Thaynara Marcondes, a 22-year-old pedagogy student from Mandirituba, is on the road to recovery after undergoing breast reduction surgery to address a condition known as gigantomastia.
“I couldn’t even wear a bra anymore,” she says.
This rare disorder caused her breasts to grow to an astonishing weight of 10 kilograms (22 pounds), making even everyday activities a challenging struggle. In this article, we’ll dive into Thaynara’s emotional and physical journey, shedding light on the difficulties she faced and the steps she took toward reclaiming her life.
From struggle to strength
“I ended up putting all my clothes in a bag because nothing fit. One day, I tried on eight shirts and none of them worked. I totally lost it.”
Now, after her surgery at the end of October, Thaynara is looking forward to getting back to the gym and wearing a bikini again. “I want to run, be active, and do a ton of things that I couldn’t do before,” she adds.
The disease, which first showed up in February, made daily activities a struggle—things like working out and even holding babies at her job as a daycare assistant. “I couldn’t take it anymore,” she admits. “I’m skinny, and my back was killing me.” Her breasts weighed 10 kg.
The surgery, which cost R$40,000, has given her a new lease on life, and she’s now sharing her recovery journey on social media to raise awareness about gigantomastia and its impact. She’s excited to finally feel like herself again and wants other women to know they’re not alone in facing this challenge.
Gigantomastia, also known as breast hypertrophy or macromastia, is a rare condition where the breasts grow excessively large due to an overproduction of breast tissue. This condition most commonly affects people assigned to female at birth and can cause significant discomfort, pain, and even body image issues.
Plastic surgeon Dyson Luis Nicolau dos Santos, who was responsible for Tainara’s surgery, explained that a variety of factors can trigger gigantomastia. These include obesity, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, endocrine disorders, and the use of certain medications.
However, in the student’s case, the exact cause behind the excessive breast growth has yet to be identified.
What is gigantomastia?
When she first noticed her breasts growing abnormally, she consulted a mastologist — a medical specialist focused on breast health. Initially, doctors suspected cancer, but this theory was ruled out after tests on lymph nodes came back negative.
Although the student has undergone breast reduction surgery, both she and her doctor are still awaiting the results of additional tests to determine the underlying cause of the condition.
Here you can read about another complex surgery that saved two lives. Read the story of the separation of Siamese twins with a shared liver.