Bethanne Snodgrass’s book When Less is More: The Complete Guide For Women Considering Breast Reduction Surgery lives up to its title. Beginning with an acknowledgment and definition of the health problems facing large-breasted women, Snodgrass explains every step of breast reduction surgery. There’s a guide to choosing a surgeon, advice for the weeks and months after the surgery, and explanations, in plain English, of the various surgical techniques used to reduce breast tissue. She explains the details of common concerns, such as breastfeeding, post-operation hygiene, and sexual concerns. Perhaps most useful, Snodgrass provides a detailed guide to paying for the procedure, from doing it yourself to persuading an insurance company of medical necessity. Along the way, Snodgrass debunks some pervasive myths, such as the idea that weight loss results in breast reduction, the usefulness of various fad treatments, and the notion that large breasts are socially desirable.

More than just a guide to reduction surgery, When Less is More also offers non-surgical solutions for large-breasted women not ready or able to seek a surgical solution. The chapters on physical therapy and specialty bras are immediately useful even for those waiting on surgery.

If you can put on a shirt without a minimizer, if you’ve never had to get a bra specially ordered or had to wear padding under your bra straps to keep from reopening abrasions on your shoulders, the idea of a woman wanting breast reduction surgery may seem odd. But if you’re beginning to get tired of carrying an extra twenty pounds on your chest, or would just like to be able to buy a shirt off the rack for once, When Less is More may be just the guide you need.