American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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Naja Lyons
5 years ago
Answered

Surgery for Minors

Can minors get breast reduction?

Procedure: Breast Reduction
Location: Conley, GA

Replies 10

Steven Wallach
ASPS Surgeon
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Yes, a minor can have a breast reduction. Ideally, The patient should be of adult size and no longer growing. Additionally, if the patient is not emancipated then they will need consent by their guardian or parent.

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Thomas Fiala
ASPS Surgeon

Yes. Unless you are an "emancipated minor", you will need the written signature / permission of one parent or guardian.

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Rahul Vemula
ASPS Surgeon
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Hi Naja,

Thank you very much for this excellent question. Yes minors (individuals under the age of 18) can get breast reduction. Before being considered for a breast reduction, breast growth must be completed and this is also known as Tanner Stage 5. Performing a breast reduction prior to growth being completed can lead to unacceptable cosmetic results. Another thing to be aware of for any woman of child bearing years is that there is always chance that there’s is a decreased ability or inability to lactate (milk production) during nursing. In order to determine if you are a candidate for a breast reduction, please consult with a plastic surgeon board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Best wishes!

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Nelson Castillo

Thank you for sharing your excellent question. Minors can in fact obtain a breast reduction but do require parental consent. Hope this helps.

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Susan Buenaventura
ASPS Surgeon
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Hello Naja, yes it is possible to get a breast reduction as a minor, with parent or legal guardian permission. Other important issues to address at a young age are....breast feeding might be affected in the future. It is possible to breast feed after a reduction but technique matters. Also scarring..you will have scars on the breast and need to be ok with this. Patients usually are. Also as others have mentioned it's important that your breasts have stopped growing. It will change your life! As long as you understand the risks and benefits, having this done at an early age can be so beneficial!

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Stephen Metzinger
ASPS Surgeon

Yes. As long as they have parental consent or are emancipated.

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Hilton Yee

Great question! Minors can have plastic surgery if emancipated, or with parental consent. There are several pros and cons with this type of procedure, and it is always best to have a face-to-face consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to have all your questions answered. Best of luck!

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Edward Domanskis

Most definitely!! You would need to have your parents consent and there must be enough breast tissue to remove to help your back.

Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery

Newport Beach, San Francisco,Miami, EU, Anguilla, Nassau

Assistant Clinical Professor of SurgeryWOS-Plastic,University of California (Irvine)

Orange County’s Physician of Excellence/America’s Top Physicians/Top Doctors

Plastic Surgery- 2005-2018

President,American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons

Organoderm Skin care/ScaRxTape

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Adolfo Sesto
ASPS Int. Surgeon

Hi. The answer is yes, but always with the parent or guardian authorization. Breast Reduction is needed in a minor when breasts are too big to avoid bullying and low self steem, allowing the adolescent to wear garments suit to her age and feel normal among the others.

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Jon Ver Halen

Hello and thank you for your excellent question. Yes, if the breast size and symptoms are significant enough, breast reduction is still an option. 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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