The exact criteria for a breast reduction on the NHS depends on where a person lives but many women, such as Melissa, have been refused because their BMI was too high.
Risks for those with higher BMIs are related to anaesthetic effectiveness as well as wound healing, blood clots and infections.
To be eligible for a breast reduction, patients usually have to maintain a BMI of between 20 and 27 for one year.
Melissa says she has been able to reduce her weight since her NHS referral as her hormones have settled after pregnancy and childbirth but she is unsure of how she will ever meet the criteria when her breasts are so heavy.
Over the past decade there has been a debate over whether BMI is the most reliable way to indicate overall health, particularly when bodies, like Melissa’s, are notably disproportionate.
Gill Baird, owner of Cosmedicare and founder of St Ellens’ Hospitals, said even if Melissa was to meet the criteria, she would not be guaranteed to receive the surgery on the NHS.
“There are thousands of people waiting for surgery from before Covid and the NHS are only seeing the most extreme cases just now,” she told BBC Scotland.
“The NHS is not an infinite resource and they have to prioritise what they have.
“BMI is a limiting factor because when you look at the most extreme cases, you’re not going to see women with size G, H or M cups and a BMI of below 30.”
