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Breast Lift

Pregnancy-Related Changes in the Body

There are a variety of hormonal fluctuations caused by pregnancy that can change the shape, size, and feel of your breasts. Varying estrogen and progesterone levels can catalyze a loss of the youthful contours that previously defined the shape and size of your breasts, leading to pregnancy-related changes such as:   Stretched skin and areolas: Laxity in the skin and breast tissue can not only lead to the formation of stretch marks, but also may cause ptosis (sagging). In some cases, the breasts can droop to the point of sagging below the inframammary fold (breast crease).  Loss of volume: As the breasts enlarge from milk production during pregnancy, many patients experience reduced fullness and volume in their breasts after giving birth.  Reduced firmness: A loss of... Continue Reading

What Causes the Breasts to Lose Firmness?

Over time, there are many factors that can cause the breasts to change shape. As glandular tissue begins to droop and the upper poles of the breasts lose fullness, it’s not uncommon for your breasts to grow softer and less elastic. For some patients, this occurs in their forties and fifties — for others, sagging develops as early as an individual’s thirties. In general, reduced firmness can be caused by: Weight changes: The breasts grow and shrink in proportion to a patient’s body frame, and fluctuations in weight and size are often the primary culprits behind the appearance of aging breasts. As the breasts adapt to weight-related changes in the body, the internal structures of the breasts begin to lose tightness and support. This can... Continue Reading

Can Breast Implants Get Rid of Sagging?

Breast implants can offer a dynamic and long-lasting way to improve the size, volume, shape, and symmetry of the breasts. By providing patients with the ability to truly achieve the custom contours they envision, breast implants are considered an integral part of aesthetic surgery. If you’ve ever considered cosmetic procedures to enhance your breasts, you may have wondered whether breast implants can address breast ptosis or sagging. Drooping or elongated breast tissue is an extremely common effect of aging, pregnancy, and weight loss on the breasts. While medically harmless, our board-certified plastic surgeon understands that breast sag can sacrifice a youthful look in the chest and potentially inhibit self-confidence. Each person’s needs and aesthetic concerns are evaluated on an individual basis, but in general, breast... Continue Reading

Can Breastfeeding Cause Breast Sag?

A popular misconception about breast ptosis — which refers to drooping and/or sagging breast tissue — involves the notion that the primary cause of sagging is breastfeeding or nursing. In truth, sagging breasts are usually caused by the shape and size of the breasts fluctuating throughout pregnancy. Having children typically causes the breasts to temporarily enlarge, resulting in stretching of the overlying skin and increased inelasticity. Following pregnancy, the breasts often return to their original size; however, the skin may remain stretched. This not only flattens the breast contours, but can also result in a pendulous or drooping appearance. Breastfeeding may exacerbate breast sag, but the condition is generally more the result of pregnancy rather than nursing. There are many effective measures patients can take... Continue Reading

Does a Breast Lift Make Your Breasts Smaller?

Breast lift surgery, or “mastopexy,” is one of the most sophisticated procedures to address signs of aging in the breasts, such as skin inelasticity, excess glandular tissue, and an overall loss of support. By removing redundant fat, skin, and tissue causing ptosis (or drooping), mastopexy can provide a firmer and younger-looking breast profile. That said, some patients wonder whether the removal of excess tissue adjunctively results in a smaller breast size. A breast lift does not significantly decrease the proportions of the breasts; rather, the procedure seeks to improve changes in the breasts caused by the natural aging process, such as flat or elongated breast contours. While the main objective of a breast lift is not to obtain a smaller breast size, the procedure is... Continue Reading

How Do Breasts Change with Age?

As we age, our bodies change in response to some of life’s biggest moments. Specifically, the appearance of firm and youthful breasts can fluctuate with age and multiple factors usually contribute to these developments. From pregnancy and breastfeeding to weight fluctuations, the breast contours tend to look flatter and less shapely over time. Menopause and the natural aging process are also contributing factors, especially when the body starts producing less estrogen. While the age-related changes to your breasts vary from patient to patient according to genetics and unique lifestyle factors, there are certain concerns widely shared by women as they get older. Many patients want to improve: Breasts that look elongated, have lost volume, or appear deflated A decrease in skin elasticity and firmness Nipples... Continue Reading

Do Larger Breasts Cause More Sagging?

Woman Checking Her Breasts in Mirror

Ptosis, a condition in which the breast tissue droops or sags, can affect all adult women regardless of whether they have large or small breasts. That said, it can be true that patients with a larger breast size may experience sagging to a greater degree when compared to individuals who have less weight in their chest. This is simply due to the fact that more chest mass can be more susceptible to the forces of gravity to a greater degree than smaller-sized breasts. Although this can be unfortunate for individuals with a bigger breast shape, Dr. Jon Paul Trevisani can correct sagging or drooping breasts with procedures like breast reduction and mastopexy. The most effective choice for your unique concerns depends on whether you are... Continue Reading

How to Firm Sagging Breasts

Breasts may descend from their natural position on the chest for a number of reasons—gravity, weight fluctuation, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or simply the natural effects of aging can culminate and cause a loss of shape in the breast tissue, ultimately resulting in the appearance of sag. Most, if not all, women experience some degree of breast ptosis (drooping) at one point in their life and seek out exercises or aesthetic treatments to restore younger-looking breasts. While some workout regimens claim to naturally firm and lift the breasts, these reports are usually misleading and untrue. There are indeed exercises designed to strengthen the pectoral (chest) muscles, but no workout can actually tighten the loose skin and breast tissue laxity that leads to the appearance of sag. Therefore,... Continue Reading