Sagging of the breasts may have many causes and could occur with normal development for some women or as a natural part of aging. Pregnancy, breast-feeding, hormones, diet, doing exercises and weight loss are other conditions which increase breast ptosis (sagging). If your breasts are very empty then some patients will obtain a better shape to their breast by enlarging, if an implant is used at the time of mastopexy – this is called an augmentation mastopexy.
Please understand that mastopexy surgery is safe but cannot be performed without some degree of scarring. The scars, on average, usually heal well but in some cases they can persist for a few years.
“Breast lift or mastopexy with or without implant, is considered by most experts in the field of cosmetic surgery to be one of the most difficult breast operations”
Mr Paul Banwell, FRCS(Plast)
It is becoming increasingly obvious to the savvy plastic surgeon given the spectrum of breast shapes, sizes and conditions that simply use silicone breast implants alone will not always produce the best aesthetically acceptable results. In assessing breast geometry and design, the doctor and plastic surgeon must consider 3 crucial parameters, and their effects:
- Breast Volume & Shape
- Skin condition
- Nipple position
Although augmenting breasts to boost the cups and bust of a woman is a method which can to some extent rectify the volumetric problem in otherwise perfectly shaped breasts, the issues relating to nipple position and excessive skin envelope cannot always be addressed. This is where surgeries like a minimally invasive augmentation maxtopexy is used.
Breast ptosis (pronounced “toe-sis”) or droopiness is a condition that affects women of all ages. Although we tend to associate breast ptosis with old age, the statistics say young girls after significant weight loss or post-breast-feeding, are often faced with varying degrees of droopiness. For these women wearing a supportive bra is essential in order to disguise their saggy breasts.
Breast ptosis can be classified by surgeons according to the position of the breasts and nipples in relation to the breast fold:
- Grade 1: Breast is below fold, Nipple-areola at fold
- Grade 2: Breast is below fold, Nipple-areola is also below fold
- Grade 3: Nipple-areola pointing to the floor