Aging brings with it all sorts of changes to a woman’s body. One change that is particularly noticeable – and unfortunately, very unavoidable – is the sagging of one’s breasts. The bust can go from perky and youthful to drooping and downturned, seemingly overnight. This can be a real hit on the confidence and make you feel like age is getting the better of you. But a breast lift can enhance and restore your breasts, and our surgeons at Metairie Plastic Surgeons in Metairie, LA, can help.
What Is the Best Age for Getting a Breast Lift?
Women choose to get this procedure for a host of reasons, so there is no one “right age”. In being more informed about lifts, however, you can decide if you might be in a common age bracket to others who have undergone treatment, and factors to take into consideration.
What Is a Breast Lift?
Also known as a mastopexy, this is a surgical procedure performed on a breast that has begun to sag, where the breast is raised and restored to a youthful shape. This procedure is popular a choice for women looking to correct ptosis. Many patients find that their breasts are sagging or droopy and want their breasts adjusted to the perky shape they once had. This procedure also recovers volume and firmness that the breasts may have lost as a result of this sagging.
Why Do Breasts Start to Sag?
Almost every woman experiences some degree of sagging and drooping in the breasts. A very common cause for this is aging; as a woman gets older, her body changes and droopy breasts are a typical sign of this. The onset of middle age, and the decline in estrogen levels that occurs in a woman during her forties, are big contributors, as well as simply the downward pull of gravity. This is why it is common for women in their thirties and forties to seek out this procedure.
Other factors include fluctuation in weight, pregnancy and nursing, genetics, a drop in reproductive hormones, and even sun damage. Women with a larger cup size are often also predisposed to sagging. All these things can stretch the breasts and leave them softer and less elastic. These things don’t always pertain to age, and as such, younger women who experience any of the above may also be interested in this procedure.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot that can be done to prevent sagging, beyond maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding smoking. Even the perfect bra is only a problem-solver until you take it off! This is why this treatment can offer an exciting opportunity to return to the shapely breasts you used to enjoy.
Do I Have Saggy Breasts?
Only you can discern how your body has changed over time and whether you’re happy with it. If you’re unsure how to tell if your sagging is severe enough to merit a procedure, however, there are specific things to look out for. You can test the severity of your sagging at home with a pencil: place it beneath the folds of your breasts. If it stays in place without you holding it there, your breasts may be considered sagging enough to seriously consider this procedure.
Another method of spotting sagging and drooping is by examining your nipples. Is the skin around the nipple is very stretched out? Are your nipples are extremely downward-facing, or even resting under the folds of your breast? These are common signs of an extremely saggy bosom. If you notice one of your breasts is hanging lower than the other, you may also consider a lift to address this.
Why Do Women Choose to Undergo This Procedure?
The decision to undergo a breast lift is an extremely personal choice, and the exact reason will vary from woman to woman. Many women are seeking out a more youthful body shape, with breasts that will fill out their figure and enhance their curves. A lot of women experience their nipples moving out of place over time – they can sag and stretch in a way that drastically effects the proportions of the whole breast. A lift can place the nipple back in the center of the bosom, restoring some balance.
This procedure can also be an exciting way for a woman to take control of her body in the face of inevitable factors like aging. When you can have a say over so much of your body – what you eat, how you exercise, what products you’re putting on your skin – why shouldn’t you be able to do the same for your breasts? Aging can alter the body to a point where it doesn’t even look familiar anymore, so this can be a huge confidence-booster as you restore your figure to a version of you who you better recognize. And with newfound confidence comes the fun, sexy clothing that shows off your body, plus more time in your bathing suit!
Whatever the motivation for undergoing this treatment, the most important thing is that it’s a decision you make for yourself so that you can be happy. Remember: you and you alone are the judge of your body.
Are There Reasons to Get This Procedure That Aren’t Cosmetic?
There are several non-cosmetic reasons why someone might seek out this treatment. Sagging breasts can cause chafing and irritation in many women, especially as folds that weren’t always there develop. This is often an unexpected benefit of this procedure – our patients have expressed satisfaction at how comfortable they’ve found themselves after a lift.
