If you have had breast augmentation surgery, you may be wondering how weight loss after surgery might affect your breast implants. The amount of weight that you lose can affect your implants in different ways. For example, for most women, if you lose 5 to 10 pounds, you probably will not notice any change to the appearance of your implants. However, if you lose 20 or more pounds after your plastic surgery procedure, your implants may start to look different.
The most common concern for women who shed pounds after breast enhancement is that their breast implants may start to droop. This is because the skin around the breasts becomes stretched when you lose a lot of weight, and your implants have less surrounding tissue to support them. If you are planning on losing a lot of weight, it is a good idea to discuss these plans with your plastic surgeon at your breast augmentation consultation before you decide to schedule any plastic surgery.
Keep in mind that breast surgery is not a guarantee against future changes in your breast size or shape. If you do lose a lot of weight, whether through bariatric surgery or your own diet and exercise plan, you may need to have breast revision surgery so your breasts look their best again.
Here are some common questions we get about weight change and breast implants.
Will weight loss affect my breast implant size?
Your breast implants themselves are not impacted by weight, so whether you lose or gain weight, your breast implants will remain the same size and shape. However, if you have a breast augmentation with fat transfer to the breast, then losing weight can cause the breast implants to look less full. This is because when you lose weight, you also lose fat, and this can impact the size and shape of your breasts.
Even though the implant itself is unaffected by weight fluctuations, changes in your weight can impact breast appearance, and make your breasts both look smaller and less perky than they did before. If you are considering breast augmentation, be sure to speak with your surgeon about your plans to lose or gain weight, as this can impact your results.
Is it harder to lose weight after breast surgery?
Having surgery should not affect your ability to lose weight in any way. You will still be able to exercise after surgery just like you did before. If anything, having additional confidence about the appearance of your breasts can give you the added motivation you need to tone and tighten the rest of your body. Many women find they lose a few pounds after surgery, but this should not noticeably change the results of your breast enhancement.
What should I do about sagging skin?
As we age, our skin loses elasticity and gravity takes over, causing breast tissue to sag. If you’ve recently dropped a number of pounds, your breasts may sag more due to the lack of support from fatty tissue. Pregnancy and nursing can also cause drooping breasts. New implants alone will not correct sagging. Implants combined with a breast lift, a procedure also known as mastopexy augmentation, is the best option to elevate the breasts while getting the shape and size you want.
Will my implants still look good after weight loss?
If you have breast implants and lose 20 or more pounds, your breasts may look different. But then again, massive weight loss can change many other aspects of your body as well. It is very likely that your implants won’t look as good as they used to. It is also very likely that you will have loose skin and pockets of residual fat on other parts of your body. This is why many women who transform their weight often consider post-weight-loss plastic surgery, adding in breast enhancement as well as body contouring procedures such as liposuction or a tummy tuck.
How close should I be to my ideal weight before surgery?
As you’ve seen from the discussion above, losing weight can affect your breast implants. So it is important to be at or near your goal weight before surgery, and maintain this weight as closely as you can to enjoy long-lasting results.
Remember that your breast size will likely change as you lose weight. This means that the breast implant you choose should be based on your desired breast size after you have lost the weight. In addition, if you are planning to lose a significant amount of weight, it is important to make sure that you do not lose too much weight before your surgery. Losing a significant number of pounds can result in excess skin and tissue, which can impact the results of your surgery.
If you are very close to your goal weight, your surgeon will likely recommend proceeding with surgery, but they may recommend waiting until you lose a little more weight. If you want to be 15 pounds or more lighter than you are now, it is usually best to drop those pounds and then return for a consultation so that your surgeon can assess what implant size and shape will best compliment your figure.
If you are considering breast implants, make sure to talk to your surgeon about how losing weight may affect your surgery. They can help you create a plan to reach your goal weight so that you can get the best results from your procedure.
There’s No Definitive Answer to Weight Loss and Breast Augmentation Results
Weight loss may affect breast augmentation results. That said, most women who end up having breast enhancement surgery are already pretty happy with their weight, and few will drop a lot of weight in the months or years after their procedure. It is normal to have some weight fluctuation throughout your lifetime, and small variations will not noticeably change your perceived breast appearance. You should be able to enjoy a youthful size and shape for many years after your surgery.
At Hamilton Surgical Arts, our cosmetic surgeons have over 40 years of combined experience to help you find the treatment option that’s right for you. Both Dr. Lowery and Dr. Jackson are recognized leaders in the cosmetic surgery field, providing the highest quality care in the Indianapolis area.
