'I finally got the boobs I wanted at 42. Three years later, menopause made them "explode".'

Lexi Dodd always had a love, hate relationship with her boobs.

Pre-children she wanted to get breast implants, but like many, she put the decision off until after having kids.

"Even in my 20s, like, I guess with all the Baywatch and 90210 and everything else, I was so keen to have my boobs done back then," Lexi told Mamamia with a laugh, adding her mother and sister had larger busts, but she was a B cup before children.

"I didn't inherit that. I was always just normal size," she said.

Once Lexi had her children, she bit the bullet and made the call to get implants at the age of 42.

In doing so, she went from a "saggy" C to a "pert" D cup.

After getting the implants, Lexi went from a C to a D cup.

Then, three years later, menopause hit and, in a cruel twist of irony, her boobs

"I went up to an F. I was huge. I was a 12 bottom and 16 top," Lexi said, explaining she had "no idea" breasts could grow during menopause.

"If anything, I would have assumed it was the opposite, as the female hormones were dropping off, they'd get smaller. I had no idea they'd go up as they did.

"They were so big, and I can only put it down to menopause, as I didn't really put on any weight."

As she went through menopause, Lexi's bust grew significantly and she went up to an F cup. Image: Supplied.

The burden of a bigger bust.

What many people don't realise is how significantly large breasts can impact daily life.

For Lexi, simple activities became challenging or impossible.

"They were big and difficult," she said.

"Clothes would not fit properly. Shirts wouldn't button up. I could not have a comfortable massage, I could not even do a hamstring curl at the gym."

Listen: Breast reductions are on the rise. Post continues below.

The physical symptoms were equally debilitating.

"The pain was just it was a lot. I was on copious amounts of medication for upper back pain, mainly neck pain," she said.

"I changed pillows, I did everything."

Her GP eventually suggested that her breast size could be the culprit for her neck pain.

"He goes, 'it is quite, quite common, but it is drastic to have a breast reduction just for that.' And I said, 'but it's everything," Lexi recalled.

"It's not being able to go and have a massage without having to prop up pillows all around.

"There's a photo that I had taken when I was at a friend's wedding around 2020, and they were just huge. They were so big. It just wasn't flattering anymore. I was so top-heavy — like an apple on the top with two little legs."

This photo, taken in South Africa ahead of a destination wedding, helped Lexi's decision to get a reduction. Image: Supplied.

The road to a reduction.

Lexi did not make the decision to get a reduction lightly.

There were several moments that led her to that path.

"Firstly, they just didn't look great. From where I'd had the breast implant surgery, they started to grow up and over the implants and fall down a sort of waterfall over the top of them," she explained, adding this, and the pain coupled with the everyday hindrances helped make the choice for her.

However, when it came to picking a surgeon, Lexi faced an awkward decision.

"I was too embarrassed to go back to the initial surgeon and ask him to take them out after I'd asked him to put them in," she admitted.

Watch: How a breast reduction works. Post continues below.

Lexi's breast reduction surgery was also more complex than a standard procedure.

It involved removing the implants, dealing with excess skin, all while ensuring minimal scarring.

Despite having private health insurance coverage due to documented neck issues, Lexi was out of pocket about $20,000 for the procedure.

"When you have an implant put in, it just fills a hole that's not there," Lexi said. "When you're taking something out, you've got to do something with all that loose skin.

"They can't tell what sort of size you'll be after the implants come out. They can only reduce them so much because otherwise you risk the skin dying and necrosis."

The recovery involved drains for about a week to two weeks, and significant scarring initially.

"When the bandages first come off, it's pretty gnarly — very Bride of Frankenstein," Lexi said. "But it doesn't last forever. Within about six months, everything starts to fade and look pretty normal again."

'The best thing that I did.'

Two years post-surgery, Lexi describes the results as life-changing; she is now a comfortable 14C.

"Honestly, it was the best thing that I did. It was such a good, such a good result," she said.

"I'm not popping Panadol every night for neck pain. Gym and other activities are completely fine. I can go into normal underwear stores and buy off-the-rack bras. Clothing fits. I can buy the same size top and bottom — I'm back to a size 12 again.

"It's just easy. Life is definitely a lot more comfortable."

Lexi hasn't looked back since getting the reduction. Image: Supplied.

Lexi's love-hate-to-love relationship with her breasts isn't an isolated one.

A recent global study discovered that 70 per cent of women are unhappy with their breast size. A little over forty-seven per cent wanted larger boobs, while 23 per cent wanted them to be smaller.

For women considering breast reduction, Lexi emphasised that both physical and aesthetic concerns are valid enough reasons for surgery.

"If you're just not happy with the way that you look because you're so out of proportion, that's enough of a reason. But if you're also experiencing physical pain and discomfort, if you can't go about daily activities, then do something about it," she said.

"Do your homework. Be prepared for a bit of scarring afterwards, but if you can deal with that, absolutely go for it."

Feature image: Supplied.