Breast Reshaping After Weight Loss

Significant weight loss leaves many women with sagging and excess tissue in their breast, but can be  rejuvenated with breast reshaping.

By Carolynn Grimes
ThePlasticSurgeryChannel.com

What causes the breast and other areas to sag?

It’s estimated 200,000 people underwent gastric bypasses and gastric bindings in the United States last year. Many of those patients were left to deal with excess skin and tissue following their extreme weight loss.

ThePlasticSurgeryChannel’s Dr. Peter Rubin is the director of the Life After Weight Loss program, a clinical center at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also the lead author of the body contouring medical textbook for plastic surgeons, Aesthetic Surgery After Massive Weight Loss (Elsevier Medical Publishing, 2006). According to Dr. Rubin, plastic surgery after weight loss is the fastest growing area of plastic surgery.

Dr. Rubin and his staff have developed a new procedure in body contouring to help reshape the breast.

According to Dr. Rubin, “We see very dramatic changes in the breast after weight loss, including loss of natural breast volume and a very troubling bra roll that can form.”  Dr. Rubin says “Using the patient’s own tissue we create an internal brassiere that better supports the new shape of the breast.” Additionally, tissue from the side of the chest is used to both increase breast size and eliminate extra skin alongside it.

Rubin says, “This procedure can be very effective in achieving dramatic changes and positive results for our patients. However, it’s more extensive than a traditional breast reshaping procedure and can involve longer scars.” Dr. Rubin says the procedure is a new field in plastic surgery and may not be for everyone. Patients should always discuss their options with a board certified plastic surgeon.