I was just reading an article on Mamamia by Anna Spargo-Ryan about whether or not having a breast reduction is superficial in the way that having breast enlargement is seen as superficial and it got me thinking about my own breasts and how I feel about them.
I’ve got a rather large bust (34G) and am seriously thinking about having a breast reduction. It’s something I’ve thought about for decades. Seriously, decades.
I became an image consultant because of my breasts, so if I didn’t have them, I wouldn’t have ever started this blog. They are the cause of me starting to wonder why some clothes looked great on friends, but terrible on me (that and my lack of waist).
A short history of my breasts.
At the age of 15 my breasts suddenly grew, from an A cup to a C, all within a couple of months, and then they moved up to a D within a few more months. I was a shy girl and found suddenly having breasts rather confronting and started slouching to try and make them less noticeable. As I got older, they kept on growing. By the time I was 30 they were up to and F cup, and even after breastfeeding two children for 2.5 years they have kept getting larger and by the time I was 38 I’d hit the G cup. Even though they are large and I have breast-fed, I’m lucky that they are still very dense and firm. My shoulders now have deep grooves from the weight of them where my bra straps have cut into me over the decades, and I’m starting to get a dowagers hump, not something that I’m keen on at all.
So is it superficial for me to want a breast reduction? Yes, part of it is about how it looks and how much easier it will be for me to find clothes that fit me well, and the ability to wear way more styles of clothes than what I get to choose today. But another reason is that I will get less back pain, particularly as I age and muscle atrophies. It’s hard to know what it would feel like given that I’ve had larger breasts for as long as I can remember.
I’d always said to myself that after I’d finished breast-feeding my kids I’d get the reduction. Now, knowing about the dangers of surgery and also the recovery period needed I keep putting it off, I mean, it’s not like large breasts are threatening my life. I do think about it, particularly after each time I meet a new client who has had a breast reduction, and each one says it’s the best thing they ever did (their words, not mine), and they wished they’d done it sooner. Unlike many of the women who’ve had enlargements who still don’t feel happy about their bodies (in the same way as the reductions report).
So the feedback I receive is having a reduction is good and I should go for it. But it gets me thinking about how I feel about my breast, how I define myself as a large busted women and the body image I’ve attached to it. How would I feel without them?
Recently a good friend of mine has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will probably end up having a mastectomy (after the chemo has reduced the size of the tumors in her bones so that they stop breaking). She is fine with the whole idea of chopping off her breasts for a longer life (I’d be too for health reasons), but I’m aware of how many women going through this kind of surgery find their body image challenged when they come to terms as a woman without breasts. In many ways, the outwardly obvious sign of being a woman is having breasts, and changing that even if I was just to go down to a C cup, would probably make me feel quite different about who I am, and the image I have of my body.
I haven’t any great conclusion to share with you here, and I will at some stage get around to a reduction I think. The idea both scares me and excites me. The idea of the pain scares me ( invasive surgery) but the outcome excites me, the idea of the clothing possibilities I will be able to try out.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you feel about your breasts, how they affect the image you have of your body, and if you’ve had any surgery, how that has changed how you feel about yourself.
I love my breasts.
All though my left one is 3 x the size of my right I have reasonably small breasts but big body but losing that.
I am always flaunting them because If you have them
Flaunt them.
I wanted to get breast reduction one breast but I have come to love body and just accept it at whatever shape it is. 🙂
Joanna – it’s great that you accept them just as they are, this is such a great step in body acceptance!
For MANY years I have thought about it and was going to get one, the clothes, the bras and the fact that it makes you look bigger then what you really are…
But then like you my breasts have fuelled my entire business and I LOVE what I do, since kids and now being so heavily involved in the industry I know that there are heaps of bras available for me and they improve all the time, clothes I have learnt to adjust and again the fashion is getting better for larger cups. Apart from all that I am now comfortable and my girls are apart of me and who I am, so they are staying. I think I would miss them if they are gone…
I totally understand anyone wanting or getting a breast reduction and it is up to the individual.
Rx
Renee – what has been your experience meeting women who have had enlargements and women who have had reductions? Have you noticed any trends in their body image?
