Like many women with exceptionally large breasts, Talia Derby struggled with both the physical and emotional limitations that her amply-sized chest placed on her life. “It just kind of sucked to have my whole identity taken up by something that I didn’t necessarily want,” Derby recounts. This past June, Derby had had enough and made the decision to reduce the size of her breasts though breast reduction surgery.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, over 103,000 women underwent breast reduction surgery in 2015. While the number of procedures performed has risen by over 115 percent in the past 20 years, it is still one of the lesser talked about procedures. Instead of keeping quiet, we wanted to highlight the benefits of this life-changing breast procedure.
Why Was It Important to Derby that She Share Her Story?
At 27, Derby reached out to other young women in her position. “It’s easy to find a lot of women in their 40s or people that have had kids that have [had a breast reduction], but I had a hard time finding younger adults who’ve gone through surgery,” she explains. Instead of finding camaraderie, she found it difficult to find women “who would actually respond to [her] and answer [her] questions.”
Derby hopes that she can be both influential and helpful to other woman in a similar position. She has since posted, “Anyone thinking about getting a breast reduction, I will happily answer any questions you have!” And, women have listened. Along with the many questions Derby has received, many have also commented their appreciation. “It’s amazing that you’re able to share your journey not just with us but now an even larger audience!” says one of Derby’s many Instagram followers.
Reported first in SELF magazine, Derby’s story was picked up by news outlets across the country. Clearly, Derby isn’t the only young women curious about breast reduction surgery. Evidence to this, in just the two months since her surgery, she has attracted over 3,000 new Instagram followers. While she hoped to be an inspiration to other women, she admits, “It’s completely crazy to me. I had absolutely no idea how huge this would get.”
Is Derby the Start of a New Trend?
Derby follows in the footsteps of celebrities like Modern Family’s Ariel Winter. Winter, who underwent breast reduction surgery last year, also made the choice to be open about her decision. She has made no secret how she feels about her now-smaller bosom, happily reporting, “You just feel so relieved and excited. You feel like a new person. You feel like this is how I was supposed to be.”
Let Talia Be Your Inspiration
Breast reduction surgery offers relief for women who suffer from pain, stress, and discomfort due to disproportionately large breasts. More than just physical, a breast reduction restores balance to both a woman’s body and to her life.
If you feel you might benefit from breast reduction surgery, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with one of Renaissance Plastic Surgery’s board certified plastic surgeons.