Is it normal to have excess skin under my breasts after surgery? (Photo)

Question

I have a bulge of skin under each breasts that makes it look like I have almost four breasts. Is this normal? I did not have this when I was four sizes bigger.

Martin Jugenburg, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. This is not a typical result. Please speak to your plastic surgeon to discuss your options.

Yannis Alexandrides, MD, FACS · Answer

No this is not a normal appearance after surgery. You might to speak to your surgeon to enquire about the specific type of procedure you had and the technique that was used. You will probably require revision surgery.

Paul Vitenas, Jr., MD · Answer

Thank
you very much for your question and photographs. It is important to give your
breasts adequate time to heal after surgery. Swelling can take up to six
months, and sometimes longer, to resolve. The excess skin you are seeing may
improve as your breasts continue to settle and the residual swelling dissipates.
Wait at least six months after your initial breast augmentation before
considering a revision procedure. If you still have concerns, I recommend
reaching out to your operating surgeon for his/her advice.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

Based on your picture it looks like your PS could have removed more skin, I recommend you continued to follow up with your PS.

Christopher J. Davidson, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and photograph.  My strong advice is to wait a full 4-6 months before considering the final result of your breast lift procedure.  Swelling can be a possible cause the area in question.  Best of luck.

Christopher J. Morea, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question and providing photos. It would be helpful to know when your surgery was performed. If your surgery was within the last 3-4 months this may still be swelling and you can expect some improvement. If it has been longer you may not see much of a change. If this persists it can be easily corrected with resection of the extra skin. I would discuss this with your PS. Best of luck

Robert M. Tornambe, MD · Answer

chineybutu.   Hard to tell without exam, but from your photos, it appears to be residual swelling, which should subside with time.  Talk to your plastic surgeon.  Good luck!

Ralph R. Garramone, MD · Answer

Judging by the photo you had a vertical lift/reduction and there is some excess skin on the lower border of the breast.  If this does not contract and resolve on its own the excess can be removed with a small procedure under local anesthesia.  Continue to follow up with your surgeon.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear chineybutu,you did not mention when was your surgery performed. If it was within the last few months, then there is a chance that there is still some swelling. If you are concerned, I would suggest you to consult your plastic surgeon and discuss this with him/her.Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery  
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

Juan A. Brou, MD · Answer

If you were 4 sizes bigger at one point I should assume that your surgery was a breast reduction.  Looking at your photos I only see a vertical incision and no inframammary fold scar so your reduction was done with the "vertical technique"  The vertical technique is used to avoid cutting out skin at the inframammary fold.  In order to accomplish that when the closure is done the skin is gathered and bunched in hopes that it will shrink and go away but it doesn't always work. In large reductions it is not infrequent to find some residual skin or even adipose tissue at the inframammary area such as in your case.  Sometimes the patient is not bothered by it but in some cases it could be unsightly.  I've had to revise some of my patients due to the same problem.  Sometimes during surgery it's hard to anticipate that problem but it's always easy to correct it later.  The correction can be done under local anesthesia and it implies removing the extra fat with liposuction or cutting the extra skin at the inframammary crease or both.  Your surgeon would like to know about this problem and I'm sure will be happy to correct it for you.

Is it normal to have excess skin under my breasts after surgery? (Photo)

Answers (19)

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