I Am a 36DD. What Would 350 Grams Removed Put Me At?

Question

my insurance company requires at least 350 grams remover to cover the surgery. I am 21 years old, and suffer from chronic neck and back pain so I feel I am a good candidate for the procedure being covered. I feel like 350 grams is a lot, but I know I am probably wrong. Please help!

Larry S. Nichter, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

Breast Reduction is a complicated procedure that is best done by those with the most training and experience. It is very difficult to determine the resultant cup size and shape based solely on the number of grams that are removed from your breast to best match your ideal breast image without an examination by a board certified plastic surgeon. Not just any board certified plastic surgeon, but one with many years of frequently performing breast reduction and lift surgeries, including different approaches, techniques and even fat transfer and implant choices if you are lacking superior breast fullness.This is because several measurements—not to mention breast characteristics such as density—are needed to determine how much and where to remove breast tissue to meet your goals. Without knowing your existing breast shape, dimensions, and the density of your breast tissue, it would be difficult to make this determination. For example, the same volume of breast tissue will weigh different amounts (measured in ounces or grams) in different people depending on its density. The existing base width of your breast and what you will ultimately want to look like will determine, in many cases, the maximal volume and weight that will need to be removed for the best result.Please click on the link below for more information!

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

Typically most insurance companies require a minimum of 500 gms per breast to be removed to trigger coverage. With the average cup ranging from 150-200 cc, it is probable that this will produce a 2 cup reduction in size. However, this is only an estimate

John Philip Connors III, MD · Answer

Hi 36DD! A 350 gram breast reduction (BTW that obviously means per breast and assuming both are symmetrical, which is not necessarily the case in most patients) is not a very large breast reduction. I typically tell patients that a "cup" consists of about 200 ccs which you would think indirectly equates to 200 grams ("A pint equals a pound the world around" is what we learned in chemistry class and a cc = 1 gram of water, but one gram of gold would be WAY less than 1 cc..."gram" is a weight and "cc" is a volume) so depending on your body shape, means 350 grams would achieve a reduction of about, give or take1.0 to 1.5 cup sizes....but it is not exactly that straightforward an answer.

	Your surgeon is the best one to give you his/her opinion on cup size after reduction.

	Hope this helps!

	Dr. C

Jeffrey E. Schreiber, MD, FACS · Answer

350 grams is not really a lot when it comes to a breast reduction, but this only really applies to those women with extremely large breasts. If you're a DD now, it's difficult to determine how removing 350g would make you appear without actually seeing you in person. Make sure you understand that the final appearance cannot be predicted based upon how you heal, scarring, etc. This is an important discussion with your plastic surgeon before your breast reduction. Good luck!

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Congratulations on your decision to proceed with breast reduction surgery. It is one of the most patient pleasing operations we performed.  

	Unfortunately, there is no direct correlation between the amount of tissue removed and the ultimate cup size that a patient will wear after breast reduction surgery.

	Before undergoing the breast reduction procedure it is very important to communicate your size goals with your surgeon.  In my practice, the use of photographs of &ldquo;goal&rdquo; pictures (and breasts that are too big or too small) is very helpful. I have found that the use of words such as &ldquo;natural&rdquo; or &ldquo;C cup&rdquo; or "fake looking" means different things to different people and therefore prove unhelpful. Also, as you know, cup size varies depending on who makes the bra; therefore, discussing desired cup  size may also be inaccurate.

	Best wishes.

Olivia Hutchinson, MD · Answer

Insurance companies may set arbitrary requirements for approval of certain procedures in order to determine medical necessity. Breast volume does not corelate directly with breast mass, because it depends on the relative amounts of glandular and fatty tissue in the breast. Younger patients tend to have more glandular, dense breasts than older patients.

Kenneth R. Francis, MD, FACS · Answer

Anon,

	350g is not a large reduction requirement.  Your insurance is one of the more generous ones.  It would probably leave you with a large C cup breast.  Good luck!

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

It is hard to predict the exact cup size after a reduction in the 3-400 gm range.  This will most likely drop you by about 2 cups sizes, but every bra company is different.

Grant Stevens, MD · Answer

350 grams will take most women down 2 cup sizes.   You can expect to be between a C and a D if you are starting with a DD.  It depends on if you are a borderline DDD or not. ...Hope this helps

Tracy Pfeifer, MD · Answer

Hi 344070anon,

	This is a question everyone asks.  Of course, you want to visualize the size you will be.  I know you are concerned that 350grams is a lot of volume to remove.  Generally, you should go down one cup size for about 150grams, but it does vary.  I think you would be a very full C or D after removal of 350grams.  Here is one thing I do to help patients visualize the size change.  Ask your plastic surgeon to show you a 350cc breast implant (silicone if possible).  Have the nurse or doctor hold the implant next to your breast and you will see how much of the breast volume will be removed by looking at the implant.  When you see this volume in relation to your existing breast size, you will see it is not too much.  In fact, depending on what size you want to be, it could be too little.  Hope this help.

	Tracy M. Pfeifer, MD, MS

I Am a 36DD. What Would 350 Grams Removed Put Me At?

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