Breast Reduction: Am I the right age?
- “The constant comments were never welcome and always hurt.”
Large breasts can become a problem at differing ages depending on the patient. Some young girls (12 or 13) can develop large or massive breasts at puberty. In the past, parents and patients were told to wait until age 20 or 21 to allow the patient to “fully develop.” This delay in care can lead to serious psychological harm as the girl experiences embarrassing comments by schoolmates and misses out on many activities that youth should experience such as running, swimming, and other sports. The harm to the self-esteem of the young woman can be significant. The only delay that should come is to wait until the breast size is stable and the girl has remained in the same size bra for 6-12 months.
The best candidates are those who are mature enough to fully understand the procedure and have realistic expectations about the results. Breast reduction is not recommended for women who intend to breast-feed.
Some women do not develop large, pendulous breasts until after having children. This may or may not be associated with breast feeding. Others develop excessive breast tissue at menopause in the 40’s to early 50’s. At that time many women experience a shift in fat distribution from their hips or thighs to their chests and abdomen. This may occur with little, if any, weight gain.
Some patients come in for care in their 60’s, 70’s or 80’s when they can no longer tolerate the discomfort that they have had for years. The single biggest regret voiced by the majority of patients is wishing they had done it sooner.
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