Breast Reduction Timing for Teens
Oversized breasts can be so difficult for teen girls to bear, literally and figuratively. Parents are often well aware of both the physical effects—sore neck, back and shoulders—and the psychological impact of unwanted attention. At a formative age, the challenges posed by macromastia, as doctors term the condition, may overshadow important pursuits such as good fitness habits and social development.
That’s why we offer breast reduction in New York for adolescent girls. We work very closely with these patients and their parents to determine the right timing for surgery with two main factors in mind: psychological readiness and physical maturity.
We find that most young women who come to see us are mentally ready for breast reduction. Our New York patients have usually done quite a bit of research on their condition and talked it over with their family. In the course of their online work, they’ve found that we specialize in breast reduction surgery for women, men and FTM transgender individuals.
Physical Factors
A universal concern of young patients is whether breast tissue might regrow after an operation—new research has shed light on this risk. We share findings like this with young women and their families so we can make good decisions together. Here’s the latest from a team of researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital.
As reported late last year in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the doctors studied 481 girls and women between the ages of 12 and 21. The goals included finding out how many experienced breast tissue regrowth after surgery and how it may correlate with the onset of puberty and patient obesity.
The research resulted in several interesting findings, one being that only six percent of patients experienced regrowth after surgery. That’s good news for girls suffering from macromastia. But there are some obesity-related factors the research team identified that doctors should keep in mind:
• Girls who are overweight tend to have their first period earlier than healthy-weight girls, and tend to have more pronounced breast overgrowth as well.
• The researchers feel it’s “plausible” that increased body fat impacts hormones levels in a way that influences earlier puberty and larger breasts.
The impact of being overweight or obese and experiencing earlier and more severe breast growth also influences the risk of breast regrowth:
• Performing surgery for overweight young women sooner than nine years after the onset of menstruation “was linked to a 20 percent increase in the likelihood of glandular breast regrowth,” the doctors at Boston Children’s found.
• The risk of breast regrowth for healthy weight patients is low as long as surgery takes place three years or more after their first period—quite a contrast.
Determining that breast growth has likely stabilized is key to choosing the right time for most young female patients, and this new study can help with doctor-patient conversations. One thing we’d like to know more about is how outcomes fall on a spectrum. What if a girl is slightly overweight and 8 years post-puberty—is she relatively safe? If she’s quite obese and her periods started recently, is she at higher risk for regrowth?
We hope further research will be done.
Having worked with thousands of people of all kinds seeking breast reduction in New York over three decades, we don’t discount the self-image side of the equation. One thing we’re continually struck by is how an individual’s overall wellbeing can be influenced by their breasts. Guys with man boobs are often profoundly embarrassed about the condition, to the point where it causes social anxiety and restricts normal activities. FTM transgender patients can feel a sense of distaste or even disgust about these features that get in the way of their true identity.
Young women with huge breasts can have similar feelings. Sometimes we find that it’s worth a bit of extra risk of regrowth for a girl to have breast reduction in New York with us sooner rather than later. In any case, we evaluate each “whole patient” carefully, hand in hand with her family and other professionals as warranted. Decisions about surgical timing should include many factors.
Call us if we can help. A consultation and in-depth conversation is a good first step: 212-570-6080.
