Thank you for your question. Women who have large breasts may experience a variety of problems from the weight and size of their breasts, such as back, neck and shoulder pain and skin irritation. Many women who suffer from back pain due to the size of their breast find that the pain is unrelieved by over the counter medications, support garments, bras, and physical therapy. Some women even develop significant arthritic changes in their neck and upper back. They often find that their persistent symptoms cause a significant restriction of daily activities. Occasionally, women with large breast, suffer from non-seasonal rashes underneath their breast that are unresponsive to local hygiene and topical creams and powders. Women with large breast may notice shoulder grooving with skin irritation due to their bra straps and support garments. They may also notice pain and numbness in their arms and hands. Breast reduction is usually performed for relief of these symptoms rather than to enhance the appearance of the breasts. Breast reduction surgery removes excess breast fat, glandular tissue and skin to achieve a breast size in proportion with your body and to alleviate the discomfort associated with overly large breasts. The best candidates are those who are mature enough to understand the procedure and have realistic expectations about the results. There are a variety of different surgical techniques used to reduce and reshape the female breast. I recommend that you make an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your surgical options.
