As many of you know, breast reduction is a procedure close to my heart. My breast reduction journey completely changed my life – not just physically but psychologically and emotionally too. I, more than anyone, understand how big a difference a breast reduction can make to a woman’s life. I also know how important it is to choose a surgeon you trust to not only do great surgery but also be there to answer questions, alleviate fears and support you on your journey. Dr Matthew Peters, Specialist Plastic Surgeon based in Brisbane at Valley Plastic Surgery, is all of these things and is highly experienced in breast reductions. I caught up with him to talk about a breast reduction procedure.
Physical symptoms of large breasts
Dr Peters says breast reduction does so much more than just to reduce the size of your breasts. It can also help alleviate symptoms often associated with large breast such as:
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain including pain from bra straps on the shoulders
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Poor posture/ hunched shoulders
- Rashes and infections
- Difficulty in finding a bra to fit
- Difficulty finding clothes to fit and/or look good
- Social anxiety
- Attracting inappropriate or unwanted attention (do you KNOW how many guys just give you attention because of your big breasts?)
- Reduced ability to exercise or partake in certain physical activities (if you’ve ever had oversized breasts you’ll know how hard/painful it can be to run)
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty sleeping (limited positions, unevenly distributed weight, excess pressure on your chest).
- So many more (and I can vouch for all of them!)
Many patients want bigger breasts, but those of us who’ve had naturally oversized breasts want less. I guess it’s about finding a happy medium that works for you.
Dr Peters has some great advice about breast reduction and how patients can get the right result for them. “Ultimately, undergoing a breast reduction procedure is a personal decision and one that can take some people quite some time to make; breast size, shape and position evolves so much through our lives that the ultimate decision is often made at a point of frustration. The best result is achieved though when your overall breast and body size is stable – pubertal development, breastfeeding, weight stability, and menopause can all result in a slight change in outcome if I operate at a point when these factors are not constant, and I routinely enquire about these issues during the consultation so as to plan appropriately. Breast reduction surgery is one of my favourite operations and a good result is my expectation if the conditions are right”.
If you’d like more information about breast reductions, breast lifts or anythings else breast or body surgery related you can contact Dr Peters at his clinic on (07) 3488 8118 or if you’re ready to make an appointment click here.
From one breast reduction patient to another, I only have one regret about my breast reduction – and that’s that I didn’t do it sooner.