Tag: saggy breasts

How to fix Saggy Breasts – Causes, Symptoms and Surgery
By Dr Jeremy Hunt FRACS - Specialist Plastic Surgeon

How to fix Saggy Breasts – Causes, Symptoms and Surgery

Solutions for Saggy Breasts – Correcting Breast Ptosis with Breast Implants, Lift or Reduction

Saggy Breasts are one of the most common complaints with ageing or after pregnancy. Saggy breasts typically have a lower position on the chest wall, often the upper breasts looks deflated and the nipple and areola are pointing down instead of forward. Fortunately, there are several surgical solutions to correct breast sagginess. The most popular procedure to elevate saggy breasts is breast lift surgery. Other options include Breast Implants or Breast Reduction surgery.

Sydney Plastic Surgeon Dr Jeremy Hunt has performed hundreds of breast procedures and helped patients achieve better-looking breasts.

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Classification for Saggy Breasts: Degree of Droopiness or Ptosis

The medical term we use to define saggy breasts is breast ptosis. There are three different stages of breast ptosis. A suitable treatment plan can only be developed after assessing your level of breast ptosis or other breast conditions that look similar to breast ptosis.

When it comes to breast sagginess, we need to look at the position of the mammary gland compared to the inframammary fold – the crease under the breasts, where the breasts meet the chest wall. The ptosis is more or less severe depending on the amount of breast tissue that is positioned below the level of the inframammary fold.

 

Grade 1: Minor Breast Ptosis

If you have grade 1 breast ptosis it means that the nipple is at the same level or up to 1 cm below the inframammary fold. There are multiple options to correct grade 1 breast ptosis – the most popular is breast lift surgery. A breast lift is performed to eliminate the excess skin and lift the nipple and areola complex. The breast lift surgery can be performed in association with breast implants if you want to correct the sagginess and also add more volume to the upper breasts.

Grade 2: Moderate Breast Ptosis

In this case, the nipple is located 1-3 cm below the crease. A breast lift procedure is often the best solution for this case and, just like it is the case for minor breast sagginess, the lift could be performed together with implants to get bigger, perkier breasts.

Grade 3: Severe Breast Ptosis

In this case, the nipple is positioned more than 3 cm under the inframammary fold level and it is pointing down, not to the front. To correct severe breast sagginess, breast lift surgery is often recommended. When the sagginess is severe, more incisions might be needed to correct the issue.

Pseudo-Ptosis

Pseudo-ptosis, as the name implies, is a type of ‘fake’ ptosis. The breasts might look like they are sagging as there is breast tissue hanging below the inframammary fold level; however, the nipple and areola are in the correct anatomical position. Pseudoptosis can be corrected with the help of a breast augmentation surgery – using breast implants can make the upper pole look fuller and the breasts look perkier.

Parenchymal Maldistribution

Parenchymal maldistribution is characterised by a lack of fullness in the lower pole of the breast. The crease below the breasts is positioned high on the chest wall and there is a short distance from the nipple to the fold. The condition is similar to tuberous breasts and can be corrected using the breast procedure recommended by Dr Hunt after a medical examination.

What Causes Sagging Breasts?

Breast sagginess occurs with the natural ageing process. However, there are other factors that could contribute to the early onset of breast ptosis including weight fluctuations, pregnancy, hormonal imbalance, genetic predisposition and high breast volume.

1. Ageing

Ageing, as mentioned above, causes the structural integrity of the skin to decrease significantly. This change, when combined with the downward stretching of the skin, due to gravity, results in significant breast ptosis. Many women experience this change in the shape of their breasts. It is important to note that these changes become more pronounced and visible after you hit menopause.

2. Excessive sun exposure

Sunburn or sun exposure without proper protection can result in damage to even the deepest layers of the skin, which consequently contributes to the stretching of skin.

3. Weight gain or weight fluctuations

Maintaining a healthy weight has many benefits, one of which is reduced skin sagginess. If there is a significant amount of weight gain, that will also cause a change in the size of the breasts. A quick change in the size of breasts can cause rapid stretching of the overlying skin, resulting in stretched skin that can become droopy when this weight is lost. This fluctuation in weight can be detrimental to the aesthetic of the breasts. Weight gain also causes an increase in the breast tissue which makes them bigger and heavier. This can exaggerate the impact of gravity on the breasts.

4. Smoking

Smoking is extremely harmful to your physical health due to the high content of carcinogens and nicotine present in smoke. These carcinogens, or cancer-producing substances, also affect your skin and its elements, namely elastin. They break down elastin, making the skin lose its elastic nature and ability to return to its original form. Since the breast skin isn’t elastic anymore, it’s more likely to begin to sag with the weight of your breasts.

