The good news about weight loss when you’re trying to get healthier is achieving your goals and feeling better all around. The bad news about losing weight is that you can’t chose where you’re going to lose fat. Sometimes we see loss in areas that we’d rather leave alone. A prime example being the breasts. Breast tissue is composed of glandular tissue, fatty tissue, and connective tissue, so when you lose weight, the loss of fatty tissue can make them look less full or saggy. To re-volumize your breasts after weight loss, experts say there are several options to can consider that give breasts a fuller look.
Increase Muscle
Regular exercise can help tone the chest muscles and provide some lift to the breasts. Incorporating exercises like push-ups, chest presses, and flys into your workout routine can help strengthen the muscles underneath the breast tissue and give them a more lifted appearance.
Add Some Fat Back
Gaining some weight back can help restore volume to the breasts, but it’s important to do so in a healthy and gradual manner and just like losing, you can’t chose where you gain. Tucson, AZ plastic surgeon Raman Mahabir, MD says fat grafting is a great solution for those who just want more volume without changing the breast shape or going up too much in size. “The main advantage of fat grafting is that it is the patients own tissue and is permanent with no need for further surgery,” he says. “The main disadvantage is the limit on how much volume can be added in one surgery. If someone is hoping to go up two or three cup sizes, that will either require an implant or multiple sessions of fat grafting.”
Consider Implants
Houston, TX plastic surgeon Olga Bachilo, MD says most of the time breast re-volumization will be done with silicone or saline implants. “Implants will allow for most predictable volume replacement with a single procedure,” she explains. “Fat grafting to the breast can be another way to regain some volume but may require more treatments based on patient wishes.” This option can enhance both the breast size and shape and is often a good option for those who desire more dramatic results.
Get a Lift
A breast lift, or mastopexy, involves removing excess skin and lifting the breast tissue to create perkier look. “A mastopexy repositions the breast tissue,” says Pittsburgh, PA plastic surgeon Jeffrey Antimarino, MD. “One of the most common misunderstandings about breast position is that a plastic surgeon can move the breasts higher on the chest wall than they are anatomically.” Dr. Antimarino says the position of the breasts on the chest wall varies from person to person and breasts can only be lifted to a position just above the natural inframammary crease.
“If that crease is naturally low on the chest wall, then the breasts will also be lower than that of a woman with a naturally higher crease. It’s important to note that these options may not be suitable for everyone, and it’s important to consult with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon to determine which approach is best for you.”
