The Life-Changing Effects of Breast Reduction Surgery

Q: I am 42 years old. I have always had large breasts. I have permanent indentations on my shoulders from bra straps. I currently wear a 40F bra. I have had back and neck pain for as long as I can remember as well as rashes under my breasts which become unbearable in the summer. I had an MRI to rule out spine problems as a cause for my back pain and it was normal. I am extremely uncomfortable in a bathing suit (in fact, last summer I wore a bra under my suit) and I have a difficult time finding clothes that fit properly. I am unporportioned. I wear a size 18 pants, but a 3x top. I would love to be able to run. I currently weight 190lbs and am uncomfortable exercising but want desperately to lose weight. Please help me.

A: One of the real benefits to breast reduction surgery is how consistently it improves, or alleviates, the musculoskeletal pain from large breasts. While the size and weight of large breasts is often believed to be the sole reason for musculoskeletal pain, the sag of the breasts is just as important in contributing to the pain. Like a rope around the neck attached to several lbs of sugar in bags, this creates a downward pull on the neck and shoulders. Breast reduction surgery works because of weight reduction and resuspension of the remaining breast tissue back up on the chest wall. (thus eliminating that rope around the neck effect)

In a patient with these symptoms, breast reduction will reduce the back and shoulder pain, eliminate completely the rashes, and will enable her to exercise and run better. For many patients so afflicted, breast reduction surgery can be life-changing.

Dr. Barry Eppley