Breast reduction surgery is meant for people who have large breasts that cause the following: Chronic back, neck and shoulder pain. Shoulder grooves from bra straps. Chronic rash or skin irritation under the breasts.
Write a Personal Appeal Letter: Draft a letter describing your symptoms, how they have affected your quality of life, and why you believe breast reduction surgery is medically necessary. Focus on the physical problems rather than cosmetic concerns.
Breast reduction may be recommended if you have very large breasts (macromastia) and: Chronic pain that affects your quality of life. You may be having headaches, neck pain, or shoulder pain. Chronic nerve problems caused by poor posture, which result in numbness or tingling in your arms or hands.
However, if your Body Mass Index (BMI) is over 35, breast reduction surgery will not be covered by insurance, and it is not safe to perform.
There is no specific minimum breast size for reduction, as it depends on the individual's body proportions and preferences. However, surgeons typically recommend that patients have at least a C cup or larger to be considered good candidates for breast reduction surgery.
Plastic surgery has gained immense popularity, but there are several factors that can disqualify individuals. Unrealistic expectations, psychological considerations, medical conditions, inadequate finances, poor physical health, and lack of commitment to aftercare are all crucial factors to consider.
Can a breast reduction be covered by insurance? Yes. Breast reductions are covered by many health insurance plans. However, your surgeon may need to authorize the procedure with your health insurance company in order to get coverage.
The original size and shape of your breasts will also greatly affect the decision-making process, and your height and weight factor into deciding what size will be proportionate to your body shape. The lower limit on a breast reduction is an A cup. However, in general, patients will go down at least one or 2 cup sizes.
The average pair of DDD breasts weighs between 15 and 23 pounds. To put this into perspective, this is the equivalent of carrying around two small turkeys on your chest every day. . . . . .
Breast tissue can be very heavy and the common complaint of breast reduction patience is back pain, shoulder divots from their bra straps, and the inability to participate in sports and other activities.
Eating a healthy diet
The breasts mostly consist of adipose tissue, or fat. Losing body fat can reduce a person's breast size. Maintaining a diet and lifestyle where energy expenditure is higher than calorie intake will cause a person to lose weight. This weight loss may lead to a reduction in breast size.
Body mass index (BMI).
Some insurance companies will deny breast reduction surgery unless the BMI is <30, others <35, while others need to see documentation that the patient has attempted to lose weight in the past through diet, exercise or weight loss surgery. This is because breast size may decrease with weight loss.
Documentation: Documentation is key when supporting coverage for breast reduction. The Medical Record should document the symptoms associated with hypermastia the patient has experienced, as well as their duration. If required by the payer, conservative measures that failed to improve symptoms should be documented.
Ideal candidates for breast reduction are:
Suffering from shoulder indentations caused by bra straps and/or have skin irritation beneath the breast crease. Healthy individuals who do not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing. Nonsmokers/non-vapers.
Women who suffer from chronic neck, back, and shoulder pain because of overly large breasts are likely candidates for insurance coverage. Recurrent inflammatory conditions at the breast creases can also be considered an acceptable qualification.
You have back, shoulder or neck pain
Pain should never be ignored. If you have large breasts and experience pain around your upper back, shoulders or neck, then your breasts could be a contributing factor. While surgery could be an option, physiotherapy can also help with managing pain and posture.
Most surgeons do not dictate or require a particular size to qualify you as a candidate for breast reduction. The most vital factor they consider is if the breast size causes you mental and physical health problems.
In most cases, you'll receive your medical clearance from your primary care physician (PCP) leading up to surgery, although some ASCs have the ability to perform their own preoperative testing.
Generally speaking, anyone who is in reasonably good mental and physical health can be candidates for breast implants. However, you are likely not a good candidate for this surgery if: You're pregnant or breastfeeding. You have breast cancer or an abnormal mammogram.
You Are Not Medically Cleared for Surgery
Even if you consider yourself healthy, some underlying conditions may disqualify you. Your doctor will go over these in your consultation. Conditions like asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure are typical warning flags for plastic surgeons.