Ask a Surgeon - Breast Reduction - I'm a 19 year old woman, 5 feet 7 inches, and weigh 223 pounds. I wear a...

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I'm a 19 year old woman, 5 feet 7 inches, and weigh 223 pounds. I wear a size...

Q:

I'm a 19 year old woman, 5 feet 7 inches, and weigh 223 pounds. I wear a size 38DDD bra. I have grooves in my shoulders from tight bra straps and a curvature in my back. If I lose weight will the size of my breasts decrease or will I still need a breast reduction?

A:

Upon reviewing the height weight and bra size given, my first response is to your body size and image. For a woman who is reported to be 5 feet 7 inches in height, the Metropolitan height weight table suggests weight would be in the range of 121-147 pounds, depending on your body frame size. Your reported weight is 223 pounds which conservatively means you should first reduce your weight by approximately 76 pounds. An overall weight reduction program would be an excellent goal to improve your overall health and fitness. Weight loss will also reduce the weight on your musculoskeletal system and decrease the stress on your spinal column and shoulders.

The second issue is your breast size. Your breasts are composed of a certain percentage of fatty tissue, which increases with age (fatty tissue to glandular tissue ratio). At 19 years of age, most of your breast tissue would be glandular. However at a weight of 223 pounds there is most likely an increased percentage of fatty tissue present. My suggestions would be to first incorporate a plan of healthy eating, exercise and overall weight reduction. As you approach your more ideal weight and build stamina and improved fitness you should be evaluated for a possible therapeutic breast reduction. I would work on both of these together as a holistic approach to your issues of large breast and shoulder grooves.