Rare condition causes Texas woman to undergo reduction for 36NNN breasts

A Beaumont woman has undergone breast reduction surgery after a rare hormonal condition caused her breasts to swell — weighing roughly 15 pounds each. Kerisha Marks, 40, told The Washington Post she underwent the surgery after suffering from gigantomastia, a hormonal condition that causes breasts to grow up to 3 percent of a person's body weight. less A Beaumont woman has undergone breast reduction surgery after a rare hormonal condition caused her breasts to swell — weighing roughly 15 pounds each. Kerisha Marks, 40, told The Washington Post she ... more Photo: Fechter, Joshua I, Twitter Photo: Fechter, Joshua I, Twitter Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Rare condition causes Texas woman to undergo reduction for 36NNN breasts 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

A Beaumont woman has undergone breast reduction surgery after a rare hormonal condition caused her breasts to swell — weighing roughly 15 pounds each.

Kerisha Marks, 40, told The Washington Post she underwent the surgery after suffering from gigantomastia, a hormonal condition that causes breasts to grow up to 3 percent of a person's body weight.

For Marks, the condition caused her breasts to grow to size 36NNN, bringing with it pulled muscles in her chest, severe back pain and emotional distress.

The 40-year-old high school social worker told the Post that the pain caused by the disorder would be so intense, it would convince her she was having a heart attack — or leave her with a migraine that lasted for hours.

"I could not run or jump or work out at all," she told the Post. "I was very limited in a lot of things I could do. I mean, you can't find a sports bra that size anyway."

Eventually, Marks sought out Houston-based plastic surgeon Franklin Rose.

"The breasts really hung down to her hips and were essentially like carrying around three basketballs at all times because they were so large," he said, according to the Post. "When we went into the exam room — I don't know if I would use this word 'shocking,' but it was certainly startling to see breasts of that magnitude."

The operation took four hours. Rose told the Post he removed 15 pounds of tissue.

"Getting my breasts reduced was like a divorce," Marks said. "And like a bad relationship, you don't always realize how bad things were until it's over."

Marks told CBS Houston she is now shopping for a new wardrobe.

"My first thing on the agenda is to purchase a beautiful bra and second is to buy a strapless dress," she said.

jfechter@mysa.com

Twitter: @JFreports