One dilemma that often comes up for me as a cosmetic surgeon in Portland is the issue of how much breast tissue to remove during breast reduction. Since insurance coverage sometimes depends on a minimum requirement for tissue removal, the challenge then becomes balancing the insurance company’s requirements with optimal aesthetics.
This becomes a personal question for the patient, as well as an ethical question for the surgeon. Both the patient and surgeon need to think about what’s best for the patient’s health first and foremost. Second to patient health is the aesthetic outcome.
If the surgeon and patient use insurance requirements as a guide for how much tissue to remove, the cosmetic results may suffer, along with the patient’s satisfaction and self-confidence. Achieving the best results will help give the patient the greatest sense of fulfillment regarding the procedure. The confidence and peace of mind that come from a successful cosmetic surgery are often worth –or more than worth – the cost.