I have heard mixed views, some probably most have said it was the best thing they ever did and some missed them. As for body image I think it is the same as any cosmetic surgery it really depends on the mindset of the person. Most women who are extremely large like a L Cup plus they love it but the ones around our size G to H Cup it doesn’t really change their body image too much, thats just in my experience and an overview. If you had a reduction usually you would go down to around a D/DD and I have also known girls who have put on weight after the reduction and their breasts have grown.
So quite a bit to consider.
Rx
I keep hearing how happy women are who have had reductions. My first large-bust fit model had a reduction last year and was extremely pleased, but I haven’t gotten an update from her recently. (If you’d like to read some of her blog posts about it, I link to them on this page: http://hourglassy.com/the-rack/)
For selfish reasons, I don’t want you to get a reduction, but I know you’ll always speak to the full-busted reader whatever your decision.
Darlene – I will always understand the boob issue, whether or not I have the big boob!
If you feel out of proportion then yes. I had mine done in 1987 and I’m still delighted with them. I’d always had big breasts but after my second child they developed cysts and were very painful. It hurt when I put my bra on in the morning and when I took it off. My surgeon was careful to ensure I wasn’t expecting unrealistic outcomes eg that my marriage would improve – it didn’t and I left – after the operation. And I could wear a size 34 D instead of trying to squeeze into a DD cup and having them spill over.
Jocelyn, comfort is a great reason to do it!
I’ve re-read your post and honestly, go for it, Imogen! That awful feeling of sore shoulders is just not worth putting up with and if you’re developing a stoop, then definitely have it done. Talk to surgeons, find one you like and can confide in, and ASK about scarring! “With any surgical operation there’s always scarring” I was told, but today you can get creams that minimise it over time. I used vitamin E cream. Don’t plan to be up and about for a day or two – it’s a long operation. A kilogram of tissue was removed during mine which prompted my brother in law to put 2 pounds of butter down his shirt to see what it was like: “Poor Joss, what a weight!” What delighted me afterwards was that they were so perky! And I felt fabulous!
I do not have this issue since my breasts look great. But I think I get it since I don’t even want to think about something causing them to change, I don’t know how I would handle that.
Getting older has an impact on breasts anyway. And they seem to get bigger around perimenopause, something to consider and skin loses elasticity. I think a lot speaks pro reduction, in your case. But maybe giving up control in case of an operation is an issue, too?
Maybe you should go, collect recommendations and see some doctors, just to gather information to get the issue out of the realm of emotions alone.
Marci – thanks for your thoughts. I don’t think my breasts look bad, and I’ve had plenty of compliments on them over the years, it’s more a comfort and ease than look thing.
If you already have back and neck problems now, what will it be like in ten years time? And in twenty? I don’t think a reduction is going to change your body image drastically as it’s “only” a reduction, reducing them to the size you decide. They can still be fairly large, just more manageable and less damaging to your body. I think you should go for it!
Kattesoester – it’s the aging thing that makes me think really I should do it.
I’m so glad you read mamamia, because I told everyone there how great your blog is, the other day! It was regarding the article about plus-sized clothing. Did you see that article? Sorry this is off-topic, I just wanted to tell you.
Sue – thanks for the plug! I really appreciate it. Didn’t see the article, will look it up.
Thank you for sharing your story. At 5 feet tall, I wear a 34 G (or 36 F depending on weight fluctuations). I’ve had capital knockers since high school and share the same experiences as you: permanent shoulder damage, upper back pain, and imperfect posture. I haven’t given much thought to a reduction because I don’t like hospitals/pain and strive to avoid any unnecessary visits! As for clothes fitting, I just try to do the best I can with sewing and picking styles that are the most flattering.
Lynn – it’s hard to make these kinds of decisions when it’s such an integral part of your body. Learning to sew and figure out what works does make a big difference, I look back at photos before I had any idea and all you see is breasts!
I am a 34 G as well and like you after kids they got bigger. I kept saying I was going to get a reduction. Well the time came and I had a tummy tuck post kids and decided to do a breast lift. Up until I walked into surgery I could not decide if I wanted them lifted or reduced. I kept thinking, “but they are me” and I really wasn’t out to change me, just put things back where they belonged.
Long story short, 6 years later I am wishing I had had them reduced. My neck and back are in constant pain, I have the giant grooves in my shoulders. I have taken up running and would love to be smaller for that plus the whole clothes thing. I started sewing so I could have flattering clothes that fit me.
So now here I am, at 42, contemplating a real reduction. I was worried that I would look “funny” with smaller breasts but the more I sew and learn about fitting I realize that I am actually pretty small framed so smaller breasts would work on me.
The surgery I had was similar to a reduction, basically the same thing without removal of tissue, and the the recovery was very easy for what it’s worth.
Good luck in your decision!
Kim – thanks for sharing your surgical experience! I’m sure even going down to a C or D you’d probably not appear out of proportion at all – I don’t think many would. I find that even though people realise I’ve got larger breasts, most people guess in the D- DD range, rather than more than twice that size (cos when you figure out the volume a G cup is twice the breast volume of a DD).
I know several people who’ve had reductions and have been delighted. None of them have had post-surgery complications or really any post-operative pain (women are tough, we have babies!). I am the opposite, my non-existant boobs (and yes, I truly mean I had no boobs – nothing to ‘push up’ at all) got me down all my life, until at 42 I had an enlargement. I’m so glad I did – I feel so much more confident and in proportion. No, it hasn’t ‘changed my life’ – I’m still me, just with a bigger chest, but I look a whole lot better in clothes and out of them, and that has improved my quality of life massively. Just thought I’d share that – it’s a very personal decision, obviously!
Jo – I’m glad that your enlargement has made you confident and you feel your life has improved. That is the aim of these procedures, pity it isn’t the same for so many.
I’m a regular reader, and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this post. I’ve had the exact same thoughts for years, and I still haven’t made a decision. I’ve hated my breasts since I was nine, and I was the first girl in my class to need a bra. What stops me is the fear of a major surgery and the recovery time when I care for two small children. Also, as much as I talk about body acceptance, I would like to think that I could learn to embrace my top heaviness, but to be honest, if it hasn’t happened by now, I’m not sure that it will happen. I feel conscious about my chest (and the notice it attracts) on a regular basis, and I hate that certain activities (like running) are much more challenging than they really should be. Nonetheless, I can’t really seem to convince myself to take the plunge and commit to having surgery either. Whatever you decide, know that your readers have found your suggestions for minimizing a large bust invaluable.
Christine – yes, running, even with 2 sports bras on I have to hold my chest. Plus I’m always aware that I don’t want to do damage to them. Glad that I’ve helped you at least make them less stared at!
I had an FF and a cronic headache for years, so at 27 I got a reduction down to a B. It´s the best thing I ever did, no more headaches. And I´m double grateful since lately (I´m 45 now) any pressure from clothing gives me full-blown hives, so wearing a bra would be impossible!
It did take me a full year to figure out how to dress my “new” body, though. But as I crossed 43 and started working on my posture (trying to create an inner corset when I couldn´t have an outer one…), I have had to go through that process again, figuring out what to wear, so any small change makes a big difference for those of us who care much about our appearance. (Which is the reason I found your super website.)
Whatever you decide, just make sure you understand that it might not turn out exactly as you envision it. There will be scars, but there might be unexpected benefits, too. And an operation is always an operation, with all that the body has to go through.
Viktoria, thanks for sharing your experience with reduction. I’m working on my strength to try and reverse the hump!
I had one and I am so happy! Here’s my story and thoughts:
I had a reduction done my senior year of high school. Before the surgery I was wearing a DD bra but I was totally spilling over (and just couldn’t accept increasing by size) so I was definitely larger than a DD. The pain was not bad at all. It mostly felt just like my abs were really sore after a hard workout. I had the surgery done on a Friday and the following Wednesday I drove myself to a hair appointment, so I wasn’t on pain meds or sore for long. I scar super super easily but surprisingly the scarring after the surgery wasn’t bad. The scars I did end up with are hardly noticeable because they are in the “crease” underneath.