Exercise is often more difficult for women with sagging breasts. Sometimes even the best sports bras on the market can’t offer enough support or aren’t designed to. Lifted breasts will allow undergarments to better do their job and make exercise far more comfortable.
Women who have had mastectomies, or have experienced traumatic injuries, often turn to this procedure as a method of reconstructing the bust.
How Does the Procedure Work?
We believe this surgery is safest performed under general anesthesia at an accredited surgical facility. One the day of the surgery, we will begin by marking the breasts so we have a guideline to follow. This is a surgical procedure that involves making incisions, although great care is taken to conceal them. Before your surgery, we’ll discuss with you the best approach to making incisions and employing an overall technique best suited to your specific needs. We’ll be happy to address any questions or concerns you might have.
During surgery, our surgeon will remove any excess skin, gain access to the breast tissue, and then sculpt it to give you shapely breasts. The nipples may also be raised to a higher position. The result is a far more youthful, perkier bust. This is a relatively short procedure, lasting about two hours.
What Kind of Recovery Should I Expect?
The specific recovery time varies depending on what procedure the patient underwent and how significant the correction to the breasts was. Many patients return home the same day of surgery, experiencing minimal discomfort. Rest should be planned for a few days after treatment. Patients are typically feeling well enough to return to work within five to ten days of surgery, and rigorous exercise can resume in about two weeks.
How Long Will Results Last?
The results can be long-lasting, thanks to the tissue of your breast being permanently reshaped. Your breasts will continue to change as your body does, though – those existing factors like gravity and age aren’t going anywhere! Patients have found that gaining weight can put stress on the breast tissue, weakening it and causing it to droop. A loss of weight, meanwhile, may encourage more sagging. For these reasons, maintaining a healthy weight following this procedure is a critical step in keeping the results noticeable.
Are There Different Ways the Procedure Can Be Performed?
Several techniques can be employed during this treatment, and they all offer different results. One technique involves incisions both along the folds of the breast and around the nipple area. This is the most popular method, as it affords patients the most significant tightening and noticeable sagging correction. Another technique involves performing a smaller version of this with fewer incisions, which can be used to remedy minimal ptosis. One version of the procedure is limited to adjusting the areolar and potentially changing its size, which is typical of more moderate cases.
Consulting with our surgeon will give you a chance to figure out exactly what you’ll need to achieve your desired shape and look, and the procedure will be specifically tailored around this.
How Is a Breast Lift Different From Other Procedures?
Often, people assume that breast implants, or augmentation, are the only option for surgery to reshape ones’ breasts. Implants, however, are only intended to make the breasts larger. A breast lift, on the other hand, is designed for women who are happy with the size of their breasts but are looking to change the position. In short, it’s perfect for anyone who has found their once-perky and shapely breasts sagging and wants to put them back where they belong!
Can I Combine a Breast Lift With Another Procedure?
If a patient is interested in increasing the volume of their breasts as well, an implant can be placed at the same time as the lift. This could be the right option for a candidate in cases of severe deflation, often caused by breastfeeding or massive weight loss. This is something that you can discuss with our surgeon.
Am I in the Right Condition for This Procedure?
If you are considering this surgery, you must be healthy and at a stable weight. Anyone with underlying conditions that could cause complications during or after surgery – including diabetes breast cancer – will need to consult our plastic surgeon and find out if it’s safe to move forward with the procedure. If not, you may need to seek alternative treatments, and our surgeon will be happy to talk you through your other options.
This procedure can only be performed on fully-developed breasts. This generally around the age of 18, or not long after.
Find Out How a Breast Lift Can Help You
A breast lift can be an incredible way to take control of your body against forces like aging and gravity. Whether you’re approaching middle-age and seeing the evidence of it in your bust, or you’re younger and already noticing sagging, this procedure may be right for you. Visit Metairie Plastic Surgeons in Metairie, LA today. We can help you get informed and make a decision. If you’re in New Orleans and ready to talk more about making your breasts more perky and shapely, call us today and schedule a consultation.
