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