5. Lack of proper support

It is highly recommended to wear a well-fitted bra that provides sufficient support to your breasts. While having no proper support may not cause any instant damage to your breast shape, over time, your breasts will begin to sag. This problem arises in the late 30s and 40s, although you may be avoiding wearing a bra during your 20s. Another important thing to remember is that wearing a bra alone is not enough if it doesn’t provide enough support to your breast. Wearing an ill-fitting bra that doesn’t cover your breasts entirely, or has a loose band, meaning that it doesn’t hold your breasts, can cause permanent damage to your breast structure in the long run.

6. Pregnancy

Breastfeeding was initially believed to be one of the most important factors responsible for saggy breasts in women who have been pregnant and given birth. However, it was recently determined that saggy breasts are not the result of breastfeeding but rather the effect of significant breast size changes that occur during pregnancy.

How to Prevent Sagging Breasts

Prevention is always better than cure. You should try to take care of your breasts so that the structural integrity of your breasts is maintained. Taking necessary steps to prevent the sagging of your breasts can help slow down even the effect of ageing and gravity on your breasts. Some of the ways in which you can prevent sagging of breasts are mentioned below:

  • Eating a nutritious diet, rich in antioxidants
  • Wearing a proper bra
  • Avoiding excessive sun exposure

How to Treat Saggy Breasts – Surgical Solutions

The best treatment of saggy breasts is determined by multiple factors, the most important being the breast ptosis grade. Based on the classification of the sagging, the treatment options and the surgical approaches can be very different. Here are the surgical solutions that can help you get perky breasts:

1. Breast Lift

A breast lift is a surgical procedure performed to remove excess skin from the breasts and give them a perkier appearance. It is performed after significant weight loss or multiple pregnancies that have left the breasts saggy and droopy. A breast lift procedure can be performed on its own or in combination with other procedures. The decision to combine procedures may be taken if the combination will be more beneficial in treating saggy breasts than just performing a breast lift. The breast lift could be performed together with a breast implants surgery and even a breast reduction to enhance the aspect of the breasts. However, the breast lift is often performed with liposuction and a tummy tuck/ Abdominoplasty as part of the Post Pregnancy Surgery.

2. Breast Reduction

A breast reduction procedure is often helpful in preventing further sagging as it helps reduce the weight of the breast. For optimal treatment of sagging, the procedure is often performed in combination with a breast lift procedure. This combination procedure allows your surgeon to remove the breast tissue, while simultaneously removing the excess skin that will be present after the breast reduction procedure. The breast reduction procedure results are perkier, smaller breasts with a better contour.

3. Breast Implants

Breast implants surgery could be a good option for you if you have small breasts with minor breast ptosis. Placing a small breast implant, and repositioning the nipple and areola can improve the appearance of the breasts. A breast implant procedure will not only treat sagginess but also make the breasts bigger.

It is recommended to discuss the side effects of each procedure and your eligibility before making your decision. You should discuss the potential surgical solutions with your surgeon, in detail, so that you can make an informed decision with regards to the surgery you want to undergo.

FAQs about Saggy Breasts and Surgical Solutions

How can I fix saggy breasts?

  • The most popular procedure to correct saggy breasts is the breast lift. However, in some cases, the procedure might be associated with a breast implants surgery or with a breast reduction.

What causes breasts to sag?

  • There are multiple factors ranging from ageing and sun exposure to smoking that can cause your breasts to be saggy.

How do you lift your breasts with a bra?

  • Wearing a well-fitting bra that covers your breasts, and has a band that does not ride high on your back will provide your breasts with enough support to lift them, and can give them a perkier appearance.

Should I wear a bra to bed?

  • You can wear a bra to bed if that is what makes you comfortable. If you aren’t comfortable, you can opt to sleep without a bra.

Does going braless cause breast sagging?

  • Lack of proper support is one of the most common causes of breast sagging. You should always wear a supportive bra to maintain the structural integrity and shape of your breasts.

Further Reading about Breast Procedures

Medical References

About Dr Jeremy Hunt – Specialist Plastic Surgeon

Dr Jeremy Hunt

Dr Jeremy Hunt is a specialist plastic surgeon and a member of FRACS & ASPS. He has over 20 years of experience providing plastic surgery in Sydney.

Careful, considerate and honest, Dr Jeremy Hunt works with you to find a solution that is optimal for your body and your lifestyle. Every patient is unique and, through his guidance, can achieve good results.

Dr Hunt’s personal, one-on-one service and attention to detail has given thousands of women and men from the Sydney & Wollongong NSW area and across Australia the aesthetic results they desire.

Dr Hunt’s qualifications and education

Dr Jeremy A Hunt MBBS FRACS graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine degree from Sydney University in 1990 and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and member of ASPS – the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. He completed a Fellowship at the prestigious University of Texas in the United States, where he learnt from some of the world’s very best plastic surgeons.

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If breast reduction is something you’re considering, Dr Hunt can thoroughly explain all the options to you in a one-on-one consultation.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health professional.