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Excess Flab on Sides After Breast Reduction

asked 3 years ago by pwincess79 in usa
Latest answer by Alan Engler, MD
Question viewed 9,144 times
Tags: excess skin, 5 years post-op, flab

I had Breast Reduction around five years ago, followed by a lot of complicatons (which were fixed by another doctor). Now, I'm concerned about the excess flab on my sides from the surgery. It's really bothersome if i don't put a bra on, or if I wear certian kinds of bra. Are there any procedures for fixing this? If so, is it possible for such procedures to be covered by insurance?

31 answers to Excess Flab on Sides After Breast Reduction

+2

Excess flab after breast reduction is a common complaint

Many women (particularly those who are overweight) have excess tissue that extends past the outside of the breasts under the arms as a fold of skin and fat. This typically lies under the bra strap. Breast reduction is typically limited to the breast tissue itself and therefore does not involve removing the excess "flab" on the sides. However, this "flab" can become more noticeable after breast reduction and is a common complaint after surgery. Improvement may occur... more
Christopher W. Chase, MD

Chattanooga Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Reduction - Excess Flab on Sides

Yes, and probably not. In general, having some excess tissue in that area is not that uncommon, and it may be more noticeable after a breast reduction. Furthermore, if you put on some weight after your surgery then relatively more may have gone there than did so before (since your breasts were reduced and some of the weight may otherwise have gone there). Whatever the cause, you (or the surgeon, more likely) need to determine if the excess tissue is skin, fat, or both. ... more
Alan Engler, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Excess Tissue Chest after Breast Reduction?

Thank you for the question. Many patients undergoing breast reduction surgery are also concerned about “excess” skin and/or adipose tissue of the upper chest (infraaxillary) area as well. To treat this area liposuction and/or skin excision (lipectomy) may be necessary. If the area is not treated, it may become even more obvious as an area of “fullness” after the breast reduction procedure is performed. If a patient elects to have the excess skin in... more
Tom J. Pousti, MD

San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Flab and roll around bra strap following breast reduction

This is a common associated complaint reported with breast reduction. The problem is to determine if this is localized breast tissue, fat and/or skin. Depending on the evaluation further breast reduction, liposuction, or dermolipectomy (removing skin and fat) may be indicated. see video
Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

There are various options for treating this

It can often occur that the sides of your breasts do show up slightly more because the volume of the breast is actually reduced. There are various options for treating this but the main thing I would recommend is to try and get your body mass index stand to under 30 if it is currently above 30. Getting down to a normal weight, if you are a overweight will reduce the prominence in these areas. If you are a normal weight, liposuction or sometimes removal of the tissue in this... more
Adrian Richards, MD

London Plastic Surgeon
+1

Lateral excesses after breast reduction can be fixed, but may require skin excision.

Lateral to the breast, a prominence may result after breast reduction.  If there is not surplus skin, liposuction of the area can fix the problem.  If skin is in excess, it will need to be excised.  This will require an extension of the breast reduction incision.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Extra tissue on the sides after breast reduction

It is not uncommon for patients to have extra tissue - usually either skin or fat, or a combination of both - at the sides of the breasts and chest wall. This area may be treated with liposuction with skin excision at the time of breast reduction, or afterwards as a separate procedure.
Olivia Hutchinson, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Excess tissue after a breast reduction

Most likely the excess tissue can be removed by liposuction. Minor touch-ups and revisions are not uncommon.  In some circumstances, skin may be removed, too, by extending the lower breast reduction scar.  Your surgeon can recommend what is best for you.  It is not likely that insurance will cover this, but it may be covered if your breast reduction was covered.  It won't hurt to ask!
Randy J. Buckspan, MD

Austin Plastic Surgeon
+1

Underarms are not breasts

Insurance covers, if medically necessary, a breast reduction. It will not cover removal or treatment of excess flab under your arms or lateral to the breasts.  That is not breast tissue.  It can be treated, however, often with liposuction.  If there is significant skin in that area, the skin might even be removed.
Carmen Kavali, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction with breast reduction

