Weight fluctuations are a very normal part of womanhood. The average woman goes through several intense hormonal changes throughout her life, which often changes her appetite, and later, her number on the scale. Most women who have gone through weight loss journeys know that fatty tissue in the breasts is some of the first to go, which can be a big problem, especially if you have breast implants. This leads to the question: do weight changes affect breast implants? Below, Dr. Daneshmand explains everything you need to know about weight loss after breast implants.
If you’re looking to boost your self-confidence by changing the size and shape of your breasts, you may be a good candidate for breast augmentation surgery. Dr. Daneshmand is a board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 30 years of experience in helping his patients achieve their perfect figures. Check out his breast augmentation results gallery, and then call 949-359-8397 to schedule an appointment at Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute today.
How Weight Changes Affect Breast Size
The size and shape of the average breasts are ever changing, often on a monthly basis, due to hormonal fluctuations from the menstrual cycle as well as pregnancy. Breast size, shape, and overall appearance can also change drastically from losing or gaining weight. Weight loss of 20 pounds or more can equal 1 cup size down.
In fact, many women who end up at our clinic even say that they have tried to achieve their desired breast size by losing weight or gaining weight, but obviously this means that the rest of their figure changes as well, so they are unsatisfied with their aesthetic results.
Breasts contain two main types of tissue: fatty tissue, which is just made up of fat cells, and glandular tissue, which contains the mammary glands necessary to produce breast milk. Because breasts are mostly made up of fatty tissue, it’s no surprise that your breasts can be the first to go when you’re on a weight loss journey. It’s a struggle for most women to naturally have it all: the desired breast volume and the perfect hourglass figure.
That’s where breast augmentation surgery comes in.
How Does Weight Loss Affect Breast Implants?
The short answer is no, weight loss will not affect your breast implants. However, weight loss may affect the overall shape and size of your breasts, regardless of if you have breast implants. The same thing goes for weight gain: it will not affect your breast implants, but it might affect your breast appearance as a whole.
Healthy weight loss between 10 to 30 pounds likely won’t drastically change the appearance of your breasts after breast augmentation. However, dramatic weight loss from extreme dieting and/or bariatric surgery will definitely change your breast appearance after surgery. In cases where women lost a significant amount of weight, they will likely notice breast ptosis, which is basically saggy breasts. Their breast implants probably will create a different, and possibly less attractive, look than what they originally signed up for. The best solution for this issue is breast revision surgery.
Something else that can happen after you lose weight is that the breast implants can begin showing through the skin, especially if your plastic surgeon placed the implants above the muscle. This is called breast implant rippling, and it often occurs when the breast tissue becomes too thin, so you can literally see the ripples and folds of the implant from inside the capsule. This issue can also be fixed through breast revision surgery.
Should I Get a Breast Augmentation if I Plan to Lose Weight?
Here is the general rule of thumb: if you’re planning on gaining or losing weight in the near future, you should postpone your breast augmentation procedure until you’re close to your goal weight. Not only can weight gain or weight loss affect the results of your breast augmentation, but it can also make it difficult for a plastic surgeon to help you pick out the best implants for your figure.
Breast implant size and shape is heavily based on your frame, chest width, and even your hip circumference. Most women want natural results from their breast augmentation, so in order to achieve this, you’ll want to pick implants that are proportional to your current measurements and figure.
Additionally, plastic surgeons take skin elasticity and breast tissue thickness into account when deciding on new breast implants and breast implant placement (above or below the muscle). Both skin elasticity and breast tissue can change, especially with drastic weight loss or weight gain.
Now, again, if your weight fluctuates 10 to 20 pounds after your breast augmentation surgery, you probably won’t notice that much of a difference in your results. However, it’s still a good idea to be as close to your ideal weight as possible before you go under the knife.
How to Obtain and Maintain the Best Breast Augmentation Results
In order to obtain and maintain the best possible breast implant results, you should be honest with your plastic surgeon during your initial consultation. Tell them about your weight gain or weight loss goals, as well as your aesthetic goals for your breasts. From there, your surgeon will physically examine your breasts, take measurements, and help you figure out the best course of action. They may help you pick the best implants for your goals and clear you for surgery, or tell you to come back later when you’ve hit your goals.
Because breast implant results can change from drastic weight fluctuations, it’s important to do what you can to maintain your weight after surgery, which will also help you maintain your results. Be sure to eat a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Of course, allow yourself to have treats too, because treats do fit within a balanced diet and do not affect overall weight (unless you eat nothing but treats). Be sure to also get in some kind of movement a few times a week, whether that be walking, yoga, biking, pilates, or dancing. Do whatever you enjoy and whatever feels good for your body. If you need guidance in the complex world of diet, exercise, and weight management, consider speaking with a dietician.
Call Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute Today
If you’ve tried to gain weight or lose weight to improve the size and shape of your breasts, and you’re still not getting the results you want, you may be a good candidate for breast augmentation surgery. Orange County plastic surgeon Dr. Daneshmand at Silhouette Plastic Surgery Institute is board-certified and has more than 30 years of experience in helping his patients achieve their dream physiques. Call 949-359-8397 to schedule an appointment at our clinic today.