My only concern, and it doesn’t even apply to you since you’ve already had kids, is that I may not be able to breastfeed due to the damaged tissue. In high school I knew that was a possibility but it didn’t seem like a big deal then. Now I very much hope that I will be able to breastfeed when we do have babies. But even if I can’t, I’m still so glad that I had it done – it has made life so much easier!
Caitlin – thanks for sharing – and yes, I always planned to wait until I’d finished feeding – and at the age of 43 will never be needing to breastfeed again!
I wanted to let you know that at 55, I am scheduled for a breast reduction this summer. I have had terrible posture my whole life, and really attribute it to breast size. I now have irreversible changes to my back and neck, along with very deep indentations iin my shoulders. I have been perpetually uncomfortable….continually adjusting bra etc. I had put off the surgery for years, being frightened of the anesthesia. Then, three years ago, I had to have my gall bladder removed. Once I realized I might actually survive surgery, I went ahead with a referral to a plastic surgeon (this is a 2 year process here in New Brunswick, Canada). So anyway, I would say…don’t put it off! Get it overwith before you have any permanebt changes. And about the scars…only you decide who sees them!
Julie – let me know how you go. I have to say the scarring isn’t something that I find hugely worrying, more the pain. Some people have found it very painful, others haven’t.
I’m around a DD or F. I’ve always wondered why women get breast enlargements above a C. It’s jolly expensive buying bras that are bigger and finding something comfortable that holds everything UP is harder still. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to have smaller breasts. My 14yo is already an F and I feel dreadfully sorry for her.
Tracy – would you consider a reduction yourself?
Breast reduction is anything but superficial. You are not doing it “to attract the opposite sex”, for someone else, etc.
Apart from the heavy load on back and shoulders, hunching, straps cutting into flesh, ill fitting clothes – it is by far a complicated surgery. In breast enlargment one suffers the pain from being sore and skin adjusting to the new “size”. The recovery after reduction is not a matter of days but weeks and even months, having to deal with scarring, pain and sometimes an oozing open stitch. This is no heaven, but the reward is great (eventually, after a loooooooong time).
Good luck.
Anat – thanks for your experiences and thoughts.
Imogen, I don’t think getting a breast reduction would be superficial at all! The real reason for putting oneself through such a surgery would be to reduce the strain to the back, neck, & shoulders – that is a health issue, not a cosmetic one. More choices in clothing & any improvement in appearance would be nice extras, but in my mind it wouldn’t be worth undergoing such a procedure for appearance alone. (And you already look wonderful just as you are)!
I’m speaking from the perspective of a small busted woman (A cup). I wouldn’t mind being a little larger busted (B cup max on my small frame) mainly just so I would fill out clothes better. I’ve never seriously considered breast enlargement, though – in my case the reasons not to do it outweigh the reasons for it. At age 51 I am pretty accepting of my body, & I’ve learned (with your help) how to dress to make the most of what God blessed me with!
I’m UK cup size FF on average but petite, so for my frame, I’m rather large-chested. Until I found Bravissimo around turning 30, I’d been wearing a wrong cup size and ill-fitting clothes half of my life. It literally changed my life and body image! I’d had no idea how a bra is supposed to fit and support. I had avoided brisk walking, running to the bus, walking stairs etc. just because it hurt so much. I also vaguely remember having terrible tension headaches and my posture was quite awful, too.
All that is now past – not only because of the bras but also because I started doing Pilates regularly, which has done wonders to my posture. I’m now also engaging in other activities that build upper body and inner corset strength (hell, I can do more push-ups than my boyfriend! he still wins with the pull-ups, though). Thanks to this, I now have no back/shoulder/head aches even though I sit in front of computer most of the day because of my job. My everyday bras are supportive enough that I can make a quick run to catch the bus, to conclude, my cup size does have no effect in my every day life in any way. I also jog and regularly do runs between 1-2 hrs without any problems. I use Enell’s sports bras and they definitely keep my girls in place.
