American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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Mattie Mitchell
5 years ago
Answered

Breast Reduction at 18

Hello! My name is Mattie and I will be receiving a breast reduction in December. I am 17 years old, and I was wondering if there was any advice for me regarding this surgery or recovery time. Since I am so young, I feel that some of the advice I have obtained might not apply to me because of my age. Thank you so much!

Procedure: Breast Reduction
Location: Peoria, AZ

Replies 4

Trent Douglas
ASPS Surgeon
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Hi Mattie! Thanks for your question and doing your homework with ASPS member surgeons. Having a breast reduction surgery during the teenage years can do wonders for your neck, back, and shoulders as well as improve your self-esteem and let you participate more fully in activities that may be limited by large breast size. It is important to remember that most young women do not reach full breast maturity until around 22 years of age. If you have a breast reduction at 17, you may experience more breast growth and an increase in size. Breast reduction is a very safe, consistent, and reproducible surgery that is a conerstone procedure of many plastic surgery practices. The surgery typically takes 2.5 - 3 hours and recovery to get back to common daily activities is about 2-3 weeks. It is generally 4-6 weeks until you are ready to engage in sports or more vigorous activities. As a young woman, your ability to breastfeed may be altered by having a breast reduction but still possible.

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Jon Ver Halen

Dear Mattie,

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. It is best to answer your question during a face-to-face evaluation, when you can discuss your goals and expectations for the procedure, and you can have a physical examination to evaluate for that procedure. I recommend that you find a board-certified, or board-eligible plastic surgeon with whom you are comfortable. Be sure to have all of your questions answered during a face-to-face meeting with your surgeon, and review before and after pictures of similar patients whom have had this procedure. If you have any questions, call our office for assistance. Good luck!

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Susan Buenaventura
ASPS Surgeon
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Hi Mattie. If your breasts are excessively large and heavy, and causing you neck and back pain, breast reduction will change your life! At your young age, it's important to discuss breastfeeding, ( it's still possible with the right technique) and scars, as well as the possibility that you may still be growing. If you understand the risks and benefits, breast reduction is a wonderful life changing procedure in teenagers. Best Wishes.

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Richard Peinert
ASPS Surgeon

If you are a DD or bigger, this is a good time to do it. Main caution is you may continue to grow and need a repeat surgery in a few years. Also, think long and hard about maybe not being able to breast feed. On the other hand, I have seen teenage girls who were just devastated by rude comments, leers (including their make teachers) and lack of esteem. In those cases, the surgery is truly a game changer.

You might ask your surgeon to arrange for you to talk to another young girl who had the surgery

Good luck

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