Will Pregnacy but Not Breastfeeding Ruin my Breast Reduction Surgery?

Unfortunately the answer to your question is that it depends. Just like some women develop stretch marks on their belly and some do not, the changes that occur due to pregnancy affect all women differently.  Your breasts will enlarge with pregnancy and remain enlarged in the postpartum period just as if you did not have a reduction. The fact that you do not breast feed will not necessarily prevent you from developing changes in your breasts after your reduction.  I have often heard the comment, "my breast grew back again after my reduction". When you undergo a reduction, the breast tissue and fat is gone forever. However, the remaining breast tissue and fat cells can become enlarged due to weight gain and pregnancy.  It is also very possible that your breast return to the same size, shape, and tone depending on your age.

 If you already had a breast reduction, I would not recommend avoiding the beautiful experience of having a child simply because you are afraid your breasts will change. If you are planning on having a reduction and plan on having a child soon, I would recommend waiting until after the birth and after your weight has stabilized. Of course, it is important to see a qualified, experienced Plastic Surgeon to discuss your individual case. 

Thank you for your question.
Pregnancy should not ruin your breast reduction results. Your breasts may change during pregnancy, but return to pre pregnancy shape/form. Best wishes!

Because pregnancy can have a dramatic affect on the body, I recommend my patients to wait at least six months after their reduction to get pregnant. This ensures sufficient healing of internal and external incisions and reduces the risk of complications during the recovery process.
Pregnancy can significantly alter the size, shape and position of the breasts, meaning the results of a previous breast reduction will very likely be effected by a future pregnancy. Best wishes.

Both Breast Feeding and Pregnancy will affect the size and shape of your breasts. The degree of which it will change however is highly variable.

Pregnancy will unlikely "ruin" your results, but you are likely to experience changes in breast size and contour following pregnancy.  These changes vary with patient age, weight change, and skin quality, among others.  Gynecologists recommend about a one pound per week weight gain with pregnancy (in mothers of ideal weight).  The greatest degree of change is often observed with the most dramatic weight gain.  Thus, it is wise to maintain weight within normal parameters during pregnancy. 

I would not say "ruin" results. It is normal to experience appearance changes from pregnancy and weight fluctuation. Typically the breasts get larger throughout your pregnancy, then size decreases after you return to your normal weight. The breasts can subsequently become more saggy after a pregnancy and sometimes the amount of breast tissue gets smaller after a pregnancy, even if you don't  breast feed. Whether or not an individual has had a surgical procedure on their breasts does not change or affect the normai physiologic changes on the breast. The overall effect may or may not affect the appearance enough to desire another surgical procedure. It depends on many variable individual characteristics. Oftentimes, surgical results hold up just fine.

Pregnancy, not breast feeding, will have the major effects on your breasts.  The hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy affect breast size and shape in every woman differently.  There will likely be some permanent change in your breasts after pregnancy but it is very difficult to predict how much will change.  Your breasts will change throughout your life.  Pregnancy is a part of this change. 

Pregnancy very unpredictable can effect the architecture of the breast.  This is true in breasts that have undergone previous reduction.  The nipple and areola can move down, the skin envelope can stretch out, some breast volume might be lost, and stretch marks may ensue.  A revisional procedure might be desired by some patients after the pregnancies are complete.

The hormonal changes that your body endurs during pregnancy is usually the cause of the majority of breast deformity. The 40 week gestational period not only allows a woman's body to accommodate a growing baby, but it also prepares it to care for the baby following delivery. I believe that the changes that the female breast incur in preparation for breast-feeding (lactation) are what ultimately cause the underlying damage to the breast tissues.

It is the pregnancy itself, not breastfeeding, which can impact the shape of your breasts after a breast reduction.  A misconception is that breastfeeding will "ruin" a woman's breasts, however, it has been well studied and it turns out that pregnancy alone is what causes breast shape to change.  This will occur whether or not you breast feed.

Some women's breasts change significantly with pregnancy while others do not change much at all.

This can impact your outcome after a breast reduction or breast lift or even breast augmentation.

Please consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for a complete physical exam and for more information regarding your specific situation.

Best wishes,

Dr. Bruno