Taking a drastic action like having breast reduction surgery is a huge decision that really shouldn’t be considered lightly. Anytime you’re using surgery to change a physical feature of your body, you’ll want to consider the reasons you’re doing it and how the surgery is really going to benefit your physical and/or emotional health and self-confidence moving forward.
Breast reduction surgery is performed both for aesthetic and for medical reasons, which can even be covered by insurance if deemed “medically necessary.” I have always had a huge chest and have known I wanted to eventually get the surgery. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how terrifying the whole thing seemed and if it would really be “right” for me.
If you’re like me, then here is a good starting point. Ask yourself these questions to see if breast reduction is right for you:
- Do you have back pain, neck pain, and/or shoulder pain?
- Do you have painful dents in your shoulder from bra straps
- Do you suffer from headaches and/or migraines
- Have you been diagnosed with, or do you think you have Kyphosis?
- Does your skin underneath your breast area get easily irritated, rashes, acne, blackheads, or body odor?
- Do you frequently suffer from numb or tingling in your arms, hands, and fingertips?
- Do you have to go to a specialty store, shop online, or purchase custom when you’re bra shopping?
- Do you struggle with self-confidence, self-image, or body acceptance as a result of your large chest?
Girl, if you answered YES to any of these, even if it’s just one, I would say it’s worth talking to a doctor about and scoping out your options.
Now, it’s important to know that breast reduction surgery will only be covered by insurance if it is deemed “medically necessary,” so if you are looking to get your procedure covered be aware that there may or may not be some hoops to jump through.
I have a few friends that were able to get their surgery covered by just getting a doctor to recommend the procedure. I, on the other hand, had to provide proof that my procedure was medically necessary. I had to have a demonstrated medical history of headaches, kyphosis, and that treatment such as massage therapy and OTC medications had not improved my condition. I’m planning to write up a post talking about how I was able to get my procedure covered and what proof was necessary to do it, so if you’re interested in reading that be sure to subscribe so you get notified! (**update, you can find the post on how to get your breast reduction covered by insurance here.)
I have also had a few friends that got the procedure for cosmetic purposes (meaning it wasn’t covered by insurance or deemed “medically necessary”) that have been really happy with their investment. I know that all doctors price things differently, but for reference, my doctor in the state of Utah told me that at this time, my procedure would have cost about 6,500 to cover the full price if I had paid out of pocket. Of course, don’t hold me to that number because every situation is different for each person and procedure, but I hope that gives you a good idea of what it would have cost for me. Ultimately, I had so many of the symptoms above (aka ALL OF THEM) that it would have definitely been worth paying out of pocket for.
If you’re interested in reading more about my breast reduction surgery, you can find all of the details in this post here!
XXOO
Sunny
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