All my life my breasts have been a constant challenge. In sixth grade I was DD. I am a sophomore now and I am a 46G . At this point I’m tired of feeling constant weight on my shoulders and neck. I’m carrying 16 pounds on my chest and I think it’s time I get a reduction. My question is can I get one as a 17 year old? How much would it cost?
It sounds reasonable to probably offer you a breast reduction. You would have to be seen in person with your parents’ approval. Right now with what’s going on in the world, all elective surgery has been put on hold. You can reach out fir a virtual consult with my office if you’d like.
I agree with Dr. Wallach. Many 17 year-old women get breast reductions. The youngest of my patients who had a breast reduction was 13 years old. This is not the norm. When breasts are so large that it is interfering with daily living, a breast reduction can significantly help. When done at younger ages, there is a higher likelihood that there can be continued breast growth and the need for another breast reduction in the future.
It sounds like you are a reasonable candidate for a breast reduction. Many women with neck, shoulder and back pain suffer from excessive breast tissue. It can cause a curvature of the spine and is best treated at a young age. Have one of your parents set up a consultation for you at a board certified plastic surgeon. You may have tingling in your hand from the breast hypertrophy as well. Seeing a physical therapist, chiropractor, orthopedist and regular doctor concerning this problem can help support your insurance coverage for the surgical correction. Looking forward to hearing of your outcome. Your current age is no barrier to the surgery. Good luck.
As the other surgeons said, breast reduction is performed on younger symptomatic women. It is usually covered by your health insurance. But since it is considered elective surgery, it is not being performed right now during the Covid-19 crisis. Unless it was a typo, your bra size of 46G indicates that you are seriously overweight. Women with BMIs greater than 30 are at higher risk for complications (wound healing problems, infection, etc.) following reduction. The one thing you can do to reduce your risk of surgical complications is to get your BMI below 30. Weight loss will also reduce the weight of the breasts to a degree.
Thank you for sharing your question. Yes it is possible to have a reduction at 17 but you will need parental consent. I would recommend scheduling a series of consultations in your area in order to get the best treatment advice. For many patients their procedure can be covered by insurance. Hope this helps.