Size 36NNN woman undergoes massive breast reduction

HOUSTON (KABC) -- One of Houston's most renowned plastic surgeons recently performed one of the biggest breast reductions he has ever done.

Kerisha Mark suffers from a medical condition that gave her a 36NNN bust size and all of the pain, embarrassment and physical hardships that went along with it.

Eyewitness News cameras went inside the operating room as Mark celebrated her 40th birthday with a life-altering operation and had more than 15 pounds of tissue removed.

"I was like, happy birthday to me!" Mark said.

She wants to be known for the woman she is, a wife, mother and school social worker, not the extremely large chest that has prompted stares and whispers since high school.

"My first time at boot camp, I did a jumping jack, and my bra snapped," Mark said.

Mark is an extreme case for Dr. Franklin Rose. As her natural breasts grew larger, the emotional and physical effects began taking a toll.

"I started to have really bad headaches. Women and men want to touch them to see if they are real. It's real intimidating," Mark said.

After much prayer, she went to Rose, a renowned Houston plastic surgeon. Rose says he hasn't seen anything like it in his 30 years of practice.

"She is among the largest, if not the largest patients for breast reduction," Rose said. "This indention she has from constant dragging and pulling."

The surgery is not only cosmetic for Mark. She has a condition known as Gigantomastia, where women as young as 14 can suffer from a massive overgrowth.

"Nobody could support this additional weight," Rose said. "She would have ended up almost a hunchback given 30 more years."

After three hours in the operating room, Rose removed 15 pounds of breast tissue.

Not long into recovery, the wife and mother realized she had become a new woman.

"The first time my best friend saw me, she cried," Mark said. "When I stood up for the first time I felt so light."

She also experienced emotions she didn't anticipate.

"After I got home I did cry. It was like I mourned the death of them, it was like a divorce," Mark said.

But a door opened to many firsts. She was able to shop for a new wardrobe. Next summer she'll be able to wear a swimsuit for the first time.

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

She looks forward to a life full of adventures, saying she plans to "live my life to the fullest without restrictions."