Home|Blog | Indentation of the Shoulders is a Common Finding in Women Seeking Breast Reduction Surgery

Indentation of the Shoulders is a Common Finding in Women Seeking Breast Reduction Surgery

Women with naturally large breasts frequently experience several common and uncomfortable symptoms and physical findings. These may include pains in the shoulder, neck and back, fatigue, indentation and irritation of the shoulders, headaches, rashes, skin irritation and infections, numbness of the hands, arthritis of the neck and/or lower back, postural changes and even discomfort sleeping on their back. Fortunately, breast reduction surgery is virtually always quite successful in alleviating the symptoms associated with enlarged breasts though some physical changes may be permanent.

A vast majority of the patients that see me in consultation for breast reduction surgery exhibit indentations of their shoulders as a consequence of the weight of their breasts causing their bra straps to dig into their shoulders. The more massive the breasts and the longer a woman waits to undergo a breast reduction, the deeper these grooves may be.

In the photos below of a patient who saw me in consultation for breast reduction surgery, you can see the prominent indentations of the shoulders. Interestingly enough, the deeper groove is situated on the right, the same side as the much larger breast. These invariably persist even long term after successful surgery.

Woman with shoulder indentations seeking breast reduction surgery. The deeper groove on the right is also associated with the larger right breast.

Right shoulder. Deeper indentation here associated with the larger right breast.

Left shoulder. Indentation here is not as deep due to a smaller breast on this side.

If you would like to obtain more information on breast reduction surgery or on any other plastic surgery procedure that I perform or to schedule a complimentary consultation with me, please call my office at 480-451-3000.

Steven H. Turkeltaub, M.D. P.C.
Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona