Gaining weight post surgery

[frank_the_tank]

If one gains approximately, 30 LBS (14 kg) weight after surgery.

What happens if you go back to your original post surgery weight? I have noticed an increase in fat around my stomach, not much difference during chest area. I have heard about the "fat-cells" that are a fixed number and they will swell up but not increase if one gains weight.

Can I expect exact post-op results if I regain my original post-op weight?

Looking forward to your replies.

[DrBermant]

If one gains approximately, 30 LBS (14 kg) weight after surgery.

What happens if you go back to your original post surgery weight? I have noticed an increase in fat around my stomach, not much difference during chest area. I have heard about the "fat-cells" that are a fixed number and they will swell up but not increase if one gains weight.

Can I expect exact post-op results if I regain my original post-op weight?

Looking forward to your replies.

Remaining fat cells will store more fat with future weight gain. They tend to add fat based on the location of the body they came from (something we learned when moving free flaps from one part of the body to another during reconstructive surgery.) How much is gained also depends on how many fat cells remain in that region. When an area is depleted such as in a Crater Deformity Defect from Bad Gynecomastia Surgery. The crater walls will get deeper as the remaining fat in the walls increases while the deep region with no fat left stays stuck to the muscle. With weight loss, a crater wall will get more shallow.

So no, weight gain can result in new breast like contours from the remaining fat cells.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction

[frank_the_tank]

Dear Dr. Bermant,

Thank you for your kind and quick reply. Unfortunately I did not quite feel I understood the answer in regard to my question. You say it can cause new breastlike (de)formities. But, if I gain weight, yes I can understand it may deform the breast again, however if I lose this weight back to original post-op weight. Can I expect the breast to look the same as it did post op or has it been deformed for life?

[DrBermant]

Dear Dr. Bermant,

Thank you for your kind and quick reply. Unfortunately I did not quite feel I understood the answer in regard to my question. You say it can cause new breastlike (de)formities. But, if I gain weight, yes I can understand it may deform the breast again, however if I lose this weight back to original post-op weight. Can I expect the breast to look the same as it did post op or has it been deformed for life?

Male Body Fat Distribution is such that fat first goes onto the chest belly regions, and comes off those areas last. That is the nature of the fat cells in each part of the body. How fat goes back on after surgery is a function of the nature of the cells and the remaining number of fat cells. Each time weight expands the skin, the skin stretches. How well the skin will shrink back is also a variable

This is what makes weight gain / loss a gamble on just what will happen to the body and not something completely predictable.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia and Male Breast Reduction