The influence of reduction mammaplasty on dermato-psychiatric disorders

Macromastia can cause psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression, and decreases in self-esteem and self-confidence. These problems often externalize themselves on the skin, causing lesions characterized by various degrees of excoriations and lichenified plaques. Mammaplasty operations are very effective in the treatment of neurotic excoriations and similar skin lesions as well as any underlying psychiatric disorders.

This study included 17 patients with macromastia and neurotic excoriation lesions who underwent psychiatric treatment for various reasons. Follow ups were performed using routine photographs used in breast surgeries.

During the postoperative follow ups, the excoriations for nearly every patient healed within 2 weeks. Some lesions healed with atrophic scars and some with permanent hyperpigmentation. Patients' physical complaints, such as backache, shoulder ache and submammary pruritic dermatitis, were also observed to heal. In addition, the patients stated that they felt better psychologically, and most also reported stopping psychiatric treatment.

The psychological problems caused by macromastia include neurotic excoriation and similar skin problems, and aesthetic reduction mammaplasty surgeries are very effective in the treatment of these lesions. Body image perception comprises an important part of self-respect and self-esteem, and psychological-status cosmetic surgery can be evaluated as an alternative to psychological treatment.