  It is very common to perform liposuction at the same time as a breast reduction surgery. The breast surgery will reposition your breasts, change their shape, and make them smaller. However this surgery does little for the excess fat on the sides of the breast and underneath your armpit. This area can be very stubborn and certain women. The most effective technique to address this fat is to perform liposuction at the same setting as he breast reduction surgery.
B. Pat Pazmino, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon
+1

Flab on sides after breast reduction can be adressed now

Breast Reduction is an excellent procedure but it does what its name implies- reduces the breast. Many women have additional fattty bulges laterally(on the side) that can be addressed if desired. Some women will lose weight after reduction and the bulges reduce with the weight loss. Other women would benefit from lipo (if the problem is fat alone) or an excision (if there is too much extra skin). This can be done at the original surgery or at a later date as the patient desires.... more
David Shuter, MD

Jupiter Plastic Surgeon
+1

Excess tissue in the bra strap area after breast reduction

This is very typical after breast reduction. We call this area the "bra strap" area; excess skin and fat bulges over the side panels of the bra, very unpleasant. It was always there but you did not notice it as much because of your large breasts. Now that your breasts are smaller, you are very aware of it and hate it. The solution is usually a combination of liposuction and sometimes skin excision to contour this area. Hope this helps.
Tracy Pfeifer, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

drpfeifer.com

+1

Flab on sides after breast reduction

The excess tissue on the sides of your breast can be either excess skin, excess fat, or both. If it is mainly fat, liposuction alone will significantly help eliminate this. If it is skin, or a combination, then you would need surgical excision of the tissues. In most cases, insurance would look at this as a cosmetic procedure, and it would not be covered. Good luck!
Amy T. Bandy, DO

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction usually helps excess flabs on sides of breasts

Hello, Liposuction usually can improve the problem you describe. Sometimes skin must also be removed though. Have a surgeon you trust take a look and render an opinion.
John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction can usually be done with breast reduction

Some patients will require liposuction of their armpit/lateral chest wall area during a breast reduction to get a great result. It's common for patients to have some breast tissue, or usually fatty tissue, in this area where the side of the breast "ends". If this is not addressed at the time of surgery with either direct excision or liposuction of the tissue, the final result may not be completely satisfying to the patient and some of this tissue may stick out from underneath the... more
William Bruno, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction commonly needed with breast reduction

Liposuction of the outer chest wall is a common need for breast reduction patients. Although this area certainly contributes to the overall shape and look of the breasts, it is not actually breast tissue. Therefore, this is considered cosmetic in nature most insurance companies usually will not pay for it.
Kevin Brenner, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

Dog Ears after breast reduction

Thanks for your question - It sounds as if you have some excess skin and fat at the end of the transverse part of your breast reduction scars. This can be more common in patients that have some excess tissue to begin with at the lateral aspects of your chest. In many cases liposuction can improve this but in some cases additional incisions may be necessary to adequately correct this. Discuss these issues with your previous plastic surgeon. Unfortunately insurance does not typically cover... more
Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction

It sounds like you are complaining about the fatty tissue that is lateral to your native breast.  This tissue can be treated by direct excision or liposuction or sometimes both.  This is something that would have to be evaluated in person. 
Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast reduction revision required

You will need a revision to remove the excess skin and fat from the side area. Insurance companies will not cover this, as it is not a functional problem from their stand point.
Hisham Seify, MD, PhD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1

You can improve this

Either liposuction of the excess or direct excision through an extension of the scar can give you a good improvement of the problem.  You don't need to live with this but don't expect insurance to ever cover this - it is purely cosmetic and not really part of your breast at all.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+1

The Batwings should be part of any Breast reduction

Many woman are faced with large breasts that extend around the chest wall onto the back. There can be excess fat, breast tissue and skin in these areas. Surgery can include liposuction (good if there is minimal excess skin) or surgical excision of the skin and fat/breast tissue. The breast reduction just makes this area look worse by narrowing the base of the breast and thus higjliting the batwings!
Robert M. Freund, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Lipo can help a lot; extending the incision to remove skin may be needed

