practice in Canada and cannot answer the insurance part. Medically, I believe that the decision to have surgery should depend more on size of the breasts in relation to the rest of the body, severity of the symptoms, maturity of the patient both physically and emotionally including the ability to understand the consequences of the surgery, for example the scars and inability to breast feed. You and your parents... more

Margaret Skiles, MD
Sacramento Plastic Surgeon

Breast reduction for a teenager

It sounds like you have the symptoms that many women with large breasts experience. The best way to determine if you qualify for a breast reduction would be to discuss your symptoms with a plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Insurance companies vary in their policies regarding coverage for a breast reduction. Some insurances require that you experience a certain number of symptoms and have tried varying conservative (non-surgical)... more

Anureet K. Bajaj, MD
Oklahoma City Plastic Surgeon

Is 16 too young for a breast reduction?

You might qualify for a breast reduction as long as you meet all criteria required by your insurance company. You need to document all you have done to try to deal with heavy breasts. Such as losing weight, physical therapy, good support bras, etc. The first step would be to see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with your parents and get an evaluation. If your surgeon feels that you may be a candidate then the surgeon and the staff will be able to help you get pre-approval from your... more

Miguel Delgado, Jr., MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

www.dr-delgado.com

Am I Too Young For A Breast Reduction?

Dear EmmaYancouver, Thank you for your question. Before you do anything, I would encourage you and your parents to meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon who after completing a detailed consultation can give you a better idea of what your options are regarding managing your breast concerns. When looking at your height and weight, the first option I would suggest is to attempt to lose weight and bring your BMI(body mass index) into the appropriate range for your body... more

Herluf G. Lund, Jr, MD
Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon

Hi I Am 16 Years Old Would I Qualify for a Breast Reduction?

Best way to answer your question is take your parent or parents to a consult with a boarded PS in your area. Discuss your options in detail and have the PS send a letter of predetermination to the insurance company.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

Breast reduction in adolescents

At 16 years old, you are still a bit young for breast reduction surgery. However, if you are having significant problems as you have described, then you may qualify to receive a breast reduction at a younger age. At our Adolescent Breast Center in Los Angeles, we frequently see patients with juvenile breast hypertrophy and hereditary macromastia. The usual recommendations are to initiate a diet and exercise program to decrease your body-mass index (BMI) to more of an ideal... more

Andre Panossian, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

Teen breast reduction

See if you can find someone in your area with a lot of experience in Scarless reduction. liposuction only. may not be ideal but avoids the major complications of standard type reductions.

Sherwood Baxt, MD
New Jersey Plastic Surgeon

Breast Reduction for Teenager?

Thank you for the question. It sounds like you are dealing with juvenile breast hypertrophy along with the physical and psychosocial consequences of this diagnosis. In other words, the breasts are too large for the frame causing both physical and psychological distress. As you are thinking about breast reduction surgery make sure you have done your homework and understand the potential risk and complications associated with the procedure. Make sure you also... more