Question:
Excess skin on the sides of your chest
For those of you who have a breast lift and/or augmentation, I have the nasty bra overhang most women get on the sides of your chest where the bra goes around. Will having a breast lift and possible augmentation get rid of this or will the excess skin on the sides have to be cut off? If it has to be cut off, would they pull the skin up under the armpit or how would they get rid of it? Any help would be appreciated!! — Patty H. (posted on May 5, 2004)
May 5, 2004
Hi Patty...I had a reduction and lift Jan of 2003. I went from 310 pounds
to 115 pounds ....but when I had my reduction I was at 166 pounds and I did
have overhang...My plastic surgeon told me that he can go back in and lypo
it. My goal weight was 150 I never thought I would get down to 120 pounds
and in a size 2 or 4. So bewteen 166 and 120 pounds the overhang went away.
Of course now I have very, very, did I say very small boobs. Hope this help
in some way....Best of luck to you
— sarah C.
May 5, 2004
Patty...I had a reduction/lift a year ago today (Happy Boobiversary to me!)
and I have overhang. The PS told me that I can have it lipo-ed if I want,
and it would take care of it. I think tho, that my skin is loose from the
weightloss, too and that he would have to remove some of it. almost like a
tuck. I'm fine with it at this point, at least my head/neck/shoulder/back
aches are gone, and I'm happy with the way they look..Good luck, it's sooo
worth doing it..Denise 316/158
— lily1968
May 5, 2004
Yes you can get rid of the overhang. I had a B/L done March 19 and the PS
did lipo on both sides and now it is gone and it looks great. I am very
happy with the results.
— Bonnie B.
May 5, 2004
I recently saw a plastic surgeon, and asked him about that
over-the-bra-side overhang. He did say he could liposuction the area, but
that that might make it worse because the lipo would remove some fat, but
that would only create more loose skin. He also said that he could remove
some of the skin by cutting a pie shape wedge along the side and into the
side of my breast. That would remove some of the loose skin. He did
caution me, however, that I would then have a V-shaped scar on the side of
my breast, and I would still likely not have a perfect look at the bra line
(though it would be much better than it is now). I'm still trying to
decide what to do. I hate the overhang but the idea of cutting into my
breasts, and having two more scars, is very unappealing to me.
— Vespa R.
May 5, 2004
My doctor called this excision of skin on the axilla. I had it done March
1st. No lipo because mine was just skin. I now have a kind of crescent
shaped scar from the corner of my breast under my armpit meeting my
brachioplasty scar. Its hidden by clothes of course and my arm basically
hides it when I am naked unless I lift my arm. To be honest, it really was
not bothering me. I'm not going to ever wear a bikini because of the
amount of stretch marks I have, but to include it was not much more money
so I had it done. I do notice the difference when I wear tight shirts. No
bulge there now.
— Lisa N M.
May 5, 2004
This is the area that bothers me most, next to my belly skin. The PS that
will be hopefully doing my TT said to me that most likely much of that
under arm skin could be lifted in an incision under the arm, but would
probably need to be paired with a breast lift and augmentation. He said
that the implants would help fill the extra skin, as only so much can be
removed. I always had flesh under the arms in the arm pit area, and now
with the weight loss have a ton of deflated skin there. I guess I will
deal with it if I ever get $$$ together to do the breast/arm combo. Right
now I am in the process of waiting for the result of an external appeal
with the State of NY's Insurance Board in regard to the TT. Long story.
Look at my profile as I update it fairly regularly. Good luck!!
— Fixnmyself
May 5, 2004
Patty, I am aware that as posties we do have extra skin and what not. But
alot of times when women have that 'little extra on the side' it is due to
an ill-fitting bra. I'm not saying that a breast lift would not help in
this area, but you may try a new bra a bit bigger in the cup.
— RebeccaP
May 5, 2004
Original poster here. Thanks to the posters who responded. Mine is not
fat, so liposuction isn't needed - it's truly excess skin. I can grab a
nice hand full of it. I've already had a brachioplasty a year ago but I
figured if I had a breast lift, it may help some. I did see a picture of
one woman who had a scar that went from her boobs to the very beginning of
her back and she had that skin removed. That seems like an awefully long
scar to have. I haven't even begun the discussion with my PS about this
surgery as I have inner thigh surgery scheduled in 2 weeks. Just trying to
get some ideas from other posters on what they did.
— Patty H.
May 5, 2004
Just to clarify my answer. I had a breast lift with an augmentation and it
did nothing for the skin at my bra line. I had it removed at the same time
I had a brachioplasty and was considered a second procedure.
— Lisa N M.
May 7, 2004
Depends on how much it is. If you have it addressed at the time of an
implant surgery then they might be able to absorb all of the excess because
of the implants and no cutting would be involved. I'd have to go to triple
Z's in order to get rid of it all. Mine will be a direct incision that
will get done with my arm surgery. That is the most typical time they do
it as most people who have lots of bra overhang have tons of hanging arm
skin. Lipo for many would only make it worse. If I have it done I want it
gone and not just hanging worse. Mine is mostly skin anyway. Not much fat
left in there. If it's not as much skin then some lipo with a tuck to into
the armpit might do the job.
— zoedogcbr
May 7, 2004
This is a tough area to fix because while the tummy, anterior and lateral
thighs, waist, and pubic areas can ALL be fixed by a lower abdominal
incision, the chest skin needs it's own incision near the armpit.
Sometimes it can show. A breast lift can SOMETIMES help some of this out
but that is rare. Get your PS to exlain the scars and expected improvement
so you can make your own informed decision.
— DrL
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