Yasmine Ben-Omar, a 21-year-old from the UK struggling with the physical and emotional toll of having size 30J breasts, revealed how a doctor dismissed her request for breast reduction, telling her that her chest wasn’t big but simply “saggy.”
“The whole experience was horrible,” she said, recounting how the female doctor cut their appointment short after accusing her of wanting to pass a “breast lift” surgery as a “breast reduction” one.
“It felt quite judgmental. She wasn’t very empathetic.”
But the humiliation didn’t end there for Yasmine, as after deciding to open a fundraiser for her surgery and talk about it on TikTok, she was subjected to hundreds of comments from men threatening to unfollow her if she went forward with the procedure.
“I’m tired of people over-sexualizing me,” she shared. “It just makes me feel ashamed of my body when I shouldn’t be.”
21-year-old struggles to fund her breast reduction surgery after doctor dismissed her as only having “saggy” breasts
Image credits: Voyagerix/stock.adobe.com (Not the actual photo)
For over a decade, Yasmine has faced physical discomfort and emotional distress due to her large bust. She was often the subject of unwanted attention and hurtful comments throughout her school years, which led to insecurities and pain that only worsened with time.
“I was very insecure and always in pain,” Yasmine told the Daily Mail about that period in her life. “It made my childhood really weird and uncomfortable.”
Determined to get rid of her “stigma,” Yasmine decided to undergo breast reduction surgery. She underwent rigorous training and dieting, lowering her body mass index by losing close to 55 pounds, allowing her to meet the National Health Service (NHS) eligibility criteria.
Image credits: NHS North East London
Excited, she scheduled an appointment for January 23 at the North Manchester General Hospital. Her surgeon, however, not only cut their half-hour meeting to just 10 minutes but refused to approve the procedure.
“She said they’re not big, they’re just really saggy,” Yasmine recounted. “She said you need a breast lift, not a breast reduction, even though my breasts are 30J, which is very large.”
The surgeon then told her they “don’t do breast lifts on the NHS” and walked out of the room.
According to experts, overly large breasts can cause spinal, muscular, and skin problems, as well as a great deal of psychological stress
Image credits: Yasmine Ben-Omar/LinkedIn
Breast reduction surgery has become one of the most common plastic surgeries in the world, with more than 90,000 of them being performed on average in the United States every year.
“There are many reasons why a woman might seek to reduce the size of her breasts,” Dr. Cristina Arcos explained to Bored Panda.
“Some do it for aesthetic reasons, but the vast majority do it because the size is bringing legitimate discomfort to their lives.”
Image credits: GoFundMe
According to the gynecologist, overly large breasts can cause chronic pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. The extra weight places a lot of strain on the skeleton and muscles, first causing poor posture and, eventually, spinal problems.
Overly large breasts can also cause a host of psychological problems as well. “Women with very large breasts also have trouble sleeping and performing some physical activities,” the doctor added.
“There’s also the extra discomfort that excessive sweating can cause during the summer, as it can lead to rashes and skin infections.”
Having been rejected by the NHS, Yasmine now seeks to get her procedure done privately and in a foreign country
Image credits: Sasun Bughdaryan/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
NHS funding for breast reduction surgery in the United Kingdom depends on the eligibility criteria of a local integrated care board (ICB).
Each ICB operates differently, but generally speaking they need a referral by a specialist doctor in order to determine if a patient is suitable for surgery and whether there’s a “strong enough reason” for the NHS to fund the procedure.
Having been rejected, Yasmine was left with no other option but to resort to a private operation. According to the NHS, the procedure can cost around $8,000 (£6,500), plus the cost of any consultations or follow-up care.
Image credits: Yasmine Ben-Omar/LinkedIn
Looking for a cheaper alternative, Yasmine decided to set up a GoFundMe page with a goal of $2,700 (around £2,200) to fund her travel to Turkey or Lithuania for the surgery.
“I am doing everything I can to save, working multiple part-time jobs while balancing the responsibilities of rent and studying,” Yasmine wrote on the site.
“This surgery isn’t cosmetic; it’s about improving my quality of life and mental health.”
Ever since promoting her fundraiser on social media, Yasmine has been subjected to objectifying comments by men online
Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
In her interview, Yasmine revealed how promoting her fundraising campaign on TikTok was a double-edged sword, as it ended up inviting hundreds of “misogynistic” comments from male users shaming her for her decision.
“’I posted about it on TikTok, and I think I got around 20,000 views, and the majority of my comments were just hate comments,” she told the outlet.
The extra attention also caused photos of her to be shared on forums, explicitly talking about her body in a sexual manner.
“I found that people had been posting me online, talking about my breasts when I don’t share anything sexual or inappropriate,” Yasmine revealed.
“[They’re] basically putting the woman’s pain below their own pleasure.”
Netizens empathized with Yasmine’s ordeal and shared with her tips that could help her navigate the surgery process more effectively
Image credits: Olga Guryanova/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
“When you do get the surgery, please ensure you get at least a size smaller than you want,” one reader said. “I am now needing a second breast reduction as due to menopause, they’ve grown back and then some.”
“If addressed now, she will not suffer crippling back problems in years to come, which will possibly stop her working,” another shared.
“How sad is this,” one user lamented. “This woman fits the criteria and, if not addressed, will suffer spinal complications that will inevitably end in the need for ongoing treatment costing the NHS long term.”
“This is a real and cripplingly painful issue for some women. It’s something she needs proper help with, not a butcher in Turkey.”
The NHS has since released a statement encouraging Yasmine to issue an appeal.
“We are aware that waiting times for consultations and treatments can be a challenge, and we continue to work towards reducing these waiting periods to ensure patients receive timely care.”
“The operation is warranted.” Netizens expressed frustration with the NHS’s denial of the procedure and encouraged Yasmine to file an appeal
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