DDD breast reduction needing 527g of breast tissue removed for insurance coverage. Will there be anything left?

Hi honeybee1027

Abnormally large breasts can create social, functional, and physical challenges for women. Furthermore, uneven and very large breasts can lead to self-confidence issues and overall embarrassment, as well as pain in both the neck and back. Dr. Phillip Chang is a plastic surgeon in Leesburg, VA who continues to help countless women get back their confidence and feel more comfortable through surgical reduction of the breasts. To learn more about this procedure, please visit our website.

Hello, thank you for your question. A physical examination is required to determine this, I recommend you to schedule ea consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon for a proper evaluation.

Hi, Thank you for the question.
Schnur Sliding Scale is used as guideline for how much breast tissue should be removed, but it is just an estimate. If your current volume is about 900 grams, removing 500 grams should still leave adequate volume behind. It is difficulty to predict the exact cup size, but I typically tell my patients that the goal should be for the breasts to be proportionate with the rest of the body.
I suggest that you seek an in person consultation with a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon specializing in Breast Reduction surgeries to further discuss your options, specific techniques, concerns and expectations. Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.
I hope this helps.Best regards, Dr. Karanetz
Dr. Irena KaranetzFellowship-TrainedBoard Certified Plastic Surgeon

At size 36, each 200 grams removed corresponds to 1 cup size change. Removal of 527 grams would take you down 3 cup sizes to approximately a C. The technique I recommend is The Bellesoma Method. This will reduce and reshape your breast tissue creating upper pole fullness without implants, elevate them higher on the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage. The weight of the breast is transferred to the underlying pectoralis major muscle resulting in pain relief without excessive reduction. Vertical scars are avoided, nipple sensation (in 95%) and the ability to breast feed are maintained.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Dear honeybee1027,
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

While many insurance companies have requirements for breast weight removal, others don’t cover breast reduction at all or base it on symptoms. My experience shows that symptoms can be severe, even with patients who need smaller breast reductions. It is never wise to chase a particular weight in the operating room. During surgery, the focus has to be on giving the patients a great result, regardless of the resection weight (do what looks right, not what scale says). This may not guarantee insurance coverage but in the hands of a properly trained plastic surgeon, it will guarantee a good outcome. Breast weight resections can be very different from patient to patient based on tissue density, and no surgeon can accurately predict the eventual cup size. Be cautious about letting the insurance company dictate how much tissue should be removed. Rely on the surgeon’s expertise.

Greetings,
You must carefully consider if this volume loss will result in too small a breast for your body. This must be balanced against your improvement in large breast related symptoms.
You can ask your surgeon to show you breast implants with comparable volumes to your ins. companies criteria. You can compare these volumes next to your breast size in a mirror.
Best Regards,