Fat strip between breasts - how can this be removed? (Photos)

Question

I had a pretty massive lift with Aug six months ago, 385 mod plus. I have this ugly strip of fat between my breasts. It’s really noticeable when I wear a bra-less dress. I hate it so much and cry every time I want to wear something without a bra. Is there anything that can be done about it? Thank you so much for your responses.

Semih Yildiz, MD, FEPOBRAS · Answer

Tabii, grameri düzeltilmiş hali şöyle:
I can understand why this bothers you, but I would be cautious about calling it only fat based on photos. Sometimes this can happen when there is excess skin or poor skin elasticity, or when the implants are positioned more toward the middle to create cleavage.
Treatment depends on the cause. Very small and conservative liposuction can help selected patients, but the cleavage area has thin soft tissue and nearby implants, so over-treatment can create contour dents or implant visibility. If the main issue is excess skin, a skin excision may be needed. I would recommend having your surgeon examine you and also considering a second in-person opinion before any correction.

Frank Agullo, MD · Answer

Had a patient like you convinced she had synmastia. I pinched the strip with her sitting up. It was fat and skin. Not pocket, not muscle, not skin. Just a pad of subcutaneous fat that had been on her chest forever, hidden because her breasts used to be larger and covered it.

When the 385s went in, they pushed everything sideways. That fat pad was the only thing left at midline, so it suddenly read as a ridge.

We took her to the office last week. VASER lipo, two stab incisions tucked into the inframammary folds, about an hour and a half from prep to dressing. Small touch of BodyTite for the overlying skin. She's two weeks out and the strip is gone.

Have your operating surgeon pinch the strip with you sitting up. If it pinches like fat, lipo is the answer. It is possible that the excess skin is excessive and requires excision.

#StayBeautiful,

@RealDrWorldWide

Mehmet Ozdemir, MD · Answer

I am so sorry you’re feeling this way, but please know that what you're describing is actually a relatively common anatomical quirk known as a presternal fat pad , and it can become much more prominent after a "massive lift" because the surrounding breast tissue has been tightened and brought closer together. When you wear a bra-less dress, the weight of the implants (even the 385cc moderate plus) can push that central skin forward, creating that "strip" you’re seeing. The good news is that this is a very fixable issue: a minor procedure called micro-liposuction of the cleavage area can often be performed under local anesthesia to flatten that strip and create a smoother transition between the breasts. Since you are six months post-op, you are at a great point to discuss this with your surgeon, as the initial swelling has subsided and this small refinement could finally give you the confidence to wear those dresses without a second thought.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Practical100400,

I understand your concern. However, without a proper assessment, it would be difficult to determine what is wrong. It is best that you visit your plastic surgeon for further assessment or ask for a second opinion. Only after a thorough examination, you can get proper recommendations and advice.

Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Ram Kalus, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and photos. An examination in person is required to provide a definitive opinion or recommendation, however it appears that you have a skin laxity (looseness) just between your breasts which may possibly be corrected by adjusting your mastopexy (breast lift) such that the skin between the breasts is tightened in opposite directions. Excising the skin is not recommended since the midline is prone to make bad scars.

Discuss your concerns with your plastic surgeon. If you do not feel your concerns have been addressed, or if you feel a second opinion would be valuable, please consult with an experienced board certified plastic surgeon whose results and reviews appeal to you. Best of luck to you.

Yily De Los Santos, MD · Answer

What you’re describing can happen after a breast lift with implants, especially when there is thicker tissue along the midline, residual swelling, or localized fat in that area. At six months, some changes can still occur, but if the fullness is already very defined and consistent, it may not be swelling alone.

The good news is that, depending on the cause, there are options to improve it. If it is truly localized fat or soft tissue between the breasts, a very conservative liposuction procedure can often help soften the cleavage transition.

It’s also important to evaluate implant position and pocket shape, because in some cases the appearance of excess fullness between the breasts is related to how the internal contour healed after surgery.

The cleavage area requires a very precise approach, because removing too much volume can create irregularities or an unnatural appearance. The goal is not to make the area completely flat, but to create a smoother and more balanced transition.

Foti Sofiadellis, MBChB, FRACS (Plast) · Answer

The strip of fullness you are describing between the breasts following your augmentation and lift is a recognised phenomenon sometimes referred to as symmastia or interbreast web fullness, depending on its exact nature.
In presentations like yours, where there is residual soft tissue or fatty fullness in the intermammary region following a significant augmentation with lift, a reverse abdominoplasty approach to the interbreast fold is one technique that can be used to address this. This involves a carefully placed incision in or near the inframammary fold, through which excess fat and tissue in the intermammary region can be excised or repositioned, and the skin re-draped to create a cleaner, more defined separation between the breasts. The scar is typically concealed within the natural fold of the breast and tends to heal well in appropriate candidates.
It is worth noting that at six months post-operatively, you are still within the active healing and tissue settling phase. Some intermammary fullness can improve further over the next three to six months as swelling continues to resolve and tissues mature. However, if the anatomy is as you describe and as visible in your photos, it is unlikely to resolve completely without surgical intervention.

Fat strip between breasts - how can this be removed? (Photos)

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