Can I Lose Weight After Breast Reduction?

As women lose weight, so do the breasts. This may lead to some sagging or #ptosis of their breasts. Often, those who experience sagging are ideal candidates for breast lifts. A #mastopexy or #BreastLift operation is designed to improve the shape and position of the breast without reducing the size. It is used for breasts which #sag or droop (#ptosis). Some patients have a better shape to their breast such as increased superior fullness if an implant is used at the time #mastopexy. Additionally, the procedure can also be combined with a minor breast reduction to reduce the breast width, if desired. Also, the procedure will create nipple and areolae of the desired size and at the correct height.With this in consideration, your options may change if you continue to lose more weight. After all, gravity will continue to have an effect and the breast skin will tend to stretch over time. The degree of stretching and sagging varies between women: generally, women with smaller breasts experience less recurring sagging. Heavy and large breasts may lead to recurrent sagging and may require the removal of a small amount of breast tissue to achieve an optimal shape and size. One key to a satisfying result is realistic expectations.

Breast hypertrophy can be a disabling condition.Women with breast enlargement often have
decreased exercise tolerance.This often
causes their weight to increase.Following breast reduction their exercise tolerance improves and they
become more active.This often results
in increased activity levels which may cause weight loss.Unfortunately this may result in loss of
breast volume and breast sag.When this situation arises secondary
surgery may be necessary.In some cases,
either a breast lift or secondary breast reduction may be indicated.Even when secondary breast surgery is
necessary because of continued weight loss, breast reduction patients report
high satisfaction rates.For these reasons, it’s extremely
important to discuss these issue with your plastic surgeon prior to surgery.Your surgeon should be able to formulate a
treatment plan that addresses your anatomic findings and aesthetic goals.

Weight loss after a reduction may cause your breasts to be smaller than you'd like, or sag undesirably. Sagging can be corrected with breast lift surgery and breast implants can give you larger breasts. If you're okay with the undesirable aesthetic effects, then please consult a board certified PS.

Losing weight following your breast reduction may influence your results depending on the amount of weight lost and your unique physiology. It could contribute to sagging or a further decrease in breast size. On the other hand, it may not affect your results at all. It is difficult to say for sure.I usually recommend that my patients reach their stable and ideal weight before pursuing surgery. This improves surgical outcome and reduces the risks associated with surgery.

The cosmetic result of a breast reduction is usually stable provided the weight does not change significantly after surgery; should this be the case, the shape and fullness of the breast might be affected.

As this is an important decision and all being well, this is the only breast reduction/procedure you will have, my advise would be to post pone the operation until you are totally satisfied with your wait, to reduce any chance not to be satisfied afterwards.

Best wishes.

 

It is difficult to predict breast size changes with weight loss as this varies tremendously among individuals. I have had patients who were motivated to undertake a exercise program following the liberating feelings of a breast reduction who then lost substantial breast volume and later requested breast augmentation. IF you are seriosu about the weight loss, you may want to consider defering surgery until completion of weight loss.

Hi there-

I have had many patients like yourself over the years....

In most cases, responsible plastic surgeons would agree that having the procedure after your weight loss is complete would significantly lower the risks that your breasts change as a result of the weight loss- causing you to be a bit less happy than you could have been, and increasing the risk of needing a touch up procedure after the weight loss.

On the other hand, I have had many patients in your position remind me how difficult it is to exercise for fitness and lose weight with heavy breasts hanging off of your body, and indeed know that many women's weight loss was greatly facilitated by having their breasts reduced...

I would say that if you think you are able to exercise, and your school schedule permits, your chances of being happy with a single procedure are greater if you wait until you are at a stable weight.

If you would rather (for convenience's sake, or to simplify exercise) proceed sooner, and are willing to accept an increased risk of needing a revision after your weight loss, then It would be acceptable to proceed now.

I hope that helps you!

Thank you for the question. Congratulations on your decision to proceed with breast reduction surgery. It is one of the most patient pleasing operations we perform.

It is usually best to be as close as possible to your long-term stable weight prior to proceeding with this operation. Additional weight loss after the breast reduction surgery may result in  additional decrease in breast size and or “drooping”. These changes may necessitate further surgery.

You should weigh these potential changes associated with weight loss after breast reduction surgery  against your school/time off scheduling factors.

I hope this helps.

If you are definitely going to lose the weight, you are probably better off waiting to undergo the breast reduction.  They will probably sag more and deflate with weight loss.

It is a "damned if you do or damned if you don't" question. Best to reschedule the operation til aftyer you have lost at least 15 pounds of the planned 20 pounds weight lose goal. Than you can not blame the weight loss after the operation if you begin to sag again. But I find most patients are unrealistic in their goals and just delay the surgery for months withoput losing the desired weight. It is your decision not ours!