Breast Augmentation after Weight Loss

There is absolutely no question that the weight-loss/diet industry is big business. According to one news report, an estimated 100 million people spend $20 billion a year on diet products, including books, drugs, and surgeries such as gastric bypass or banding procedures. The average dieter makes anywhere from four to five attempts per year to lose weight. Furthermore, more than three-quarters of these dieters are women (85 percent).

Given these statistics, it is not uncommon for the staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery to see patients interested in body contouring following dramatic weight loss. Body contouring involves having excess skin and tissue removed in order to have a body contour that matches the body’s new shape following dramatic weight loss. In most cases, this will involve procedures such as a tummy tuck, or an arm or thigh lift. However, some patients may also want to have a breast augmentation procedure as part of their body contouring.

What Happens to the Breasts after Weight Loss?

The breasts are made up entirely of breast tissue (including mammary glands and ducts) and fat tissue. It stands to reason that if your waistline or abdomen is shrinking in size, the breasts will also shrink. In fact, for some women, particularly those with a greater proportion of fat tissue to breast tissue in their breasts, may notice the effects of weight loss in the breasts before they see it in the abdomen or thighs.

Unfortunately, as the breasts shrink in size, they may also droop or sag. The skin covering the breasts is not very elastic, so as the breasts grow in size with increased weight, the skin will get stretched out. Once that weight disappears, the skin does not automatically shrink back in size. This may leave stretch marks on the breasts, along with sagging or drooping nipples. Additionally, the breast skin is also less likely to shrink as you get older. As the body ages, it will lose collagen, a natural protein that fills out the skin over the skeletal framework. This collagen loss will result in sagging skin, which will be even more exacerbated following weight loss.

Breast Augmentation and Lift

The staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery recommends having a breast lift and a breast augmentation done at the same time. A breast lift procedure will lift up sagging breasts so that they look more youthful. This is recommended in addition to a breast augmentation in order to avoid the “double bubble” effect, which occurs when the implants shift below the inframammary crease (the point at which the underside of the breast joins the chest wall). The result will look as though you have two mounds to the breast, rather than just one, filled-in augmented breast. A breast lift procedure may also involve repositioning the nipples, if they are pointing downward below the inframammary crease. This will ensure that the augmented breasts look more full and natural.

Patients who have made a considerable effort to lose weight want to show off the results of their hard work. Part of that may involve feeling more confident wearing tight-fitting clothing or bikinis. A breast augmentation combined with a breast lift will put the finishing touches on their efforts and make them feel even more confident while wearing such outfits.