Have pregnancies, age, and weight fluctuations left you with droopy breasts? Are you interested in perking up your sagging bosom but are hesitant about turning to breast implants? A breast lift, one of the cosmetic treatments offered by eSSe Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, FL, could be the perfect solution for you. This treatment reshapes and repositions the breasts, giving them more definition. And because you don’t have to get implants as part of this treatment, it’s ideal for those who are uninterested in, or are not candidates for, breast augmentation.
What Is a Breast Lift?
Unlike implant surgery, a breast lift does not increase the size of the bosom. Instead, this treatment raises the breasts and improves their shape, profile, and firmness. The treatment involves removing the excess skin that is causing the breasts to sag and then reshaping the breast tissue. In some cases, nipples that sit low on the breast are also repositioned higher.
After treatment, the breasts will sit higher on the chest and will appear firmer and more shapely. Patients who want to add volume to their breasts in addition to reshaping them may opt to have implants incorporated into the lift treatment, but implants are not required.
How Can I Tell if I Need Implants as a Part of a Lift Treatment?
If you want to increase the size of your breasts by one or more cup sizes, you may want to consider having implants incorporated into your lift treatment. Implants are generally the best way to add more volume to the breast. However, the decision about whether or not to pursue implants is best made in conjunction with your health care provider. During your initial consultation, we’ll talk with you about your cosmetic goals and work with you to determine the most suitable course of treatment, whether it’s a breast lift, breast augmentation, or a combination of the two.
Why Have My Breasts Started to Sag?
Women often begin to notice less elasticity in their breasts and a general drooping in the bosom during their forties. A number of factors are responsible for this type of sagging and drooping. Weight fluctuations and pregnancies can stretch out the breasts, and gravity constantly pulls on the body. A history of cigarette smoking, age, genetics, and having a larger cup size are also contributing factors.
In the medical world, the loss of elasticity and drooping of the breasts is known as ptosis, and unfortunately, there’s not a lot most women can do about it. Avoiding smoking is a good idea, and maintaining a healthy weight can help. But there’s no surefire way to prevent breasts from sagging. Push-up bras can help mask the problem, but more and more women are turning to lift treatments as a way of regaining a youthful bosom.
Will a Lift Help Me?
There are several signs that a breast lift may help you. Nipples that point downward or have fallen below the fold of skin under the breast, and having one breast that sits lower than the other, are both signs that a lift could help. If the areolae, or the pigmented area around the nipple, has stretched out of proportion to the rest of the breast, that may also be a sign that you may benefit from a lift.
A final test that can be done to determine how effective a lift might be involves a pencil. If a pencil placed beneath the breast remains in place without being held, your breasts may be drooping enough to make you a good lift candidate.
Who Is a Good Lift Candidate?
Deciding to undergo a breast lift is a deeply personal decision, and it’s a decision women make for a variety of reasons. There are several signs that a patient may be an especially good candidate for this type of breast treatment.
You’re Concerned About Sagging Breasts
Some patients seek out lifts after their child-bearing and breast-feeding years as a way of regaining a more youthful bosom. Others opt for this treatment after a significant weight loss has resulted in a bosom that sags or as the first signs of aging begin to take their toll. Still other patients have been unhappy with their breast shape for years and want to finally achieve the bosom they’ve always wanted. Just about any individual who is concerned about drooping breasts is a possible candidate for this treatment.
You’re in Good Overall Health
The ideal patient is a non-smoker who is in good physical health. Individuals who are suffering from breast cancer, uncontrolled diabetes, bleeding or clotting problems, or cellulitis, an infection in the soft tissue of the breast, may not be candidates for this treatment.
You Have Fully Developed Breasts
Younger women who are considering breast treatments of any sort should wait until their breast development is complete. The age at which development ends is different for each individual. For many patients it’s around the age of 18, but for others, development takes place into the early 20s.
Your Breasts Are Uneven
It’s not unusual for a woman to have breasts that are either unevenly shaped or unevenly positioned on the chest so that one sits lower than the other. Patients often turn to lift treatments to remedy this unevenness.
You’re Emotionally Stable
Change isn’t easy, even when it’s a change you’re looking forward to. Changing your body can be especially difficult. The ideal patient is realistic about treatment outcomes and is emotionally stable enough to handle changing their silhouette.
