Hello, my daughter (16) has been struggling for years with very large breasts. We were referred to a surgeon who said we are a great candidate for a reduction. however, he said he would send us to a different surgeon since he wasn't comfortable but when I called asking he will not reffer us to anyone and is avoiding everytime i call. Please reach out i will Do ANYTHING to see my daughter happy!
Reductions can be done at any age as long as the patient (and parent) are informed and understand that breast feeding will be an issue, scarring is guaranteed, and sensation may be lost permanently. And this is determined to be for medical reasons and not cosmetic ones. You will need to find a participating surgeon in your insurance panel and you should be able to schedule an appointment. Otherwise you can do this cosmetically and and there are plenty of surgeons who can help in this scenario so shop around for best prices.
Breast reductions can be done on teenagers. You are best to find a local surgeon to take care of her.
I have performed breast reductions on mature 16 year old girls when indicated. Some breast have clear indications for improvement by plastic surgery. A reduction can be done for medical or cosmetic reasons. See a board certified plastic surgeon in consultation. Good luck...
I have done dozens of breast reductions on teenage girls, ages 14 to 17, who typically seek this operation because of neck pain, limitations in activity (such as playing sports), social stigmatization during formative years in high school, or restrictions with choices of garments. As long as the patient and her mother (or female legal guardian) are on the same page about wanting this operation, and as long as they both think that the breasts have not increased in size over the preceding 6 months, it is a perfectly reasonable procedure in this age group. The caveats include potential future inability to breastfeed, as well as the potential for the breasts to grow back with future pregnancies.
I am sorry that you are having this issue. Many of us will do breast reductions on teens. I recommend that you use a surgeon in your area. You have found the ASPS website. You can use this site to find board certified surgeons in your area. Check these against your insurance company's list of in network providers. Then start calling the offices with this question. Good luck. I have had an occasional insurance company refuse breast reduction surgery on patients under the age of 18. I don't agree with it, but that is sometimes the case.
Dear Desperate Mom
I would use this web site to find a board certified plastic surgeon in your area. There is no problem with doing breast reduction in an underage individual, as long as they and their guardian are on the same page, and accept the risks of nipple sensation changes, scar, and possible difficulties with breast feeding. Best wishes!
You should not have any problems finding a surgeon. Just make a few phone calls, and forget about the surgeon who won't do it.
Thank you for sharing your question. Yes, with parental consent, a 16 year old can have a breast reduction performed.
Breast reduction is one of the procedures that I do on teens as long as they have their parents consent and they have a problem which it sounds like your dauughter has. I usually do this as an outpatient but you would need to stay in area of one of my offices for a minimum of 4 days. I would suggest sending photos or arranging a FACETIME or Whats Up consultation so we could give you pricing.
Dr. Edward Jonas Domanskis is Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
Newport Beach, San Francisco,Miami, EU, Anguilla
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
Breast reduction at 16 is reasonable as long as your daughter is mature enough to understand the benefits and risks of the procedure. You just need to find another surgeon (through ASPS) who considers breast reduction their specialty. It is important at her age that milk ducts and the potential for breast feeding are preserved, and that the nipple stays attached to the breast during the procedure. Insurance is unlikely to cover at her age but most patients I see pay out of pocket for breast reduction. It's worth it!