Do You Lose Weight Automatically After You Have a Breast Reduction?

Immediately after surgery it is common to gain weight secondary to fluid retention and postoperative swelling. As the swelling subsides your weight should reduce to the pre-surgery amount assuming you are exercising and eating the same as before surgery. With the loss of breast tissue mass, the size and weight of your breasts will decrease depending on the amount of breast tissue removed with 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds (approximately). The loss of weight in your breasts may result in a decrease in overall body weight especially if you are able to be more active and exercise more with smaller breasts.

Because breast reduction involves the removal of tissue, then yes, you will lose weight technically speaking. Following the surgery, you will most likely experience some swelling and this may make you look like you've gained weight. However, swelling subsides within the months following surgery and you may experience weight loss with this as well.Many patients find that they no longer experience the pain associated with larger and heavier breasts. They become more active, and as a result, lose weight. However, this is a lifestyle change that encourages weight loss, rather than the surgery itself.

No, breast reduction is designed to make your breasts smaller by removing volume from your breasts. It is not a surgery from which you can expect to lose a significant amount of weight.

You will certainly lose the weight which is removed from the breast reduction.  Depending on the size of the reduction, you can expect to lose at least two pounds of breast tissue in total and often more.  However, it can make you look like you lost a great deal more.  Most women with very large breasts look thinner after they are reduced.

Hi Mshill,

Although you may not see a large difference on the scale, most patients are encouraged to attempt more strenuous exercise after the weight on their chest is lightened. With the Ultimate Breast Reduction technique, the weight of the breasts is transferred off the skin and on to the underlying chest muscles. This accounts for an immediate resolution of multiple pain symptoms associated with heavy breasts. I have found that with this procedure patients feel and look thinner because breasts are repositioned higher on the chest and their goals of initiating a successful exercise regime is more feasible. 

Best wishes,

Dr. H 

After the postop swelling is gone, you will lose the amount of gram weight resected.  Even in a large resection, this is typically about 5 pounds at most.  What I do find can occur in patients who are motivated is that, without that excess weight on their chests, they will have the ability to be more active and to exercise---but you have to do it!!

Thank you for your question.

With breast reduction, a small amount of weight (approx. 500-2000 grams) is removed. Obviously this will not make a big change on the scale.  However, some patients find that they are able to increase their activity / exercise levels and subsequently lose weight.

Otherwise, there is no "automatic" weight loss after breast reduction surgery.

I hope this helps.