What Amber Rose Needs to Hear Before Deciding on Her New Plastic Surgery Dilemma
Amber Rose may be known for her signature curves, but it turns out she's not happy with one [...]
Amber Rose may be known for her signature curves, but it turns out she's not happy with one element of her body — her large breasts. "My boobs are stupid heavy," she said in an Instagram post this week, before dropping a bit of a bomb on her followers: Turns out, she's considering having breast reduction surgery in the near future, citing back pain as the main reason.
Rose called out to her followers for advice, asking "Are there any ladies out there that are much happier even though you have breast reduction scars?"
Dr. Debra Johnson, President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, told PopCulture.com that there are quite a few: "Breast reduction patients are my happiest patients," she told us, elaborating that "they are so grateful for the ability to wear 'normal' bras and clothes, to not have people staring at their chests all day long, and to rid themselves of the chronic discomfort." (It's telling that Rose also cited having to wear "a grandma bra" as another complaint of her large breasts.)
By Johnson's definition, Amber Rose is certainly within the typical range of women who consider (and benefit from) this surgery.
"Usually any woman of DD or larger is symptomatic," she says — Amber Rose, for the record, says she wears "a 36H, natural". Johnson also notes that "the problems tend to worsen with age, as gravity causes the entire breast to sag," which could account for Rose's purported change of heart from her 2015 comments that she might want to add something to her breasts.
Rose's post also made it clear that she was concerned about the lingering effects the surgery could have on her body, including scarring. "I'm really scared of the lollipop scars tho.... any advice?" she asked her followers, referring to the circle-and-line scar pattern that is typical of breast reduction surgeries.
According to Johnson, these concerns are valid but often pale in comparison to the benefits experienced by women who undergo the surgery.
"Breast reduction surgery requires some trade-offs," Johnson admitted. "Studies show that greater than 90 percent of women get full resolution of their neck, back, and shoulder discomfort after breast reduction. Despite the scarring, 98 percent say they would do it again in a heartbeat."
A quick look at the comments left on Amber Rose's Instagram post seems to corroborate this sentiment. The thread is filled with messages of support and encouragement from women who have undergone this same process with great results.
"DO IT!! I did when I was 20, I went from a 32H to a 34DD. Best choice I made! The scarring is hardly noticeable now (4 years later) and it feels so much better!" said one commenter.
As for whether Rose should go through with the surgery, Johnson has a relatively straightforward metric for helping decide.
"My advice with any elective surgery is to assure yourself that this is a problem that is bugging you every day. If it bothers you infrequently, don't do anything. If it bothers you a lot, then why not fix it?"
As for the issue of scarring, the reward tends to outweigh the risk. "Most people end up with scars that are fairly innocuous, but some end up with unattractive scars: wide, off-colored, thickened, tender. We always warn women of the risk of poor scars, but most are so happy to have smaller breasts that they are willing to take the risk," Johnson says.
All in all, Johnson says the most important part of making a decision like this one is to get informed opinions from top-tier professionals. "Any woman considering breast reduction should consult with an ASPS-member board certified plastic surgeon," one of which can be found at www.plasticsurgery.org. "After such a consultation, she should be able to make a reasonable and rational decision," Johnson says.
Out of all the advice being circulated in response to Amber Rose's post, this is the piece she should listen to most!
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