Harish Kabilan
- Oct 17, 2022
- 2 min read

Macromastia Miseries

Updated: Nov 1, 2022

Symptoms of hypertrophic breasts and indications for breast reduction surgeries

Breast hypertrophy/ Gigantomastia/ Macromastia is a medical condition where the breasts become excessively large.

It can weigh as little as 0.6 kilogrammes (1.3 lb) or as much as 2.5 kilogrammes (5.5 lb) to be excessive breast tissue, with the majority of doctors defining macromastia as excessive tissue weighing more than 1.5 kilogrammes.

Causes

Idiopathic (Unknown)
Familial
Puberty (juvenile macromastia)
Pregnancy (Gestational macromastia)
Syndromes
Drugs (penicillamine, cyclosporine, bucillamine etc.)

Who is breast reduction surgery recommended for?

Those with one or more of the following symptoms are candidates for breast reduction surgery

Chronic back, shoulder, and neck pain.
Chronic ulcers, rash, fungal/ bacterial infection in the inframammary folds (under the breasts)
Inability to perform certain physical activities/ sports
Trouble fitting into clothes/ brasserie
Psychological distress/ poor self-image

Treatment

Your plastic surgeon/ breast surgeon would first evaluate you for the underlying causes and either counsel you regarding pubertal and gestational macromastia ( which in certain cases may be self-limiting and resolve naturally over time) or advise surgery - Breast reduction surgery a.k.a reduction mammaplasty.

Breast reduction surgery removes fat, breast tissue and skin from the breast while retaining the natural appearance of the breast, thus\ reducing the overall size of the breasts by a few kilograms and cup sizes.

Who is breast reduction surgery not recommended for?

Smokers (If smoking, stop for atleast 6 weeks before and after surgery )
Ongoing pregnancy
Obese
Patients with multiple co-morbidities
Patients who are unable to accept scars on their breasts.
Surgery may be deferred if you are breastfeeding.

Things to know about breast reduction surgery

There will be scars on the lower aspect of the breast (Which will be taken care of post-surgery with adequate scar prevention protocols )
There will be a certain amount of bruising depending on your skin type and propensity to bruise
A mild asymmetry in the breasts
Successful breastfeeding in 95% to 75%
Change in nipple-areolar sensation

Contrary to popular belief, Breast reduction/ Reduction mammaplasty is a therapeutic procedure and very rarely cosmetic. Certain cases of hypertrophic breasts are clearly curative and cleared by insurance companies provided the association with symptoms can be shown.

In fact, there are ongoing studies on breast reduction surgeries and improved athletic performance in women.

The social taboo and lack of awareness prolong the suffering of many women.

The physical discomfort and psychosocial discomfort associated with breast hypertrophy can be easily alleviated with surgery.

PRE-OP vs. POST OP