My daughter, Alyssa Michelle, was 17 years old and had to deal with the adversity of having two completely different sized breasts during her school years.   Now, that might not seem a major problem to some, but to the one going through it, the challenges it poses are immense. One, kids at school can be cruel even to those who fit their picture of “like everyone else”.  There is little room in some corners and groups for those who are outside this norm. My daughter had a DD on one side and a B on the other and she did everything she could do to minimize their visibility. She wore over-sized shirts over the more form fitting and trendy clothes that she would have liked to have donned.  A sweatshirt was usually the final layer of any outfit she wore to school. Bras were another story. She would have to buy her bras to fit the larger breast so it wouldn’t fall out. But that would leave the other breast swimming in a bra two sizes too large, causing the material to bunch up and pucker in all the wrong places.  So her go to was sports bras every single day.

Then came the lineup of events toward the end of her senior year that most kids are truly excited for.  I remember feeling her pain at the thought of the trip to Catalina Island and all of the girls in bathing suits.  I couldn’t bear the thought of Alyssa putting on a tee shirt over her suit, or worse, not attending at all. She asked me about having a breast-reduction surgery and I agreed to take her to a consultation with a surgeon to explore her options.  

Surgeons do not normally recommend surgery on someone so young because they are still developing.  He explained that there would be immediate benefits of having breasts the same size, but that they would continue to grow at different rates and eventually she would again have two different sized breasts.  Well, it got her through her senior year of high school and gave her the self-confidence she desperately needed, but eventually, they did grow back and once again she had two different sized breasts.

It wasn’t as dramatic a difference as it was in her teens, but Alyssa, now 30 years old, had one DD and one full C/ small D breast and she was ready to take care of it once and for all.  Back to Dr K for another consult! Her surgeon definitely remembered Alyssa and brought out the old photos taken her first time around to refresh her memory on just what she dealt with on round one.  Staring at the photo, we were all amazed! (first photo in this blog) Time passing kind of dulls the memory as none of us remembered how drastically different her breasts really were! The doctor still uses those photos in his surgery center as an example of what can be done to help other women with the same problem.  

The 2^nd surgery would require a breast reduction, a lift, and a reduction in the size of her areolas.   The surgery date was set for Monday, January 13^th.  This would be the date that my daughter would finally get the breasts that she should have been born with.  I was so excited for her! People kept asking her if she was afraid of the surgery and worried about the outcome.  Her answer was an emphatic no and no. Once she has made up her mind, especially about surgeries, she is able to put her complete faith in the doctors and medical professionals.  Instead of worrying about the approaching date, she was excitedly looking forward to it.  

The morning of the surgery, I watched as the doctor drew all the dots and lines on my daughter as an outline for where the incisions and the tucks would be made.  He told her that he would be doing a little bit of liposuction to get rid of the “side boob” under each arm that most of us have anyway. She embraced everything he said and was definitely hopeful and happy as they wheeled her out of pre-op into the operating room, eyes glazy from the sedative they had just administered.  

I saw her next, in recovery four hours later, and her breasts were wrapped tightly in a front closing sports bra with bandages underneath covering the surgery site.  Drowsy and still a little loopy from the anesthetic, she laughed about her boobs being so perky that they were at attention just below her neckline! The doctor assured her that they would relax and fall slightly over the coming weeks.  

Well, it has been four days since surgery, and feeling only slight discomfort, I join her in her excitement for the day the bandages can come off and she can see her new look.  I am excited for her to be able to wear bras that fit both of her breasts, and to be able to wear clothes that she doesn’t have to squeeze her chest into. This is something that she should have had from the start.  I thank God for the great doctor she has had through both of her surgeries and the skill that he has to make my daughter’s dream come true! 

 There is a time and place for surgeries such as this one, and I think she made the right decision at the right time in her life to be able to appreciate her own body in a brand new way.  Speedy recovery my daughter, and I hope I can be there to see the look on your face when you get to see two, evenly sized breasts for the first time!

A special note from this mother to her daughter: “Alyssa, I have always been so proud to have such a wonderful and compassionate daughter.  You have given me joy beyond what I thought was possible! I marvel at your ability and your willingness to share your life experiences with others with the hope that, in doing so, you can provide insight and comfort to women in similar circumstances.  I love you more than I can ever say!”

Mom

Edited to add by Alyssa Michelle:
My doctor is incredible and if you want his information, here it is!
Dr. Kachenmeister – (949) 364-1010
26732 Crown Valley Pkwy # 585, Mission Viejo, CA 92691

He’s done both of my surgeries, and I wouldn’t trust ANYONE else to do it!