Would I need a Breast Reduction? I suffer with heat rash during the summer months

Hi, thank you for sharing your question. A breast reduction can be tailored to your specific needs. A proper evaluation would be best to make a plan.

Breast reduction is a functional surgery and covered under insurance. The goal is to address symptoms of pain, rashes and improve function. A breast lift removes less tissue is usually a cosmetic procedure and the main focus is on the repositioning of nipples. Without reviewing photos it is challenging to comment. However, the idea that breast’s can be off the chest wall is hard to understand. I think what you want is to have as large of a reduction as possible but safe to avoid wearing a bra and relieve some of those symptoms. A plastic surgeon who is familiar with navigating above issues can examine you and tailor a plan specific to your needs. Hope that helps!

Either a reduction or a lift, depending on your size and anatomy, should be able to improve your situation.

Hello @SassyPants79 One of the most important aspects of planning a successful breast surgery is considering the current volume and the expectations of the process. Is important to improve the lateral volume and restoring the position of the breast to its normal position. The specialist will take all of these factors into account when developing the surgical plan. By combining techniques that aim to reduce the volume, rearrange the tissue, improve the shape and at the same time maintain that appearance over time, and here the specialist's experience and criteria is very important. For more information and recommendations it is best to consult with one or several board certified plastic surgeons. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS.

Dear SassyPants79,
breast reduction is best suited for women who wish to decrease the size of their breasts. While there are different techniques used to perform this surgery, I prefer the vertical incision (lollipop pattern) breast reduction technique instead of the anchor scar pattern, which reduces more noticeable scarring than usual. I also use a SAFE liposuction technique to reduce additional fat around the stubborn axilla area and bra line. This way, my patients are achieving beautiful results with minimal incisions which reduces downtime and delivers an overall better breast shape long term.If you are considering breast reduction surgery, you should consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options and make sure your surgeon understands your goals. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

To answer this fully, I recommend being evaluated in person by a board eligible/board certified plastic surgeon. The amount of lift/reduction you are able to achieve depends on your current size, shape and any ptosis you may have. If you are very large, it may be difficult to get it completely off the chest wall. The best way to know is to see a surgeon in person for evaluation.

Very good question!
In general, the red rash under the breast is a frequent complaint that we see in women seeking breast reduction. The term we use is intertrigo, and this is one of the main criteria for qualifying for a breast reduction from an insurance standpoint. Depending on The size of your breast now, and your ultimate ideal size of your breasts, a reduction may be able to keep most of the breast tissue from contacting your rib area. I often find that following a breast reduction most women want breasts that still “fit their body shape”, thus the chose to keep a fair amount of breast tissue that may still rest against the rib area.
Every patient is different and every woman’s goals are unique, so while I do believe you would benefit from a reduction given what you’ve told us, you would certainly want to have an in-depth conversation with your plastic surgeon about your ultimate goals.
Hope this helps!

This is a great question and comes up quite often in practice. Breast reduction by itself addresses issue of heavy breast, and definitely helps with pain in your shoulders and your back. When you’re looking for your cosmetic surgeon, find and look at their before and after‘s. In my practice I usually recommend combining breast reduction and lift. Even though it’s basically the same surgery, not every surgeon will spend time to make sure that breast is truly lifted. So to answer your question, yes in proper hands breast reduction will lift the breasts off the chest . You have to make sure this is discussed during your consultation.