Imagine carrying 10 or even twenty pounds of extra weight, and it’s all thanks to your boobs? Millenial mom and TikTok influencer Elena Duque knows this all-too well. The 42-year old Floridian has had not one, but two breast reductions. The problem with the first time though was, they grew back.
About half a million breast reductions are performed each year in the U.S. and around the world, according to the National Library of Medicine.
What a lot of people don’t realize is that many women opt for a reduction for comfort reasons, and not so much aesthetics. When your breasts are essentially too large (and oftentimes heavy) for your frame, that causes an array of issues from back, neck and shoulder pain to indents from bra straps and the inability to participate in sports and other activities. It’s a quality of life thing, really.
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“Big breasts run in the family, and my mom had had a reduction,” shares Duque. “In 2010, I decided it was time to get one myself.”
Duque says she was a 36DDD and she was in so much pain, doctors were able to push it through insurance without incident. Fast forward 12-years and two kids later, and Duque was faced with yet the same problem again. “I loved the results but I had no idea they could grow back!,” she tells us.
Duque tried losing weight — and did — just not in her boobs. “They literally just did not get any smaller,” she laments.
In August of 2022, she made an appointment with Dr. Neil Goodman at New Radiance Cosmetic Centers in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. “He told me about this procedure where he performs breast reductions using just liposuction and it leaves no scars. He said the downtime would only be a few days. It sounded too good to be true,” she explains.
Duque would also opt to undergo a breast lift, which many women often need to do after a reduction procedure. She scheduled the surgery.
On the day of her procedure, Duque (with her mom in tow for emotional support) says she was brought into a room, fully awake, and her breasts were numbed while she was injected with tumescent fluid. “The actual procedure took just over an hour and I had zero pain. Maybe just some discomfort at times, but no pain,” she recalls.
“When it was over, they put lots of gauze underneath a compression sports bra, because all the fluid drains out over the next 24-48 hours. I literally peed on my own, got dressed, and walked out, with my mom as my driver of course,” she explains.
Duque says she just rested and relaxed for the rest of that day and the next day, she took a 30-minute walk. Four days later, she returned to work and her schedule as normal. “I was a little swollen but overall, felt great!”
One month later, she’s a 36D and expecting to continue to shrink as swelling goes down, to her goal of a 36C. Duque says she is thrilled with the results and reaping all the benefits of her new smaller stature, including being able to find clothing easier, and less back and shoulder pain.
“The only scars are from the entry points of the Lipo cannula and they’re hidden,” she says. “After experiencing a traditional breast reduction surgery and its recovery, this is such a great option for women with a much easier recovery and with less risk of complications,” Duque says.
She hopes that with getting the word out about this procedure, and her positive results, more women will not shy away from making a change that could greatly improve their quality of life. “Real surgery can be scary and deter many women from having their breasts reduced and feeling relief. If you’re a candidate for this procedure, it is a great way to get a reduction without having to put your entire life on hold.”
Of course, if you’re considering any procedure, be sure to discuss with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
