Breast Reduction

Overly large breasts can cause problems such as back and neck pain, breast pain, discomfort during exercise and interference with their daily activities. Breast reduction surgery can alleviate the problems commonly caused by hypertrophic breasts and is covered by many insurance plans if medical necessity criteria is met. Breast reduction patients frequently report a more active lifestyle and an improved quality of life following surgery.

Concerns breast reduction can address

  • My breasts are too big.
  • I have dents in my shoulders from my bra straps digging into them.
  • I have to wear 2 sports bras to be comfortable.
  • Skin irritation/rashes developing underneath your breasts
  • Back, neck and/or shoulder pain due to the weight of your breasts
  • Discomfort while exercising; interference with daily activities

Considerations

  • Frequently covered by insurance if considered medically necessary
  • Reduction vs. lift – A breast lift and a breast reduction are very similar procedures. Both involve moving the nipple back to its appropriate position on the body and then remaking a nice looking breast out of the surrounding tissue. A breast lift typically involves removing a lot of excess skin, whereas in a breast reduction there is enough excess fat and breast tissue that is removed that it becomes a truly reconstructive procedure. For example, after a breast reduction there is often an improvement in neck pain, back pain, and shoulder pain. Insurance companies frequently cover breast reduction under certain circumstances, whereas breast lift surgery is considered cosmetic (not covered).

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