How Does Breast Reduction Work?
Many primary care doctors are concerned that adolescent patients will have continued breast growth after a breast reduction, making them reluctant to refer them to plastic surgeons. However, Dr. Stile firmly believes optimal timing of a breast reduction should be based on the individual patient’s physiology, mental maturity, and the benefit to their quality of life.
The procedure itself has various techniques that achieve the same goal: to reduce the glandular and fatty tissues in the breasts to reduce their overall size. This will relieve neck, shoulder, and back pain, improve the quality of the skin to minimize rashes, and give the patient an overall better breast-to-hip ratio to improve her proportions. Incisions are made around the areola and down and across the inframammary fold. In cases where significant tissue is being removed, the nipple and areola may need to be completely repositioned.
How Old Do I Have to Be to Get a Breast Reduction?
The biggest hesitation in performing a breast reduction on teens is their chance for continued breast tissue growth, which may lead to a revision procedure in the patient’s early 20s. In Dr. Stile’s practice, women as young as 15 years of age have had breast reduction surgery. A study published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has shown that the patient’s weight can impact the early onset of menstruation, contributing to macromastia and the growth of the breasts for a longer duration. This is why Dr. Stile would determine on a case-by-case basis if breast reduction is right for a teenage girl.
For many teens, the relief a breast reduction would bring is worth the potential risk of a revision reduction at a later time, particularly if continued growth is expected for already large breasts. Dr. Stile recommends a breast reduction for individuals who understand the risks, have realistic expectations for the outcome, and are mature enough to undertake the procedure and its recovery. That does mean some patients under the age of 18 can have a breast reduction at Stile Aesthetics.
