Benefits of Breast Reduction
In a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and reported in 1999, women who had undergone breast reduction mammaplasty gave the following reasons for wanting the surgery:
- back pain
- shoulder grooves from bra straps
- trouble finding clothing that fit properly
- breast pain during exercise
- skin irritations
- shoulder pain
- personal embarrassment
The same women reported these improvements after the surgery:
- 83% improvement or elimination of breast pain during exercise
- 83% improvement or elimination of shoulder grooving
- 78% improvement or elimination of back pain
- 78% improvement or elimination of shoulder pain
Eighty-four percent of the women said that they were very satisfied with the results of their surgery, 92% would have the surgery again, and 98% would recommend the procedure to others.
Several other studies have found similar results. For example, a recent review and analysis of 29 studies involving more than 4,000 patients notes that reduction mammaplasty decreased back, neck, and shoulder pain, headache, breast pain, and numbness and pain in the hands. This review was published in the May 2001 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. In addition, a study presented at the ASPS annual meeting in October 1998 found that breast reduction surgery can also improve breathing and lung function.
Breast reduction is generally not recommended for women who intend to breastfeed, says the ASPS, because the surgery removes many of the milk ducts that lead to the nipple.
Reconstructive vs. Cosmetic Surgery
According to Plastic Surgery Update (summer 1996), a publication of ASPS, “the following definitions of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery are approved by the American Medical Association and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
- Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to improve the patient's appearance and self-esteem.
- Reconstructive surgery is performed on abnormal structures of the body, caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors or disease. It is generally performed to improve function, but may also be done to approximate appearance.”
Procedures such as facelifts and breast augmentation, which are done for non-medical reasons, are cosmetic procedures—also called aesthetic surgery—and are therefore not covered under most medical insurance plans.
Reconstructive procedures, however, are often covered by insurance. In many cases reduction mammaplasty may be covered if it is done for physical, rather than cosmetic, reasons. Women considering this surgery should therefore check with their insurance provider. The ASPS generally considers reduction mammaplasty to be reconstructive surgery, calling it the fifth most common surgical reconstructive procedure performed in 2000.
