Breast Volume Restoration After Weight Loss: Lift, Augmentation, and Natural Tissue Solutions

When women lose significant amounts of weight, whether through diet and exercise, weight loss surgery, or medication, they can also experience a substantial loss of breast volume. This often leads to a sagging appearance known as ptosis.

To address breast volume loss after weight loss and recreate a more youthful and perky appearance, combining a breast lift (mastopexy) with breast augmentation may be necessary. This approach helps restore both shape and volume to the breasts.

Many weight loss patients have extra skin and fat around their breasts and under their arms. This extra tissue can be transferred to the chest and placed underneath the breasts, providing a natural breast augmentation option.

When breasts are augmented with the patient’s own body tissue, the process is known as autologous augmentation. Specifically, if the tissue is taken from the lateral thoracic area adjacent to the breast, the procedure is called a TDAP or TDAP flap. This technique, combined with a breast lift, offers a viable option for those seeking breast augmentation without implants.

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When mastopexy is combined with augmentation:

• Pre-Surgical Planning: Dr. Levine assesses the breast’s current shape, volume loss, and degree of ptosis. Pre-operative imaging and measurements help plan the lift and augmentation to achieve balanced and natural results.
• Procedure Execution: During surgery, the lift is performed first to address sagging and reposition the nipple-areola complex. Following this, augmentation is carried out to add volume. For natural tissue augmentation, the harvested tissue is carefully positioned and integrated with the existing breast tissue.
• Synergistic Benefits: Combining these procedures allows for simultaneous correction of sagging and enhancement of volume. The lift addresses structural issues related to ptosis, while augmentation restores lost volume. This comprehensive approach improves both the shape and size of the breasts, leading to a more balanced and aesthetically pleasing result.