We are used to thinking women go under the knife to get their breasts enlarged. But the tide is slowly turning with more women seeking out breast reduction. Known in the medical community as reduction mammoplasty, even teenagers are seeking breast reduction procedures as soon as they are legally allowed. So what are the symptoms of needing a breast reduction?
Better Health and Well Being
Larger breasts can get in the way of exercising, sports, and even daily living. You may find it difficult or even painful to work out. You also may struggle to find a supportive bra that can protect your breasts when you do high intensity sports like running and tennis.
Further, large breasts are heavy, causing back, shoulder and neck pain, chronic chaffing and skin infections, swelling on the shoulders, and permanent notches in the skin from your bra straps.
As such, breast reduction can have genuine health benefits. It has been found to reduce shoulder and neck pain, improve your posture, and help prevent chronic skin infections. Medicare in Australia and most medical insurance groups will also cover breast reduction.
Social Pressure
Over the past few years social standards have changed, with the average person preferring a natural look over the “overdone” plastic surgery profiles of the past. Social media, in particular, has impacted this desire for more balanced proportions seeing those with larger than normal breasts often ridiculed and bullied for their look.
Even teenagers are seeking out breast reduction surgery, with a rise in 18 year olds looking for a smaller breast size and better body proportions. We are now seeing more reductions done on teenagers at this critical, social juncture of their life. However, breast reduction surgery is a reconstructive surgery that can be very beneficial for those 18 years and older who are experiencing significant symptoms.
Self-Esteem Concerns
As mentioned above, social pressure now focuses on natural proportions. This can cause self-esteem issues in those with larger breasts. Many women with shorter torsos find that their larger breasts make it appear as if they have gained weight or are heavier than they really are. Many women with larger breasts struggle to find bras that are flattering – or may struggle to find a bra that fits them at all. Some women try to hide their overly large breasts by wearing tight, flattening bras and tops.
Breast reduction is not just a cosmetic change, improving appearance and making it easier to buy clothing or bras, but also improves your overall health, happiness, and lifestyle. You will feel you can move easier and attract less unwanted attention. Many women who have had breast reduction say they felt a surge of self-confidence with their new look where before they had low self-esteem.
Increased Oestrogen in our Environment
It is undeniable that breast sizes are on the rise, but so are other health issues. Women are reaching puberty at earlier and earlier ages, and obesity is on the rise with our sedentary lifestyles. Our bodily proportions and cup sizes are also increasing. This isn’t just a case of increased fat but an increase in breast tissue. This is stimulated by a rise in oestrogen.
Many doctors and scientists have linked this to a rise and change in hormones in our environment. Our oestrogen exposure has increased compared to other generations and we are constantly in contact with oestrogen chemicals. In fact, this generation of women are the first to be born to those who used the first contraceptive pills. These earlier pills had a higher rate of oestrogen than modern pills.
Women are also having fewer children and breast feeding for shorter periods than our predecessors. As such, we are exposed to more monthly surges of oestrogen than ever before. Men, too, are experiencing physiological and hormonal changes, linked to environmental and nutritional changes. Foreign sources of estrogen – known as Xenoestrogens – are found throughout our environment in pesticides, plastics, cosmetics, tinned food, deodorant, moisturiser and even milk.
Our sedentary lifestyles mean we are not metabolising hormones as quickly, leaving them to build up in the body. This, along with rising obesity, may alter our natural body shapes and the size of our breast tissue. This means more women and men are turning to breast reduction to deal with supersized breasts and the dreaded “moobs”.
Breast Reduction Surgery
Breast reduction has undergone considerable refinement over the years with reduction of scars and improvement of shape. Dr Drielsma was one of the first surgeons in Australia to introduce the “lollipop” minimal scar technique. This method gives a superior natural look with minimal possible scarring.
Do you have the symptoms of needing a breast reduction? You can find out more on our Breast Reduction and Male Breast Reduction pages. Or visit our contact page today to book a consultation!