How Can Weight Fluctuation Impact the Results of a Breast Augmentation?

With the stunning and often life-changing results that women can achieve with breast augmentation surgery, some of the first questions many Beverly Hills patients have is how they can best maintain their enhanced new look and what things may negatively impact their outcome. While the answers can vary somewhat from person to person, weight gain is generally considered to be something that can significantly alter the results of almost any cosmetic procedure, including breast augmentation surgery. Here, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Samuel Salcedo of The Plastics Doc in Corona, CA outlines the importance of maintaining a stable weight following your breast augmentation to preserve your results for as long as possible.

How is a breast augmentation performed?

Because every woman's body, goals, and other characteristics are unique, Dr. Salcedo takes great care to customize each breast augmentation surgery. In many cases, Dr. Salcedo utilizes a "high-def" breast augmentation approach, which involves the placement of a form-stable implant — sometimes referred to as a gummy bear implant — along with fat grafting. The combination of fat transfer plus gummy bear implants has a number of benefits, including:

• More natural-looking and -feeling results
• Fuller upper pole
• Enhanced cleavage
• Less risk of changes in the shape of the breast over time

Will weight gain after breast augmentation surgery affect my implants?

Gaining or losing weight can impact the size, shape, and other aspects of a woman's breasts — whether she has undergone breast augmentation or not — due to changes in the fat cells and other tissue in and around the breasts. For women who have had a breast augmentation with implants, the implants themselves should not change in volume, but again, weight fluctuation can affect the natural breast tissue and fat, which can, in turn, affect the overall appearance of the breasts and implants. Furthermore, when fat grafting is performed as part of a high-def breast augmentation, losing or gaining weight after surgery can cause the transferred fat cells to shrink or swell. In addition to impacting the overall bust size, weight fluctuation after breast augmentation can contribute to sagging breasts, loose skin, stretch marks on the breasts, and other unwanted consequences. For the longest-lasting breast augmentation results possible, Riverside, CA patients should strive to maintain a stable weight through regular diet and exercise while also practicing healthy lifestyle habits overall.

What can I do if my breasts get too big after weight gain?

If you do experience weight gain after initial breast augmentation — whether associated with pregnancy or another factor — and find that your breasts are larger than you'd like, you may find that losing weight restores your preferred contours. However, this may also exacerbate breast sagging. Many times, a breast implant revision and/or breast lift surgery can help to reverse or improve changes to your initial breast augmentation results that may develop as a result of weight fluctuation, allowing you to once again enjoy your desired physique.

Reimagine your femininity with breast augmentation surgery

Whether you've had a previous breast enhancement surgery but have noticed changes in your breasts due to subsequent weight fluctuation, or you're considering a breast augmentation for the first time and have questions about how long you can expect your results to last, our team is here to help. For more information about your options for breast augmentation, breast revision, or another breast contouring procedure, don't hesitate to call The Plastics Doc to schedule your private consultation with Riverside, CA board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Samuel Salcedo today.