While some women receive surgery to have their breasts enlarged, more women are choosing the opposite path. Breast reduction surgery removes tissue from the breasts, reducing them to the smaller size desired. Women have this procedure done for a variety of reasons, and it can have a dramatic impact on quality of life. Here are some of the ways that breast reduction helps women.
Reduced Pain
Overly large breasts pull downward on the muscles and joints of the shoulders, neck and upper back. This can result in chronic pain in these areas that disrupts daily life. In addition, large, heavy breasts tend to encourage poor posture, which further promotes pain and back problems.
Very large breasts are more than just a factor in chronic pain. They can also contribute to breathing problems. The weight of the breasts pull on the chest wall, preventing the lungs from expanding properly. When lying down, they can place too much weight on the chest wall, also restricting breathing. Women who receive breast reduction surgery typically report either improvement or complete elimination of these symptoms.
Minimizing Unwanted Attention
It’s common to hear of women with large breasts talking about the frustration and irritation they feel from receiving frequent unwanted attention. Random men hit on them, stare and their breasts, and some even make lewd gestures and comments. While this behavior is inappropriate and disrespectful, it’s unlikely that it will ever change.
What’s more, a lot of women with large breasts report feeling like they’re not taken seriously, which can be a significant hurdle in both their jobs and social lives. They don’t just have to deal with long-standing stereotypes of big-bosomed women. They may also struggle with reduced self-confidence. Reducing breast size can help minimize this unwanted attention and the emotional and psychosocial issues that come with it.
Greater Comfort and Convenience
If you live with very large breasts, you understand what a hassle they can be. They do more than just make your back and neck hurt. They can also limit your ability to shop for clothing and bras. Not many shirts are designed to accommodate women with larger than average breasts and may fit poorly. With bras, larger sizes cost more than their average-sized counterparts and are more difficult to find. Even when you do find one, you likely have to deal with the weight of your breasts causing the straps to cut into your skin. Breast reduction surgery makes it much easier to find shirts and bras that fit correctly, don’t cost a small fortune and won’t dig into your shoulders.
More than just clothing can hinder comfort and convenience, however. Large breasts also make exercise a burdensome chore. According to Widder Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery, “Things like running, jogging, bicycling and lifting weights are all made more difficult with big breasts. Prolonged bouncing motions can cause soreness and may eventually result in sagging as the breasts’ supportive ligaments become worn out. In order to control this, it’s often necessary for these women to wear uncomfortably tight sports bras, or avoid certain activities altogether.” This is yet another problem that can be resolved with breast reduction surgery.
Better Hygiene and Fewer Skin Problems
Being in a hot environment is no picnic when you have large breasts. Because they tend to hang down, they create skin-on-skin contact with the chest that can lead to irritation during sweating. Moreover, warmth and moisture make the undersides of the breasts an ideal place for bacteria and fungi to proliferate. If irritation is already present due to sweating and friction, these pathogens can get into the skin and cause an infection. It’s not uncommon for large-breasted women to develop a yeast infection of the skin under their breasts during the summer. Reducing breast size lessens breast contact with other skin, helping to prevent irritation and keeping skin infection at bay.
