Teenage girls and women may suffer from back, neck and shoulder pains due to a medical condition called mammary hypertrophy or macromastia—enlarged female breasts due to excessive breast tissue. In some cases, bra strap grooving and rashes may occur. Sagging and thinning of the skin with stretch marks may also develop, which can cause emotional stress and embarrassment for teen nieces.

What are your niece’s options?

Before considering surgery, over-weight girls are encouraged to lose weight and the fatty breast tissue. Surgery, breast reduction, or reduction mammoplasty, is usually deferred until after breast development has stabilized and the girls are emotionally mature. Your niece needs to be in good health, have realistic expectations, and understand the risks and benefits.

How can reduction mammoplasty help? What are the risks?

The goal is smaller, more proportionate breasts. Surgery involves incisions and removal of excess skin, fat, and glandular breast tissue. For future consideration, there is a potential for the inability to breastfeed or the need to supplement with formula, and changes on future mammograms are possible.

Overall, breast reduction has one of the highest patient satisfactions for plastic surgery procedures.

Photo: imagerymajestic
Published: May 6, 2013