I'm 18 am 5'9, 34DDD bra. How many milligrams of breast tissue would I need removed in order to be in a C cup?

It is difficult to estimate cup sizes since bra manufacturers all have different cup sizes.  There is no standard for cup sizes.  It just depends upon where you buy your bras as to what your ultimate cup size might be.  It would also be difficult to tell you exactly how many grams (not milligrams) of tissue might be removed without seeing you in person.  Even then, it is just an estimate.  If you are looking for insurance to cover this procedure, they look at two things when determining coverage:  1. the amount of tissue to be removed (as determined by their charts based on height, weight, and body surface area) and 2. functional problems related to the size of the breasts.  Your best bet would be to schedule an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can examine you in person and review your options with you.

Thank you very much for sharing your concerns with us. After having analyzed all the information provided to us, i can realize that you have very large breasts for your height and weight, and can be responsible for head, back, neck and shoulder pain.In the future may cause permanent osteo-articular damage in the back and shoulders and skin problems (mainly under the breasts). For for this reasons, certainly you need a breast reduction surgery.In this regard, i agree with you, the minimim of breast tissue that have to be remove is 500mg. Finally, you should send your photos to give you more recommendations and advices ! Respectfully, Dr. Emmanuel Mallol Cotes.- 

Breast reduction is a surgery that is performed to treat back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain that is resistant to conservative (non-surgical) management.  It is sometimes covered by insurance, but you must meet the requirements.  Most insurances in Alabama require at least 500 grams of breast tissue to be removed from each breast at the time of surgery.  I recommended you get a consultation with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  At your consultation, your surgeon will estimate how much tissue will be removed and be able to give you a better idea of what size your breasts will be after the surgery.  Trey Aquadro, M.D.Auburn, AL

Thank you for the question and congratulations on your decision to proceed with breast reduction surgery; this operation tends to be one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform.There is no direct/reliable 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 will be very important to communicate your size goals with your surgeon. Most patients wish to achieve enough of a reduction to help with their symptoms while remaining proportionate with the remainder of their torso. With the goal of improving communication with my patients I find the use of photographs of “goal” pictures (and breasts that are too big or too small) very helpful. I have found that the use of words such as “proportionate” or “C cup” 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; hopefully you will be very pleased with the outcome of the procedure performed.

In order to tell you approximately what can be removed, you would have to be seen in person. Best of luck.

Thank you for your question. You certainly sound like an excellent candidate for a breast reduction. It is not possible to guarantee a particular up size after a breast reduction procedure. Different bra manufacturers size breasts differently. So you may be a 34DDD wearing one bra and a 34DD or E wearing a different brand of bra. Many women with large breasts wear bras that don't fit them properly to begin with, meaning that the cup size of the bra is not their true cup size. In terms of weight of the breast tissue removed, the weight of a given volume of breast tissue will vary with how fatty or glandular the breast is.It is important that your plastic surgeon understands your overall goals with respect to how large or small you would like to be at the end of the procedure. The overall goal of a breast reduction is to make you more proportional. It is important to remember that there is a limit to how small your plastic surgeon can make you during surgery - a certain volume of breast tissue is required to keep the skin and nipple alive and preserve the sensation. Some patients need further liposuction or even surgery to further reduce the size of their breasts 6 months or a year down the track.The best thing to do would be to schedule an appointment with your friendly local plastic surgeon who can best give you an idea as to what is achievable and what is not.I hope this helps.

Most insurance carriers will want at least a 500-600 gram tissue removal in order to cover the breast reduction. To qualify for a breast reduction , if it is covered by your plan, you will need to show evidence of back and neck pain unrelieved by medication and physical therapy, indentation of the shoulders by heavy breasts, and pendulous breasts.  Please see a board certified plastic surgeon for evaluation and an estimate of how much tissue should be extracted to get to your desired result.