Breast Reduction Surgery. Second Opinion on Size?

My daughter is 5'4'' tall & weighs 123 lbs. Her breast size is a 30F (or 30DDD). We have seen 2 surgeons regarding breast reduction surgery. One doctor recommended removing 500 gms of tissue per breast. I realize this is a standard requirement for insurace approval. The 2nd doctor said if she had 500 gms removed she would be like a mastectomy patient - she recommends approximately 284 grams per side and would like my daughter to lose about 8lbs. Should we be concerned with doctor 1s plan?

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F cup 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in 110-129 lbs second opinion

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11 Doctor Answers | Asked by Liz in NM

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Breast reduction 2nd Opinion

Most likely with a breast reduction you do not need a second opinion on size becasue you can pretty much ask for the size you want within reason and the surgeon can take more tissue if necessary

Breast reduction

It would be helpful to see photos to better advise you, but if your daughter is as large as you describe, it would be unlikely that 500 grams removed from each side would make her flat. I find the predictin of 284 grams per side to be rather odd. How did the surgeon come up with such a precise number?

Differing Opinions regarding Breast Reduction Surgery?

Thank you for the question. It is unlikely that a patient with your daughter's breast size will “look like a mastectomy patient” with 500 g of breast tissue removed. Based on your description, it sounds like your first consultation was probably more accurate. I would suggest visiting with additional well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons who can demonstrate the quality of work you are looking for. Additional consultations will give you peace of mind. Best wishes. more

Breast size and breast reductions.

Many insurance companies do not have a set minimum for every patient (at least in Indiana). Often times it is based on the body surface area (BSA) which is calculated by height and weight. Your daughter sounds fairly petite and may qualify as a reconstructive breast reduction with less than 500 gm removal. A physical exam and predetermination letter to the insurance company estimating the amount to be removed can give good answers to your questions to see if it is covered. Good luck and... more

Breast reduction and sizing

Starting with an F cup bra, a 500 gram removal will not make your daughter look like a mastopexy patient. 500 grams is the baseline for insurance approval (and one NY carrier has just raised it to 650 grams) The insurance companies do not want to pay for breast lifts. However, and I say this as a plastic surgeon who accepts insurance proceeds for breast reduction, which are a pittance, because the operation is such a life changer, if a plastic surgeon can convince you to have a procedure... more

How much reduction for breasts?

There you have it. If you expect part of the cost to be covered by insurance then you have to comply with insurance company minimums. We don't accept insurance just for that reason. The patient should choose exactly how much reduction she wants. In general breast reduction patients want to be smaller than what's considered average, and breast augmentation patients want to be larger than average. It's the fence and the grass principle. I ask my breast reduction patients to... more

Breast reduction and final size

Without an exam, it is difficult to say what she will need. But yes, some insurance companies put a weight requirement on their payment.

Steven Wallach, MD

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Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Breast reduction, how much to remove

Without pictures or physical examination it is impossible to predict how much can be safely removed. from what you describe your daughter seems to have very large breasts and removing 284 grams from each one will likely make no to little difference. i strongly advise you to get a 3rd opinion from a board certified plastic surgeon and look at before and after pictures of patients that had different weights removed.

Breast Reduction Surgery. Second Opinion on Size?

It sounds very unlikely 500 gms could be removed from such a small frame, but without at least photos or an exam I really couldn't say much more than that. Many insurance companies make allowances for the patient's over all size and require less weight removal on small patients. But in my practice the majority of breast reductions have become cosmetic procedures with the patient paying just as breast enlargement patients do. The insurance companies are making it more difficult every year to... more

How much to remove at breast reduction?

I am surprised at the second doctor being so specific about the volume removed. Approximately 284grams sounds ludicrously accurate. I don't know the details of the insurance system in the USA, but it may well be that you need to remove 500gms from each side, which may be where the figure that the first doctor is quoting is coming from. Personally, I do not talk about volumes removed because it is what is left that is important. I ask about the sort of... more

Amount of tissue to remove in breast reduction

Thank you for the question. It would be difficult to give a good answer online. The right way to address this situation is to communicate your concerns with your plastic surgeon. Show picture of what you want your daughter to be. Check his/her before and after photos. Get a third consultation if you are still concerned. Then decide.