How Can You Tell if Your Breast is More Tissue Than Fat?

Hi Tessaleann,

An experienced plastic surgeon can estimate whether your breast contains significant fat, but mammography is more accurate.  The mammography images give a picture of the relative fatty and glandular tissues, and are graded by the radiologist on the BI-RADS system, where a BI-RADS 1 means that your breast is over 75% fat, and a BI-RADS 4 breast is over 75% gland.

It’s
virtually impossible to estimate the relative proportion of glandular tissue to
fatty tissue in any particular women’s breasts. This ratio can be affected by
multiple variables including, genetics, hormonal status, patient’s weight and
age.A past history of breast shrinkage
with weight loss suggests the presence of significant amounts of fat.In contrast breasts that don’t change with
weight loss are likely to have more glandular tissue.Your history indicates that your
breasts have remained unchanged despite weight loss.This suggests a relatively high proportion of
glandular tissue in your breasts.Under
these circumstances you would probably be an excellent candidate for breast
reduction surgery.

Dear Tessa,

All women have a combination of breast parenchyma and fat in their breasts. Concentration of fat is mostly dependent on BMI status.

Based on your height and weight your BMI is 22 which means you are not overweight. BMI range and fat concentration in breasts is often equally proportional. In addition, the fact that despite loosing weight and not decreasing in breast size tells me that your breasts are mostly composed of parenchyma.

Congratulations on your successful weight loss!

Kind regards,

Dr. H

Breast is composed of glandularr tissue and fatty tissue, all wrapped in what we call the "skin envelope."

As the other doctors pointed out, your age, weight, hormonal status, and number of prior pregnancies all can affect the amount of fat vs. gland in your breast.

One reason thin patients, especially those who have lost a  lot of weight,  still wear a very large bra is that the breast is long.  This causes patients to "roll up" their breast in an oversized bra cup to get a proper fit.

 

Of course, photos and a physical examination would be needed to make this determination.

 

 

This is a great question.  All breasts are made up of glandular tissue and fat and it is hard to tell on examination the relative proportion of each.  Some people find that the size of their breast fluctuates as their weight changes and these people have fatty breasts.  Others find that their breasts do not change in size regardless of fluctuations in weight and these are largely glandular breasts.

The importance of this comes when you are considering having a breast reduction.  It is important that you are comfortable and stable with your weight before having surgery, because the effect of weight changes after surgery will be unpredictable. 

If you are comfortable at your current weight, then you should ask yourself if you are happy with the volume of your breasts - if so, you may need a mastopexy if they are sitting low.  If you feel the volume is too much, then a breast reduction may be for you.  Good luck.