17 years old, 5'3", 135 pounds with 32DDD breasts. Am I eligible to get a Breast Reduction?

Hello! Thank you for your question! I hope that these answers help in
making your decision. You suffer from juvenile hypertrophy of the
breasts, which is typically treated by breast reduction. It is not
uncommon to have the symptoms that you describe such as
neck/back/shoulder pain as well as headaches, infections/rashes, and shoulder
grooving, especially in teenagers once her breasts begin to fully
develop. The decision of whether to proceed as well as the timing will
ultimately be yours.Once one begins to have the symptoms that
you state above, consideration for a surgical procedure to ameliorate
your symptoms, assist with self esteem, and allow you to get back to
physical activities in your youth should be done. Given your symptoms,
you would be an ideal candidate. You must first discuss with your
parents and pediatrician, and then consulting with a plastic surgeon for
evaluation and examination to assist you in deciding if this would be
the right thing for you. Your surgeon will also go over what to expect
as well as the risks and benefits of the procedure - it is a safe
procedure. Overall, your symptoms should be ameliorated almost
immediately and hopefully give you more self confidence and an increased
activity level. Your breasts may still continue to grow over the next
several years, but it is certainly reasonable to consider this at this
age with the issues that you are having. I hope that this helps! Good
luck with your decision!

have proven to be beneficial in situations such as yours.  BUT as a minor, you need your parents support and approval on this and you must see a surgeon who can evaluate you for how heavy your breasts are and to review the known risks of the procedure that you must be willing to accept such as loss of nipple sensation, inability to breast fee, and poor scarring.

I'm sorry to hear about the physical and (probable) psychosocial problems your disproportionately large breasts are causing you. 
It is probable that you are dealing with juvenile breast hypertrophy along with the physical and psychosocial consequences of this diagnosis.    In my practice, timing of breast reduction surgery is determined on a case-by-case basis. It is not too early to do your homework and learn as much as possible  about  breast reduction surgery and the potential risks and complications associated with  the procedure.  Hopefully you have the support of your parents as you do your homework.Unsatisfactory scarring is  one of the potential complications. Make sure you also understands that further surgery may be necessary in the future (for example if the breasts were to grow in size again).
On the other hand, breast reduction surgery is one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform and I think that for the right teenager (enough symptoms) it may be an excellent option (regardless of the age).

Sometimes breast  reduction surgery is covered through health insurance. The best way to obtain insurance coverage for breast reduction surgery involves some “hoops” to jump through. The more documentation you have (for example, from your primary care doctor, physical therapist, chiropractor etc.) the better when it comes to obtaining insurance “authorization” for the procedure.
This documentation and letter/pictures from your plastic surgeon will help you obtain authorization.When the time is right,  seek consultation with well-trained/experienced board-certified plastic surgeons.
I hope this,  and the attached link, helps.

I am sorry you are experiencing this discomfort. If we can be fairly certain you have finished your growth spurt, you are likely a candidate for a reduction. Seventeen is not too young for such a surgery when the symptoms you describe are interfering with your daily activities. Talk with your parents about how you are feeling. Together you all can decide how you would like to proceed. I am a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon located in Seattle. I would be happy to have an opportunity to meet with you and your parents.

It sounds like you would be a very good candidate for breast reduction.  You would need parental consent because of your age.  The down side of breast reduction is the inability to breast feed a baby (highly overrated in this mother-of-three's opinion) and permanent scars that usually fade with time and are placed at the nipple level and below and do not show with normal swimwear or bras.You should see a plastic surgeon who does a lot of breast reductions for a consultation.  My breast reduction patients range in age from 14 (she was gigantic and miserable) to 73 (her breast got in way of her golf swing).  Good luck.

If you mean qualify for insurance coverage, the only way to know is to see a surgeon for an exam and then have the surgeon's office contact the insurance company to see if they will authorize it. If you mean qould you be a good candidate for a reduction, the answer is a qualified yes. It's a big decision for a 17 year old and I would want your parents on board and would want you to be very clear on the long term aspects of the surgery. Again,  see your surgeon for those details.

Yes you are a candidate for a breast reduction.   See 2 or 3 plastic surgeons and see your family doctor.  Check the requirement of your insurance.  Age 17 is okay.  Very large breasts, just like a very large nose, can be addressed at age 17.  My Best,  Dr C