Do I Need a Breast Lift?
As we mentioned, the breasts can go through a lot of changes throughout your lifetime. These changes include:
Pregnancy and Nursing. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause breasts to become larger, which stretches the skin — and that skin doesn’t always contract after breastfeeding ends, causing the breasts to sag.
Significant Weight Gain and Loss. Weight fluctuations can also stretch the breasts, so when a large amount of weight is lost, breasts are reduced in volume, causing them to sag.
Aging. As you get older, your skin and breasts become lax, which makes your breasts sag and droop.
Here’s one way to tell if you need a breast lift:
The Pencil Test: Place a pencil in the crease below your breast. If it stays in place after you remove your hand, you are likely a candidate for a breast lift.
Here are some other indicators that a breast lift may be an option for you:
- Your nipples are below the crease of your breasts when you are not wearing a bra.
- Your nipples point downward.
- Your breasts are flat or appear very long.
- You have stretch marks on your breasts.
- You have lost breast volume.
What Happens During a Breast Lift Procedure?
During the breast lift procedure, your areolas are relocated to a higher, more youthful position on the chest. Your underlying breast tissue is lifted, refined and tightened. Excess breast skin is also removed, and in some cases, too-large areolas are made smaller.
Can I Combine Breast Implants and a Breast Lift?
Yes! Many women choose to combine the breast lift procedure with breast implant augmentation when they have more skin than available breast tissue. Implants can add breast volume and fill out excess skin.
An advantage to this is that less skin is removed, which means shorter scars. It also helps to give your breasts more shape, increase their fullness, and provide fuller and more attractive curves and cleavage.
Don’t want to add volume? That’s OK! You may opt for a breast reduction and lift to reduce breast size and return your breasts to a more youthful position.
Combining procedures is ideal and allows you to undergo just one surgery, which can mean better and more consistent results while also reducing your recovery times and scarring.
How Long Do Breast Lift Surgery Results Last?
How long breast lift results last varies from person to person and depends upon skin quality, future weight, hormonal fluctuations and pregnancies. In most instances, patients should expect to see a significant improvement in their breasts for 10 to 15 years after a breast lift.
Some factors can negatively affect your breast lift results, including pregnancy, breastfeeding and weight loss/weight gain. These factors can cause your breasts to change in volume and trigger sagging.
Who Can Have a Breast Lift?
If you are dissatisfied with your breasts’ shape or volume or are bothered that your breasts sag or droop, you may be the right candidate for the breast lift procedure.
Good candidates should also:
- Be at a stable weight
- Be a non-smoker
- Be in overall good health
What’s the Difference Between a Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation?
Breast implant augmentation surgery is when saline or silicone breast implants are placed inside the breasts to boost breast size and volume. The breast lift procedure removes excess breast skin, lifts the breasts and tightens breast tissue. During the breast-lift surgery procedure, the size of the breasts does not change like they do with the breast augmentation procedure.
Can I Breastfeed After Breast Lift Surgery?
In most cases, yes, you will be able to breastfeed after a breast lift, but many women find their milk production is lessened and need to supplement with formula.
What Should I Expect During Recovery?
The breast lift is an outpatient procedure, which means you will return home the day of your surgery.
In most cases, you will be able to return to work and very light daily activities within a week of your procedure. However, you will need to avoid lifting heavy objects and cardio workouts for several weeks until cleared by Dr. Peterson.
Breast Lift Consultation
During your breast lift surgery consultation, Dr. Peterson will talk to you about your overall body goals, your goals for the breast lift procedure and how he will perform your surgery. He will also give you your options regarding combining the breast lift with breast implant augmentation or a breast reduction.
At your consultation, you will also have a chance to ask any questions about the procedure and let us know your concerns so you can make the best and most informed decision about what’s right for you and your body goals.