Would I qualify for a breast reduction? (32G) What are associated risks for having the surgery while still young?

Breast reduction 



Based upon the description you've provided you seem to be a good candidate for a breast reduction. However, with many of today's insurance plans, less and less insurance companies cover breast reduction surgery despite you having symptoms from overly large breasts. This is even despite the fact that you may have painful bra strap grooving, neck, shoulder and back pain. However, I suggest contacting your insurance company and asking exactly what is and isn't covered in regards to treating macromastia with a breast reduction.  If they do offer coverage then ask for a list of in network providers whom you can then contact to set up an appointment and consultation with to address your concerns. Being 22 years old and getting a breast reduction is generally not a problem but it is important that the surgeon gives you realistic expectations. 

Overall I think younger patients recover faster and have fewer complications.  The downsides are that your breast size may change with pregnancy and you may have difficulty or be unable to breast feed.  I find many women with very large breasts have difficulty breast feeding as well.  Good luck, Jane

the measurements you supplied sound like you would be a good candidate for a breast reduction. When you are still in the years of child bearing you have to understand that each pregnancy can have an effect on the breast size. About 1/3 of the time you will have increased breast size after pregnancy and about a third of the time you will have decreased size. Also you may have more difficulty breast feeding if you have a breast reduction. If breast feeding is something that is very important to you, then you may want to wait until you have completed your family. Also your breast volume frequently will change if you have large swings in your weight. As far as insurance coverage is concerned only an exam by a well qualified plastic surgeon will help you find out if you can qualify. Each insurance policy is different and your doctor will examine you to get an estimate of how much volume he will remove from your breast and he will send a preauthorization lettrr to get approval from your company before surgery. 

You should be a candidate for insurance coverage.  Some insurers require documented conservative management for 3-6 months including chiropractic or physical therapy.  Your carrier requirements should be accessible on its webpage.  In terms of the effects of pregnancy, many women who have undergone breast reduction are unable to breast feed afterwards and weight gain could result in additional sagging.  That said, your breasts are quite large and you would have an overall improvement in quality of life by undergoing surgery now rather than waiting.

Each insurance company is different and you should check with yours about their criteria for approval. You sound like a candidate based upon you description.

Yes, you do seem to be a good candidate for breast reduction surgery.  The best way to proceed at this point would be to have a personal consultation with a plastic surgeon.  That's because they, and their office staff, can walk you through the entire insurance process.  There is no need to navigate that yourself.  We deal with insurance for breast reductions all the time, so let us do that work for you.To answer your question, your insurance company will not consider future pregnancy to be a reason to deny surgery for you at this point.I hope this helps.  Best wishes,Dr. Kavali

Thank you for the question.  Based on the description, you will likely be a good candidate for breast reduction surgery:  this operation tends to be one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform.





 







Generally speaking, patient seeking any type of breast surgery should also learn about the potential downsides associated with the specific procedure they are considering.  Only after careful consideration of pros/cons, will you be able to make a decision whether or not to proceed.







Some of the risks/potential complications associated with breast reduction surgery include:  infection, bleeding, seroma, hematoma, wound healing problems, abnormal scarring ( hypertrophic or keloid),  loss of sensation, inability to breast-feed, breast asymmetry, necrosis of tissue or skin,  unsatisfactory cosmetic results, unpredictability of exact cup size postoperatively,  recurrence of the breast hypertrophy, and the potential for further surgery.  Other risks  related to surgery in general include deep venous thrombosis (clots),  pulmonary embolism, pneumonia  and even death.







Fortunately, the majority of patients who undergo this procedure by well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons and board certified anesthesiologists do very well and complications tend  to be relatively minor and treatable. The severe complications are rare.



I hope this, and the attached link, helps.  Best wishes.

You would need to meet with a plastic surgeon to determine whether or not you would qualify for insurance coverage of a breast reduction based on your height, weight and goal size. For my younger patients, I always say that pregnancy/weight gain can cause your breasts to become large again. There is now way to predict if they will ever come down in size after these events. You may also have a harder time breastfeeding because this procedure results in the cutting of some of your milk ducts. Insurance companies just want to know what symptoms you're having associated with your large breasts and how much tissue can be removed from each side. It's up to you and your surgeon to determine what ultimate size would be best for you based on your goals. 

Around the age of twenties, the breasts have mostly reached their maturity.  Nonetheless, pregnancy and significant weight gain could result in tissue regrowth, although not always to the point that a revision becomes needed. 

For the vast majority of breast reduction patients, the results are near permanent. 

In terms of insurance coverage, it all depends on the issuers.  Should they agree to cover the cost of breast reduction, you and your board-certified plastic surgeon must be able to demonstrate that the surgery is warranted to improve the quality of your life--i.e., address postural problems, spinal curvature, lower back pain, painful bra strap grooves, and other effects of overlarge, heavy breasts. 

Visit a board-certified plastic surgeon (i.e., ABPS member) who performs breast reduction on a regular basis.  His staff could also help you verify coverage and secure medical documentations proving that your hugely disproportionate breasts are affecting the quality of your life. 

Good luck and best wishes.