Breast Reduction Surgery In Adolescents and Young Women

Breast reduction surgery is a safe and effective procedure for adolescents and young women with symptomatic macromastia consisting of pain and other symptoms related to excessively large breasts.

A study was recently published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), which supports this view.  Although minor complications may occur, they do not reduce the benefits of breast reduction surgery in younger patients, according to the report by ASPS Member Surgeon Brian I. Labow and colleagues of Boston Children’s Hospital.

“Reduction mammaplasty significantly improves the breast-related symptoms and physical and psychosocial well-being of adolescent and young adult patients,” the researchers write.  

Breast reduction is one of the most common plastic surgical procedures performed in the United States. One reason for its popularity is the substantial impact that large, heavy breasts have on women’s quality of life.  Large breasts lead to medical problems such as back, neck, shoulder pain and skin rashes. Large breasts can also lead day to day problems such as to ill-fitting clothes, impaired ability to perform daily activities, and decreased ability to participate in athletics.

Young patients with large breasts can have a decreased quality of life compared to their unaffected peers.  These negative effects may be remedied with surgery. 

Outcomes have shown that the benefits of breast reduction surgery are a decrease in pain and other breast-related symptoms and an improvement of physical well-being, psychosocial functioning, and self-esteem.

Complications can occur – however, the “vast majority” of complications are minor.

 “Fear of potential complications should not preclude otherwise healthy patients from the benefits that reduction mammaplasty can provide adolescents,” Labow and colleagues conclude.

If you are interested in breast reduction surgery, contact us. During the consultation process with Dr. Grasee or Dr. Bergman, we’ll be able to discuss all of your options with you in more detail. Your needs will differ from the needs of other patients and it is only in person that we can fully assess your needs and figure out how they can be best met.