As you age, you may begin to notice some changes to the appearance of your breasts. The full, perky breast appearance you once enjoyed may be impacted by issues associated with sagging and lost volume. This is quite natural and may occur for a number of reasons. Fortunately, a breast lift can potentially improve these issues and restore a more youthful, perky breast appearance.
You can find out whether a breast lift may be right for you by speaking with board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jay Orringer in person. Please contact our Beverly Hills office to schedule a consultation today.
Am I a Breast Lift Candidate?
You may potentially be a candidate for a breast lift if you experience significant sagging issues, often caused by:
- Large natural breast size
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- The aging process
- Weight gain and loss
In addition, breast lift candidates should have realistic expectations regarding the outcome of their procedure and be in good general health. If you smoke cigarettes, you'll need to quit prior to your procedure and throughout the recovery period since smoking may negatively impact healing and results.
If you are looking to restore lost breast volume in addition to improving sagging issues, Dr. Orringer may recommend breast augmentation in conjunction with a breast lift to potentially achieve enhanced results.
Your Breast Lift Procedure
Dr. Orringer will customize your breast lift procedure based on your unique individual needs and goals. During your procedure, the breast tissue is reshaped and the nipple is repositioned in order to potentially restore a perkier, more youthful breast appearance.
There are four different breast lift incision options to choose from. Dr. Orringer will recommend the option that he feels will most effectively address your unique goals. Potential incision options include:
- Crescent – short incision along the upper half of the areola
- Peri-areolar – the incision forms a circle around the areola
- Lollipop – incision around the areola and an additional vertical incision extending towards the breast crease
- Anchor – circular incision around the areola, vertical incision down the breast crease, and an additional horizontal incision along the breast crease (this options provides the potentially greatest amount of skin removal and tightening)
Dr. Orringer typically recommends either the lollipop or anchor incision for most of his breast lift patients. He may use the crescent and peri-areolar incisions when there is only limited droop and breast implants are being placed as well.
Breast Lift Benefits
Natural aging and gravity alter the breast tissues, and breasts of all sizes tend to droop and sag with time. The fibrous and flexible connective tissues in the breasts (called Cooper’s ligaments) contain collagen and elastin, and these proteins break down and decrease with age, causing breast ptosis (drooping). Breastfeeding affects the internal tissues and often leaves breasts smaller, flatter, and lower after weaning. Breast lift typically provides a more youthful appearance and a more pleasing shape to the breasts.
Natural aging or pregnancy-related changes may alter the tissues differently, causing asymmetric breast sagging and differing breast size and shape. Breast lift can improve breast symmetry, remove excess, stretched breast skin, and decrease the size of enlarged areolae. Downward-facing nipples are given a more youthful direction and position with breast lift. Skin reduction with tightening often lessens the sense of breast sagging and heaviness on the chest.
Your Breast Lift and Consultation
Dr. Orringer is an internationally-known double-board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 30 years of experience performing a variety of cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, including those to enhance the appearance of the breasts and trunk.
During your detailed consultation with Dr. Orringer, he will personally discuss various breast lift options and other complementary procedures, such as breast augmentation or fat transfer, that might be appropriate. His recommendations and treatment plan will be based upon your unique concerns, anatomy, and considerations.
Complementary Procedures
Breast lift creates a more youthful appearance by lifting nipple position and reducing excess hanging skin and underlying tissue. Breast augmentation with silicone gel or saline-filled implants may provide replacement of lost volume or provide additional desired volume. Newer-generation gummy bear implants might provide improved results, particularly in thinner individuals. In addition, fat transfer, done with fat liposuctioned from other areas, might provide some limited additional volume and improved contour.
Breast and body procedures are commonly combined to address several areas at once. This combination approach is termed a “mommy makeover” and often involves liposuction and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). A liposuction procedure can remove excess fat from the abdomen, thighs, hips, and other stubborn areas where fat may accumulate during and after pregnancy. Tummy tuck often addresses separated muscles and loose skin on the upper and lower abdomen. Combined with cosmetic breast procedures, this can reverse many of the post-pregnancy changes that many women find displeasing.
Breast Lift Results
Cosmetic improvement from breast lift is typically seen early after surgery. The breast shape and position will usually take at least a few months to settle and reveal the final outcome. Though natural aging and gravity will again impact the tissues, women often experience improvement in breast appearance for many years, particularly if they maintain some breast support, a stable weight, and a healthy lifestyle.
View before and after photos of Dr. Orringer’s patients to see how patients have achieved their aesthetic goals.
Please contact Dr. Jay Orringer at The Renaissance Medical Center for Aesthetic Surgery, Inc. to schedule your breast lift consultation online or by phone 310-273-1663 . We serve patients in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Hollywood, California, nationally, and internationally.
