Breast Reduction: A Mother Defined by Her UnBearable 'Boobs'

By C. Downey © 2008
PlasticSurgery.com Staff Writer.

While larger breasts are much admired in the American culture, things can get out of hand when breasts become pendulous and unbearable for a woman. It was like that for a 43-year-old Brooklyn Heights woman (who asked to be identified only by her initials, M.C.)

Breast Reduction Photos

"I literally could not get on the subway if a car was crowded -- there was just no room for my boobs," she says. "Men -- and women -- stared on the street or when I entered a room. There was literally no clothing I could buy that would fit. I could not even fold my arms."

"My triple D breasts were the very first thing that people noticed about me," she says. "It seems like I had become just a huge pair of boobs."

Moreover, overly large breasts often lead to other serious health problems. The massive breast weight puts tremendous pressure on bra straps and often creates a medical condition known as "notching." The bra straps actually dig grooves into the woman's shoulder bones. The weight also usually causes terrible neck and back pain. Excessive sweating from large areas of skin-to-skin contact often creates a rash.

"I had been to doctors before about the pains I was suffering," M.C. says. "Some doctors told me to exercise more while others recommended Tylenol. But nothing worked."

"Reduction Mammaplasty" for a More Comfortable Size

M.C. says she was very large as a teenager and noticed her breasts seem to grow larger after each of her three childbirths. She knew about surgical breast reduction but had always feared "going under the knife."

"I think I finally felt like I had nothing to lose," she says. "I got to the point where I was always thinking, 'I just can't do this any more!'"

Driven by pain, desperation, and daily embarrassment, she researched plastic surgeons in her area and made an appointment with board certified New York City plastic surgeon, Kenneth Rose, M.D.

"I looked through his many breast reduction photos of past patients and took an immediate dislike to the large scars involved in the procedure," she says. "But I later found out those scars fade fairly rapidly and are considered a welcome trade-off to most patients for getting rid of the aches and pains and the constant humiliation I suffered. For me, the scars quickly became a non-issue."

M.C. opted to have Dr. Rose surgically reduce her breasts to a more comfortable C cup and has never looked back.

"I was scared right up to the point of surgery," she says.

"Dr. Rose was fantastic, took all the time I needed and explained every step in detail," M.C. says. "The surgery was much less threatening than I thought it would be. I stayed in the hospital one night while my recovery period took about two weeks."

Breast Reduction Surgery

While there are several surgical techniques for reducing large, pendulous breasts, Dr. Rose used a procedure known as the inferior pedicle technique.

With this method, the surgeon removes breast tissue from the lower portion of the breast with the scar hidden between the patent's nipple and the chest wall. The incision and resulting scar looks like an upside-down "T." The head of the T runs along the bottom of the breast, with one long scar. The stem of the T goes up from the chest wall toward the nipple.

Afterwards, the breasts are wrapped in a post-surgical bra that is worn for about one week. Most patients quickly return to their daily routines but excessive physical activity is discouraged for another two weeks.

Most women can still breastfeed after breast reduction but that ability depends on the initial size of the breasts and the post-operative size. Nipple sensation is usually maintained after breast reduction but as more tissue is removed, more nipple sensation is jeopardized.

Actually, M.C. says she felt fine after about two or three days and went back to her job as an accountant at a travel agency earlier than expected.

"Words can't express what a joy it was to go shopping and just blend in with the crowds with no more staring," she says.

"But the best thing of all: I was no longer defined by my boobs," she says. "I could go to the gym again; I could get on crowded buses and subway cars again."

Now, one of M.C.'s continuing joys is crossing her arms without her elbows resting at eye level.