- Featured Experts
- What is this “extra” side tissue and will it go away with my breast lift or reduction?
- Is side boob included in breast surgery, or do I need to ask for it?
- Will liposuction help smooth that area?
- What about loose skin? Will it tighten on its own or do I need extra treatment?
- If I’m getting implants, can they help with side fullness too?
- The Bottom Line
If you’re planning a breast lift, reduction or augmentation, it’s easy to focus on cup size or cleavage. But there’s one area that often gets overlooked until it starts spilling out of your bra: side boob. Surgeons call it the lateral breast or bra roll and treating it properly can be the difference between an OK result and a truly refined, seamless look. Here are five smart questions to ask your surgeon to make sure this area isn’t ignored.
Featured Experts
- Dr. B. Aviva Preminger is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York
- Dr. Chet Mays is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Louisville, KY
- Dr. Andrew Peredo is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York
What is this “extra” side tissue and will it go away with my breast lift or reduction?
“A lot of patients don’t realize that the tissue spilling out the side of a bra is often a mix of fat and loose skin,” says New York plastic surgeon B. Aviva Preminger, MD. “If you only reduce or lift the breast but don’t treat the outer chest wall, it can throw off the final look. It’s not just fat, it’s often skin laxity that needs tightening.”
Is side boob included in breast surgery, or do I need to ask for it?
It’s not always included, which is why it’s smart to ask. “When I do breast lifting and breast reductions, I’m also shaping the lateral chest, not just the breast mound,” says Louisville, KY plastic surgeon Chet Mays, MD. “I do that with incision placement and liposuction. The majority of my breast cases involve contouring the side because side boob is just as important as cleavage.”
Will liposuction help smooth that area?
“Yes, and that’s something patient’s don’t always understand,” says Dr. Preminger. “They come in for a breast reduction and they’re like, ‘Okay, well I’m a 36D and now I want to be a 34C.’ Well, the truth of the matter is that a breast reduction will reduce your cup size, but it’s not going to reduce your chest circumference. And if that’s a problem for you, actually combining it with liposuction is a really powerful option.”
What about loose skin? Will it tighten on its own or do I need extra treatment?
“Removing fat alone doesn’t always do the trick, especially if the skin has lost elasticity,” says Dr. Preminger. “That’s where energy-based treatments like BodyTite come in. It melts the fat while also helping the skin contract, which is key for that outer chest area that tends to sag as we age.”
New York plastic surgeon Andrew Peredo, MD agrees and adds that treatment really depends on severity. “Mild to moderate cases can be addressed with liposuction and skin tightening, such as BodyTite,” he says. “More severe cases may require surgical excision, which is often done during a breast lift or reduction, but it can also be done alone or even paired with a brachioplasty in patients who have undergone significant weight loss.”
Scar placement matters here too. A well-planned incision can help smooth the outer contour while keeping scars as discreet as possible.
If I’m getting implants, can they help with side fullness too?
“Absolutely,” says Dr. Mays. “Choosing the right size and profile implant can help give that soft roundness to the side of the breast. It’s not just about projection or cleavage, it’s about how the whole breast looks from every angle.”
The Bottom Line
If you’ve ever dealt with that extra fold on the side of your bra, you know it’s not just about cup size. It’s worth bringing up during your consultations so you can be sure your surgeon has a plan for it, not just your chest. It might be the finishing touch to your breast transformation.