This is a common problem with women who have breast reduction surgery, as there is an extension of breast tissue in the axilla called the tail of spence. The breast is largely replaced by fat as one gets older, so does the fat in the tail of spence. Insurance will not pay for the liposuction of this tail of spence. As part of the surgery, I will frequently do liposuction of this area, otherwise the patient complains that the breast is wide and flat. This lipo of the axilla can easily be... more
Dan Mills, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+1

Excess flab can probably be cleaned up easily with a touch up

To pwincess79, Hi! You may need either liposuction, or some skin removal, or both.This can usually be done under local anesthesia as an out-patient procedure. However, your insurance will probably not cover it.
George J. Beraka, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

An upper body lift may help address fullness lateral to the breast

Laxity in the skin and fat lateral to the breast can bunch up above and below the side strap of a brassiere. Looseness in this skin also can join with fullness along the side of the rib cage and love handle area. An upper body lift can remove this extra skin, but the design of the incisions is heavily dependent on the distribution of this extra skin. It is very important to have a direct conversation and hands on examination by a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with extensive experience... more
David N. Hing, MD

Ann Arbor Plastic Surgeon
+1

Unfortunately, that flab is the normal after breast reduction

Women that have large natural breast unfortunately usually have excess fat under their armpit, or that hangs out in a roll over their bra strap on the side. Most surgeons also make a horizontal scar under the breast, which makes the fat just past the scar bulge out even worse, called a "dog ear" for those in the know. For anyone undergoing breast reduction, first ask your plastic surgeon to liposuction at the time of the surgery. You can also ask your plastic surgeon if you are a... more
Lisa B. Cassileth, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Contouring the chest can enhance breast reduction

It is uncommon today that I perform breast reduction surgery without the use of liposuction. When using a vertical or a short scar technique the liposuction is very helpful to shape the periphery of the breast, contour the fold under the breast, and to reduce the fullness that extends off the breast and onto the chest under the arm. In some individuals this roll or flab as you describe can extend well around the side of chest along the bra line. The "flab" in this area if you will... more
Peter E. Johnson, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Breast Reduction flab

What you are describing is not an uncommon situation after breast reduction surgery. This excess tissue can be reduced with liposuction alone in many patients. Some patient with too much excess skin would even benefit from extending the breast reduction scar out further on the back to remove this excess skin. Since what you are describing does not cause any medical problems I have never seen an insurance company cover it. In my experience this has usually been taken care of on a cosmetic basis. more
Gary Hall, MD

Kansas City Plastic Surgeon
+1

Not an uncommon complaint

Pwincess, Yours is not that uncommon of a complaint from post breast reduction patients. I will be frank with you, and not having examined you, you may or may not fall into the category of patients to which I am referring. Many breast reduction patients, in addition to having very large breasts, are overweight. This usually results in "rolls" of fatty tissue that extend to the sides of the chest wall lateral to the breast. These "rolls" are NOT part of the breast and... more
Kenneth R. Francis, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Extend the breast reduction incision

You can probably reduce this lateral tissue by extending the inframammary incision into the bra line or possibly just do some liposuction if your skin elasticity is close to normal or if you had a vertical reduction without the inframammary scar.
Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+1

Liposuction will help with the excess flab after breast reduction

Oftentimes with breast reduction surgery we combine liposuction at the time of surgery to help with the lateral (sides) which are full. It is also possible to the liposuction as a secondary procedure at a later time. Unfortunately, I doubt the insurance company will pay for the procedure now as a secondary case. The other option may be Smartlipo done in the office. it is all depends how much tissue needs to be removed. Good luck.
David Shafer, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Excess skin after breast reduction can be contoured, but not usually covered by insurance

Hi there, Contouring the area of excess skin in the armpit area after breast reduction is often necessary, and very possible and safe to do. This most often involves some combination of liposuction and skin removal, and satisfaction is usually very high. The insurance issue is more sticky. Most often it is not possible to justify the necessity for this to your insurer, as the excess tissue is not compromising your current or future health or limiting your function, it's just making you look... more
Armando Soto, MD

Orlando Plastic Surgeon

www.DrArmandoSoto.com

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