I hope that everyone who’s considering reduction would have a chance to try if switching to excellent-fitting, supportive bras and engaging in activities that improve their posture and muscle strength/endurance would be enough to bring back pain-free life. If the bra is fitting correctly, the weight of the breasts should _not_ be on the shoulders! Also, I can imagine two sports bras on top of each other is never going to do the job properly and is certainly going to be uncomfortable – I’m sure there’s other brands on the market but once I figured out my size in Enell’s sports bras I haven’t bothered looking further.
I also understand that what has worked for me doesn’t necessarily provide enough help for everyone – particularly not if you’re somewhere around the middle of the alphabet (32FF isn’t that huge after all), but I think these are things that will benefit absolutely everyone, whether they decide to go through a reduction or not. Also, if you’ve had a bad posture for years – or a decade, like I had – it doesn’t necessarily fix itself just by surgery, so it’s worth investing some time (and probably also money) in your well-being and do some exercise that will help preventing back/shoulder pain even if you decide to go through reduction.
Style and looks is a completely another matter, but I’ve found that with certain bras, tops and accessorizing (the latter is something this blog has been very useful for!) I can downplay my chest so that no one will pay particular attention to it. Sure, some styles will never work for me, but then again I also have wide hips and my thighs aren’t exactly long and lean and I find that more restricting. For quite a while, I thought there was something wrong with me because I didn’t fit the clothes, but now I think the other way round. I’m still not quite finished with trying to figure out how to find clothes that fit my petite but curvy 8/X figure and also reflect my personality (which is not exactly reflecting the 50’s), but I’m trying to enjoy the process. 🙂
Nera – yes I get my bras from bravissimo too – have done so for the past 13 years. I’m also going to the gym, do some pilates etc to strengthen the muscles, but my hump is growing, and I have scoliosis from when I was a kid and the weight of breasts doesn’t help the issue!
It’s great that you feel go positive abouty our breasts.
Nera – yes I get my bras from bravissimo too – have done so for the past 13 years. I’m also going to the gym, do some pilates etc to strengthen the muscles, but my hump is growing, and I have scoliosis from when I was a kid and the weight of breasts doesn’t help the issue!
It’s great that you feel go positive about our breasts.
I would be sad to see you get a breast reduction, as Darlene said, for selfish reasons. I love your advice for bigger breasted women. I don’t have anything to add that could help your decision, but I don’t think I could ever have a breast reduction! Surgery absolutely terrifies me and my recent, rather traumatic hand surgery experience didn’t help with that at all. I have made them into a positive thing in my life, and have been working to be a role model for other ladies with curves, and I have been growing to like them, anyway. 🙂 I hope that you can do what is best for you, and be happy with your decision, either way.
Brittany – WHatever my decision – I’d always be helping women of all bust sizes look fabulous! It’s really about my hump and future back issues.
Imogen, this may be the stupidest question ever, but are you sure you’re wearing the right size bras? Have you measured yourself recently and/or had a chance to shop for bras in the UK or Poland? I ask because some of your pain may be from incorrect size bras. There’s a blogger who talks about how bras in the right size can alleviate pain and even make breast reduction surgery unnecessary for some here:
Thin and Curvy
http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/07/why-do-i-advise-women-to-measure.html
I totally support whatever decision you make, however!
Yes I’m absolutely wearing the right size bras – I’ve been fitted, and plus I’ve also been trained as a fitter. I didn’t wear the right size til I was about 31, but since, then, right size all the way. But 30% of the weight is still carried by the straps
There is a woman who discusses her path to breast reduction in a series of posts at hourglassy. The page that lists all her posts is here:
hourglassy
http://hourglassy.com/the-rack/
Sorry I can’t figure out how to link the url to the name. Anyway, she is VERY happy with the results of breast reduction surgery. After reading her posts, I am so happy for her! My main concern would be finding a similarly talented and experienced surgeon where you live. Could you travel to NYC for a couple weeks to use her surgeon?
Callie – there are plenty of good surgeons here in Melbourne, I don’t think a trip to NY is needed!