You Can Maintain Your Weight
It helps if you’re at a stable weight that you can maintain because a significant fluctuation in your weight can diminish your results. Losing a notable amount of weight can cause the volume of fat in your breasts to decline, leading to more sagging. Similarly, notable weight gain can stress the skin and other support mechanisms in the breasts, which may also result in sagging.
You’re Not Planning to Become Pregnant
It’s a good idea to delay this type of treatment if you’re planning to become pregnant or breast-feed in the near future. The weight fluctuations associated with pregnancy can cause your breasts to stretch and shift, undoing some of your results.
What Are the Benefits of a Breast Lift?
Although breast implants are still the most popular body-shaping cosmetic procedure in the country, growing numbers of women are seeking out lifts because of the benefits associated with this treatment.
Perky, Attractive Breasts
As the bosom sags, the breasts can gradually take on a tubular, deflated look. One the breasts have been reshaped and lifted, they’ll have a more aesthetically pleasing shape. Reshaping your breasts will also improve your entire silhouette.
Better Nipple Placement
If your breasts sag to the point that your nipples face the floor, a lift can correct that. The nipples can be repositioned on the reshaped breasts, restoring their more natural, forward-facing position.
Reduced Irritation
When the breasts are sagging or sitting low, it’s often because there’s excess skin in the chest area. Getting rid of that excess skin through a lift treatment can cut down on chafing and irritation under the breasts, helping the patient feel more comfortable.
Improved Self Esteem
We all want a body we can feel great about. Whether you want to rock swimsuit season or simply want your street clothes to fit better, a lift can help you feel confident about your body and boost your self-esteem. Most patients who have undergone this treatment say they feel sexier and have an improved body image. They also report an increase in sexual satisfaction.
More Youthful Appearance
By firming up your bosom and making it perkier, your figure overall will appear more youthful.
Convenience
Lift treatments are performed on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia in our surgical suite. This means you can return home the same day and won’t need to worry about an overnight hospital stay. Most patients are back at work within a week.
Long-Lasting Results
Most patients see noticeable results almost immediately after their treatment, and the results will be long-lasting. The surest way to maintain your results will be to maintain your weight by sticking to a regular exercise program and eating a healthy diet.
What’s Treatment Like?
If you’re interested in a lift, we’ll first schedule a consultation where we’ll review your medical history, the medications you are currently taking, and talk with you about your cosmetic goals. As part of the consultation, we’ll determine whether or not a lift will give you the results you’re looking for. After your consultation, it’s just a matter of scheduling your treatment, which is referred to in the medical world as a mastopexy.
Before your treatment begins, we’ll mark and measure your breasts, creating guidelines that we can follow. An incision will be made that will allow our physician to remove some of the excess skin and reshape the tissue in the breast. The areola may also be reduced in size or repositioned on the breast. The treatment usually takes about three hours.
What Should I Do After Treatment?
Because this is an outpatient treatment, you’ll be able to head straight home after your appointment. We know you’ll be excited about showing off your new silhouette, but we recommend a couple of days of rest immediately following your treatment. Most patients are able to return to work within a week, depending on how physically active their job is. Normal activities, including mild exercise, can resume within a few weeks.
What Other Breast Treatments Do You Offer?
We offer a full range of breast treatments, allowing us to treat patients with all types of needs. In addition to lifts, we offer breast augmentation, reconstruction, and reduction treatments. We can also remove breast implants. Our practice also offers an extensive line of cosmetic treatments, including facelifts, chemical peels, liposuction, Botox injections, and eyelid surgery.
Who Will Oversee My Treatment?
Your treatment will be overseen by Dr. Tracey Stokes, a board-certified plastic surgeon. Dr. Stokes earned her undergraduate degree in biology with honors from Harvard University in Boston. She attended medical school at Cornell University Medical College in New York and did her post-graduate Training at Duke University Medical School in North Carolina. A highly skilled professional, Dr. Stokes also brings an artist’s eye for beauty to her cosmetic work.
Why Choose Our Practice?
You don’t have to accept sagging breasts as just another part of the aging process. If you’re ready for a perkier and more shapely bosom, it may be time to consider a breast lift. We help our patients make comfortable, confident, and educated decisions as they pursue their aesthetic goals. We offer skilled medical care using innovative technologies in our state-of-the-art facility. Call eSSe Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and schedule a breast lift consultation.