Don't Live with Droopy Breasts

The breasts are a symbol of femininity, sex appeal, but also motherhood. And it often happens that the breasts are one of the areas of the body most affected by pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuation and the natural aging process. This is the reason why, sooner or later, most women are confronted with droopy breasts.

In medical terms, we call this breast ptosis. More commonly it is known as droopy boobs, saggy breasts and so on. Saggy breasts are often associated with old age, even if they can occur very early in life for women with overly large breasts or due to other causes. Whatever the cause of droopy breasts might be, it can be quite an emotional challenge to live with them every day.

Women confronted with this issue tend to avoid certain types of clothing – for example, dresses and tops that should be worn without a bra, and also social situations - going to the beach or the pool. Even in intimate moments, women with saggy breasts can feel more self-aware because of this and fail to enjoy the moment to the fullest. And these are just some of the reasons why women resort to plastic surgery interventions to get perky breasts again.

You don’t have to live with droopy breasts either. There are plastic surgery solutions that can help you get the breasts of your dreams in a matter of hours, with a short recovery period and minimal potential complications. The procedure recommended to correct droopy breasts is called a breast lift.

Breast lift surgery to correct breast sagginess

There is a simple and easy method to see if you are suffering from breast ptosis, and all you need is a pencil and a mirror. What you need to do is remove your clothes and bra and get in front of the mirror, facing it. Next, take a pencil and place it under the breast, where the breast is connected to the chest wall. If the pencil can stay there supported by the structures of the breasts, the chances are your breasts are sagging. There are various degrees of breast ptosis, depending on how much of the volume of the breasts is situated under the level of the inframammary fold. And depending on the level of ptosis and other anatomical characteristics of the patient, the plastic surgeon recommends the procedure to be performed.

Breast lift surgery is also known as mastopexy, in medical terms. The procedure is performed to help patients achieve perky breasts, but it has little to no impact on the overall volume of the breasts when performed as a standalone procedure.

Who is a good candidate for the mastopexy surgery?

You can consider a breast lift surgery if:

-        There is saggy skin on the breasts;

-        The breasts are overly heavy, and the nipple and areola complex is positioned low on the breasts and facing down;

-        The breasts are small, saggy and deflated;

-        You are often getting skin irritations at the level of the inframammary fold due to the lack of oxygenation of the tissues and constant perspiration.

The procedure is not recommended for you if:

-        Your breasts are not fully developed;

-        You are breastfeeding or have stopped for less than six months;

-        You are planning to get pregnant in the future.

How is the breast lift surgery performed?

During the breast lift surgery, the plastic surgeon will elevate the mammary tissues on a higher plane on the chest wall and eliminate the excess skin. The surgery can be performed using different types of surgical approaches.

Depending on how severe is the breast ptosis, the plastic surgeon will recommend one of these options:

• Crescent breast lift: the incision is on the upper edge of the areola;

• Periareolar breast lift: the incision is around the areola;

• Vertical breast lift: the incisions are one around the areola and a second one vertical from the areola’s edge to the inframammary fold;

• Anchor breast lift: the incisions are the ones from the vertical lift and an additional one in the inframammary fold.

The patient will be under a general anesthesia during the procedure that can last up to two hours, depending from patient to patient.

After making the incisions, the plastic surgeon will detach the skin from the underlying structures of the breasts and elevate the mammary gland to an anatomically correct position on the chest wall. After this, the excess skin is excised and the incisions are sutured. The patient can leave the medical facility where the breast lift surgery was performed in the next 24 hours, or even sooner.

Recovery period after the breast lift surgery

The breast lift surgery is associated with a shorter recovery period compared to other interventions performed at the level of the breasts. The down time can be of a few days and up to a week or two, depending on the health condition of each patient. During the recovery time, the patient is advised to wear a special post-operative bra that will offer the necessary support to the breasts and can also help decrease post-op swelling.

There is little pain associated with the breast lift surgery; most patients talk about a pressure sensation that is easily managed with the help of a simple analgesic. The recommendation is to avoid any activities that might put pressure on the incisions in the first few weeks after the surgery. Sun exposure is also to be avoided for the first twelve months after the breast lift surgery to avoid the hyperpigmentation or discoloration of the scars.

If you’re ready to say goodbye to droopy breasts, schedule a consultation with Dr. Essie Yates, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Fort Lauderdale, to discuss the details.