I had small boobs for years, but then in my early 20s started getting bigger and my posture got worse. Ironically, I wanted to get a breast augementation. Bras are key. Most of us measure wrongly, supposedly I’m a B, but really more like an E, F, or FF. I’ve decided to start buy good bras like Ewa Michalak, Freya, Panache, and Fantasie and I’m hoping that that will help. If you stalk ebay.co.uk you can find good deals.
Sharon – I love Fantasie bras – they are my favourite. Freya are my 2nd fave. Yes I do bra fitting with many of my clients we discover that so many are wearing cup sizes much smaller than they should be! Wish it were just the bra, but it’s not for me.
I am a huge fan of Dr. Jolie Bookspan, who teaches people how to fix pain using body mechanics. She discusses this issue in her books but also here:
http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/fitness-fixer/breasts-causing-upper-back-pain-myth
I’m about your size, Imogen, but shorter and uh, fluffier. Dr. Jolie’s writing has helped me (and yes, i should heed her advice about losing weight too).
I range from a 34FF to 32GG (UK) and have always thought my breasts were small. A recent switch to properly fitting bras has made my constant back pain disappear, and lessened my chronic migraines. (I’m sure these things could creep back up over time – I’m 26.) I’ve never thought about a reduction (because I already view my boobs as “too small” and because Im not inclined to have surgery unless it is absolutely necessary.)
My mom had a radical mastectomy when she was 38. It wasn’t a “just to be safe” option, she wasn’t supposed to live, so they did everything (mastectomy, radiation, high dose chemo, and bone marrow transplant). I’ve seen the struggles she has to find clothes. She’s plus sized, apple shaped, has one large breast with a divot on the other side of her chest, and one “fat arm” due to the lack of lymph nodes. Her back is hunched slightly on one side due to the imbalance of weight on her chest. Because so much tissue was removed (multiple healthcare workers have commented that it is the most they have seen) her breast forms and bras don’t fit properly, and she must wear very high necklines.
Growing up with a mother who had that much difficulty finding clothes has made it seem a breeze for me. I wish it were easier for her, but it doesn’t seem to bother her much. In a way, I think my “minimizing” my breasts is a preparatory act, so that I’m not so dependent on them as part of my body image should they have to be removed.
All of that is to explain why it seemed so very strange to me that someone with breasts about the same size as mine would be considering a reduction. I’m not passing judgement on you for considering surgery, and wouldn’t do so even if vanity were your only motivation. It’s your body, and none of my business; which is why i appreciate that you’re willing to talk about the subject. You’ve stirred in me a bit of selfish contemplation about my own body and about the aspects of our society that would lead a woman to want to have a reduction (specifically those not related to pain or health). You’ve also spurred me to think about mastectomy and optional reduction together.
I hope my sharing wasn’t too off topic, as it was just a mini epiphany/stream of consciousness. I’ve always known that my boobs aren’t as tiny as they seem to me, and that women of a similar size consider themselves to have big boobs, but I’d always thought that mine were made of some sort of time lord tech, and simply appeared much smaller. 🙂 I’ve given myself a mental breast reduction!
Thanks for the epiphany, and I hope you chose whatever option makes you happiest.
First of all I would like to say wonderful blog! I had a quick question which I’d like to ask if you do not mind. I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts prior to writing. I have had a tough time clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out there. I truly do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally wasted simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any ideas or tips? Many thanks!
My bust is quite large as well, but I’m very very fortunate not to have pain and discomfort from them – unless I’m wearing a bra that doesn’t fit! My back doesn’t hurt, and my posture is pretty good (probably a legacy from a decade playing the flute – you have to have good posture to breathe properly!) Also, while I do need the support of a good undergarment, my breasts are in reasonably good shape right now. So surgery is not on my radar. Despite the inconvenience of finding bras and clothing to accomodate my bustline, I actually do like my hourglass shape.
However, I realize that not everyone with a large bustline is able to avoid pain – and I’m also young, so this could change in the future.
So that being said, I reserve the right to change my mind about the surgery issue in the future depending on my comfort level. I had friends in college who had reductions that they were thrilled with due to the freedom to move (and run) comfortably for the first time in years.
Your comments about breast size – and breast cancer – also struck a chord with me. Two of my close relatives battled breast cancer – my grandma had a full mastectomy and reconstruction when I was quite young. We’ve determined that my sister and I are not at a genetic risk for breast cancer any more than other women in the general public; however, the fact that it runs strongly in my family makes me wonder what I’d choose to do if it ever happens to me, and how I’d re-adjust my perception of my figure/body image.
Kari – I don’t have pain as yet either, but I do have some chronic spinal problems that I’m sure aren’t helped by the weight of my breasts!
I’m 48 years old and had breast reduction surgery June 2011. It was the best gift to myself I could ever have imagined. I was a 34F or 34G, depending on the bra. My breasts grew seemingly overnight to a C when I was around 12 years old. With weight fluctuations over the years they continued to increase in size. One was almost a full cup larger than the other, they were saggy, and I was very self-conscious.
I had my surgery done in the plastic surgeon’s office surgical suite. Two of my friends had used the same surgeon and I’d seen their results. From the minute I met him for a consultation I felt comfortable with him. He obviously took pride in his work and was passionate about it. Anyway, the surgery went fine and the recovery period wasn’t bad at all. I’m a wimp as far as pain goes and I did great with only a day or two of pain medication. I’ve had no complications or loss of sensation and scarring is minimal. My only regret is not doing it years earlier but I couldn’t afford it. I just barely missed the insurance’s requirement of a certain amount of breast tissue weight removed; they would not cover it. Luckily I had enough savings to pay it myself. I’m now down to a 34D although to my eye they look and feel like a C.
I encourage anyone thinking of reduction to just do it! I don’t know anyone who’s had it done that regretted it. I love that my breasts are now equal, have pretty nipples and are perky! I look much better in clothing too.
Charlene – thanks for sharing your experience – it sounds way less scary than I thought!
I am due to go in for surgery to have my 32GG breasts reduced in 6 weeks time! I was very convinced that I am doing the “right” thing for me – big dents in the shoulders, tired of buying special bras & swim costumes. And since moving to a hot country to live, I have found it even worse.
However, when I’ve told a few close friends about it, they have looked at me and said ‘why?’….note: all these friends have “normal” breasts! Anyway, I came on the web looking for a bit of comfort and reassurance and found it in this blog so thank you:-) Nervous about the op but as one lady said above, if we can do childbirth……..
For me, the main reason = COMFORT!
Debbie – thanks for your comment – and good luck with your surgery! Let us know how it goes.
I’m planning to have breast reduction next year. I’m still quite young(15), but my mother is very worried about my back! With her experience of mega-sagging boobs from her sister and mother, she is quite traumatized with the idea of me having to experience such thing. I’m a 32D but I’m not even near 5ft. I agree about getting a reduction, so it’s not really forced. My straps have dug into my shoulders from the weight of my boobs, I hate shopping because almost everything is for “normal” people so shopping gives me grief instead, and if I want them back I’ll just gain a bit of weight. My friends are also against this idea, but all of them are small/normal in terms of cup….Thank you for this post by the way! Like Debbie above, I was looking for some comfort and found it here. 🙂
I agree with the ladies who say it is a comfort thing. Truly, no one who hasn’t dealt with this issue can seriously think to judge you for being “superficial.” I am a 32DDD to G and have hated them since high school. Look; I’m not even using the word “breast”! Ugh. Many ladies in my family have had reductions and all of them say it was one of the best life decisions made. I am a curvy hourglass and at 5’3″, the proportions are more than I’d like. When it makes you NOT do the things that you enjoy, it’s affecting your life in what I’d call a negative way. I don’t swim in public, don’t wear tank tops, don’t horseback ride, don’t exercise as much. Finding a sports bra and going to workout in college reduced me to tears and levels of self-hatred that were extreme even for me! Now that I can afford the surgery, I am still balking. I don’t know why. I don’t want to destroy my proportions, but I just can’t stand the self-consciousness anymore. And at 41, is it wrong to want to enjoy what I have left? I sure appreciate your website and I wish you the best decision for yourself.