What's the breast reduction wait period after gastric sleeve?

Hello and thank you for your question.
It is best that you are at you goal weight. I would suggest checking in with your surgeon that performed the gastric sleeve to make sure your health is stable. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. Best wishes.

Your best bet is to wait 3-6 months after your weight loss levels out. If you have your surgery too soon and continue to lose weight, your results will likely not be a good as if you were to wait. As always, be sure to research who performs your surgery to ensure the best likelihood of a positive result.

When you have reached your weight goal (BMI 30 or below) and held it steady for three to six months, you would be a candidate for breast reduction surgery. Continuing to lose weight after a breast reduction may adversely affect your results.

Typically after having gastric sleeve, the weight troughs at 1-2 years and then bounces back at about 5 years. Patients, on average, lose about 55% of their excess weight. However, you have not told us your height and weight or BMI and how your breasts have changed since your 40 lbs weight loss. Breasts have 2 components, parenchyma and fat. If your breasts are mostly parenchyma then additional weight loss will produce less of a change. If your breasts are mostly fat then additional weight loss will produce more of a change. However, the technique I recommend is The Bellesoma Method. This will reduce and reshape your breast tissue creating upper pole fullness without implants, elevate them higher on the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage. The weight of the breast is transferred to the underlying pectoralis major muscle resulting in pain relief without excessive reduction. Vertical scars are avoided, nipple sensation (in 95%) and the ability to breast feed are maintained. This technique can be done at anytime you desire.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

There's no definitive wait period, but generally speaking your weight should be stable for at least 6 months before undergoing breast reduction surgery. Always consult with a surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Good luck!

Dear momofkids,
most plastic surgeons would recommend you to wait until you reach your goal weight. If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

It is best to wait until you have reached your goal weight and are able to maintain it for a few months before considering surgery. At that time you can schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon near you.

You may still not meet the BMI criterion. The other issue is that if you have surgery too soon and then keep losing weight, you may not qualify for sufficient gram weight removal but will still have significant ptosis.

Hi there, it sounds like you are experiencing a variety of symptoms that would have you benefit from breast reduction surgery. When patients undergo gastric restrictive procedures to help with weight loss, they typically lose a lot of weight rapidly and then the weight loss starts to tail off over the course of a couple of months. When you see that you are slowing up but still losing a couple of pounds per month, that’s the time to begin your planning but it’s not yet time for surgery. When the weight loss stops, or “hits the plateau,” that’s when it’s time for surgery. Those months of 2-3 lbs of weight loss can add up to be another 10-12 lbs, and that could be the difference between an outcome you’re thrilled with and an outcome that looks or feels loose.

Thank you for the question and the best time to proceed with a reduction is when you have reached a stable desired weight. Weight loss after a reduction may adversely affect your result.

Dr Corbin