Is It Bad to Loose Weight Before Breast Augmentation?

Gaining or losing a small amount of weight shouldn't make much of a difference. Losing a large amount of weight between the time of the consultation and the day of the surgery can affect the surgical plan.

If you weight changes by more that 20 pounds, I would go back and see your surgeon prior to proceeding.

In general, it is best to be at a weight where you are going to stay.  Large weight fluctuations up or down after surgery can change the results of the surgery, so it is best to be at the weight you want to be.

Hi there-

It is very difficult to answer your question without more detail...

Losing a small amount of weight before surgery should not affect the operation or outcome...

Losing a larger amount, particularly if the weight loss results in a change in your breasts, with loss of volume and skin sagging, may change your operative plan and should definitely be reviewed with your surgeon if surgery is already planned.

If you are asking whether you can lose weight before consulting with surgeons, then the answer is that, yes- you can- but I never like to hear that patients are losing weight IN ORDER to have cosmetic surgery. If you are losing weight as part of a healthy lifestyle that you are committed to maintaining over the long term and realistically believe that you will be able to adhere to it, then go for it. If you are losing the weight because you think you have to in order to have surgery, but in your heart believe that the odds of keeping the weight off after surgery are low, you need to talk to your surgeon.

 

Weight loss and fluctuation can affect breast size, and in some women they experience significant changes in breast size with small fluctuactions in weight.  I think you make decisions on breast enhancement based on your size and shape when you feel like you want the procedure.  I don't think you have to hit an 'threshold" for losing weight nor do I think it hurts or "ruins" your results if you lose weight.  As a plastic surgeon, I often use a sterile breast sizer at the time of surgery to confirm what is the best implant for that particular patient given the tissue dynamics at the time of surgery. 

The answer to your question really depends on how weight loss affects your breast tissue as well as how much weight loss you are asking about.  Some women gain and lose breast tissue whenever their weight changes.  They will see the same situation after breast augmentation, so if they have their implants placed when they are at a heavier weight, their breast size will diminish when they lose weight.  Other women do not tend to have much change in breast size when they gain or lose 10 to 15 lbs.  These women will likely not have much change in their breast size after augmentation when their weight changes.  For weight loss in excess of these amounts, some breast volume loss will probably occur.

I agree.  It is alway better to be at your stable comfortable  weight. If you loose a lot of weight after augmentation you may see more drooping of the breast and it may affect your final size goals.  Most of my patients embark upon surgery when thay are about 10 pounds from their goal.  Most people live about +/- 10 pound from ideal.

Before proceeding with almost any type of cosmetic procedure, it is optimal to be at or close to your realistic goal weight.  This is particularly true for contouring procedures such as liposuction and tummy tuck, but is also true for breast augmentation.  If you lose 20 or more pounds after an augmentation, the weight loss may affect the size and/or shape of your breasts.  

However, if--for example-- your current weight is 160 lbs and your are happy at that weight, I would not recommend that you lose weight just for your procedure.    You should discuss your concerns in greater detail with a board certified plastic surgeon to answer all of your questions.  Good luck.

Thank you for the question.

Generally, it would be in your best interest to be as close as possible to your long-term “stable” weight prior to undergoing any elective plastic surgery. For example, if you were to lose a significant amount of weight after your breast augmentation procedure your breast size and/or position may change;  further surgery may be necessary to improve the appearance of the breasts and/or achieve your goals.

I hope this helps.

It is not good to have large amounts of weight change before any surgical procedure for overall health and safety reasons.  With breast augmentation there is the additional problem that the breasts will usually get smaller with weight loss and that will need to be taken in consideration.  I like for my patients to be at a stable weight that they will realistically be at for some time.   Even if it is a little more or less than ideal body weight.

 

Gary Hall,MD