Can My Breasts Regrow Back After A Breast Reduction Procedure Is Done?

Q : When I was 20 and in the service I had a breast reduction. I went from a 44DD down to a C cup.  I am now 50 and my breasts have slowly over the years grown back. I have been so uncomfortable physically and mentally from their size. I didn’t know breasts could grow back after they were reduced. Can I have another breast reduction at my age?

A: Breast reduction is a very successful operation at reducing one’s breast size as well as lifting it back up onto a better position on the chest wall. (where it once was) In most cases, once the breast is reduced it does not return to its original size. But breast regrowth has been reported and it does occasionally occur. This is almost always in the young female population when the operation is done during the teenage years. When done under the age of 18, exposure to continued bodily growth, weight gain and pregnancy can all be hormonal signals for breast tissue growth. But even in these circumstances it is still rare. Having it happen after one is developed is rare but not unheard of as you illustrate.

There is no age limit when breast reduction can not be performed.  It is not an operation that is stressful to one’s bodily systems. It can be done using your existing breast scars as the operative pattern. It would be fair to say that there is no chance your breasts would regrow after being reduced at age 50.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana