Let’s admit it: there is a certain allure attached to the breasts. Men are attracted to them while women see them as a distinct symbol of their womanhood. However, as fascinating as breasts are, they are still susceptible to changes that make them lose their youthful and taut appearance like the rest of the body. And a common problem associated with breasts is ptosis or sagging.

Breast Ptosis

Breast ptosis is one of the typical problems I often encounter in my years of practice as a plastic surgeon. It usually occurs when the supporting tissues of the breasts (Cooper’s ligaments) lose its elasticity and become lax. What causes these tissues to slack remain unspecified until today. However, a study showed that several risk factors contribute significantly to the loss of elasticity of these supporting tissues and eventual sagging of the breasts. Such risk factors include:

  • Age
  • Significant weight fluctuations
  • Larger bra cup size
  • Number of pregnancies
  • Smoking habits

 
There are several ways to prevent the breasts from sagging or at least reduce the effects of these factors. During consultations, I provide my patients with non-surgical and surgical options to address their breast ptosis. Non-surgical options include wearing a well-fitted supportive brassiere, proper chest exercises, and healthy weight maintenance techniques while surgical recourse involves undergoing a breast lift surgery.

Breast Lift: An Ideal Solution to Sagging Breasts

Mastopexy, or commonly known as Breast Lift, is a cosmetic procedure designed to address drooping breasts. This surgery involves trimming away excess, overstretched skin and reshaping breast tissues into a more aesthetically pleasing form and position. It may also include reducing the size of enlarged areolas and repositioning the nipples into a higher and more forward position.

Breast sagging also often comes with a condition known as nipple ptosis or the subsequent descent of the nipple below the breast crease. With breast lift surgery, both breast and nipple ptosis can be addressed at the same time, giving the breasts a more youthful and uplifted profile.

Pregnancy After a Breast Lift: Will My Breasts Still Sag After?

Women can have an existing breast ptosis condition even before they get pregnant. That is why after consultations, my patients opt to undergo a breast lift surgery before getting pregnant. However, I emphasize to my patients that having a previous breast lift does not make their breasts resistant to the changes that pregnancy entails. The supporting tissues of their breasts retained after a breast lift remain vulnerable to stretching and laxity.

That being said, sagging of the breasts is still a possibility after having a breast lift before getting pregnant. But the extent of sagginess may be difficult to predict and is variable from one woman to another. Other aspects such as genetic make-up, lactating ability, length of lactation, number of pregnancies, and hormonal changes among others should also be considered. All of these would most likely be a factor on the whether breasts will sag or not after pregnancy, even with prior breast lift surgery.

In the End

Breast ptosis is but one of the many problems that women may encounter. And because breasts are a significant focal point of a woman’s identity, the decision to enhance them varies among women.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon here at Midwest Breast & Aesthetic Surgery, I strongly recommend consultations and thorough discussions about any future pregnancy plans before deciding to undergo a breast lift surgery. Your desire to improve or restore your body through cosmetic surgeries like a breast lift and the responsibilities of motherhood can lead you to a crossroad. But whichever comes first will remain to be a life-changing commitment that can strengthen your individuality and further define your essence as a woman.