Summer Robert, 28, believed to have the largest breasts in the UK, has spoken about why she's chosen not to pursue a breast reduction, despite the significant physical pain caused by her condition.
Her diagnosis
Robert's chest began growing when she was eight years old and hasn't stopped since, now weighing around 27kg and measuring a 30U cup. After years of being sent between doctors, and at one point being told to lose weight, she was eventually diagnosed with macromastia, a rare medical condition involving excessive, and often ongoing, breast tissue growth.
What actually causes macromastia
Macromastia isn't simply a result of weight gain, though there is a documented link with obesity, since fat tissue itself contains aromatase, an enzyme that can amplify oestrogen production locally within the breast. Research indicates the condition is generally driven not by abnormal hormone levels in the blood, but by breast tissue becoming unusually sensitive to normal hormone levels, particularly oestrogen, progesterone, and prolactin. Studies have pointed to increased local expression of aromatase and altered oestrogen and progesterone receptor activity within the breast tissue itself as key contributing mechanisms, alongside the involvement of various growth factors. In cases beginning during puberty, known as juvenile or pubertal macromastia, this heightened tissue sensitivity is considered the most widely accepted explanation, rather than any underlying hormonal imbalance.
The physical impact
Robert has described severe, chronic back, shoulder, and leg pain as a result of her condition, along with permanent grooves in her shoulders caused by bra straps bearing the weight of her chest. She now requires three massages a week to manage the pain. Macromastia can also cause skin irritation and infections beneath the breast, painful bra-related skin indentations, and reduced nipple sensation, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Why a reduction wouldn't be a lasting fix
Currently, the only treatment available for macromastia is surgical breast reduction, but because the underlying tissue sensitivity driving the growth remains, breast tissue frequently regrows even after surgery. Robert reportedly didn't qualify for reduction surgery through the NHS on three separate occasions due to her BMI, and after later being cleared for the procedure following the discovery of a non-cancerous lump, she ultimately decided against it, recognising it would only offer a temporary fix given her tissue continues to grow.
Her life now
Robert has built a career on OnlyFans, which she says has allowed her to travel extensively and support her family financially, including buying her sister a property. She's said the pain caused by her condition remains the only reason she'd ever consider a reduction, adding that she's since come to feel comfortable in her body.
