Gravity is great for keeping us from flying off into space, but it’s not so great for our skin and for a woman, her breasts. The unending pull of gravity, combined with weakening of the chest muscles and loosening skin combine to make a woman’s breasts sag downward, a truly disheartening fact of aging.
A breast lift with Dr. Lipton can remove the sagging and bring your breasts back to a higher position on the chest.
Why do the breasts sag?
Unlike other parts of the body that have bone beneath the skin to add support, on the breasts only the breast skin and tissue hold the breasts in place. As that skin becomes less taut and as those tissues sag, the breasts sag. Breast volume also decreases both with breastfeeding and over time. Also, the gain and loss of weight from pregnancy, or just from weight fluctuation, cause the breasts to sag.
The result is breasts that lose much of their firmness and can hang more loosely. They flatten, and in extreme cases, the nipples can point downward.
What does a breast lift do?
A breast lift seeks to return the breasts to a higher position and return firmness. By removing excess skin, sagging is alleviated. Also, the areola/nipple is usually moved higher to its former height. If desired, the areola can also be reduced in size during the procedure.
How does Dr. Lipton perform a lift?
During your consultation with Dr. Lipton the two of you will discuss your individual situation and the possible outcomes of a breast lift. Two factors are taken into consideration, the amount of drooping involved and the condition of your skin. If you still have good elasticity in your skin, that will help achieve a good outcome.
The degree of drooping dictates the best surgical approach. Dr. Lipton determines the amount of sagging by measuring the distance between the nipples and the clavicle/collarbone. If there is significant dropping, skin along the crease at the bottom of the breast is removed, along with skin below and around the nipple.
The incision locations will depend on your situation. In some cases, Dr. Lipton can remove the necessary skin and tissue through incisions made around the areolae only. But in most cases a vertical incision running from the areola down to the breast crease will be necessary to allow enough access to skin and other tissue. The most involved incision is the vertical incision, along with extensions that trace the breast crease, moving outward in both directions.
Scarring
Scars typically fade in six to 12 months, but there will be visible scarring. The patient needs to weigh the benefit of firmer, higher breasts against the scarring that accompanies a breast lift. Over time, of course, your scars will dramatically lighten.
Interested in losing the sagging in your breasts? Call Dr. Lipton at (972) 420-0023 to schedule a consultation for a breast lift.
