The rise of the ‘reverse boob job’

Loading

Whitton’s surgeon, Dr Garry Buckland, says the demographics in his practice have “changed dramatically” over the past 20 years.

“Initially, I largely treated women in their 60s for breast reduction surgery. Today, the most common demographic is women aged between 18 and 30, with women in their 20s outnumbering other age groups,” says Buckland. “This correlates with a generation who are unwilling to tolerate the physical and psychological implications of disproportionately large breasts.”

Sach Trikha, who works in financial services, went under the knife in her twenties. Going from a 10F to a 10C cup size was much more comfortable on her 157 cm frame and meant she could easily find a bra that fit while shopping.

“I distinctly remember noticing I no longer had the heaviness sitting on my ribs that I had felt since I was 12,” says the 30-year-old.

Plastic surgeon Dr Alaina Taylor, who operated on Trikha, says the popularity of breast reductions in younger women has been influenced by women deciding not to have children or choosing to have them later in life. Previously, many women delayed the surgery until after having kids.

Loading

Having big boobs causes a range of issues for women. There’s the struggle to find comfortable bras and clothes that fit. Exercising can be difficult, there may be shoulder pain, as well as skin conditions.

For younger women, sexual objectification can also be a particularly difficult issue. Teenage girls can face unwelcome attention and may be mocked or harassed at school, though Taylor notes that these reasons are consistent across the generations.

“Most women ask for their breasts to be as small as possible,” she says.

Compared to other kinds of cosmetic surgery, breast reduction has one of the lowest rates of regret. “My patients are usually very happy and return with beaming smiles to say the procedure has changed their lives,” Taylor says.

Whitton and Trikha certainly have no regrets. “I truly feel I’m in the prime of my life now,” Trikha says.

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.