This condition is known as breast ptosis. If your breasts have become saggy, loose and have lost their perkiness, you are dealing with breast ptosis.
If you experience drooping breasts, your nipples will also start pointing downwards. Women go through a lot of physical and physiological changes in their lifetime; breastfeeding, pregnancy, and weight fluctuations. All of which can contribute to breasts sagginess.
Dr Michael Kernohan has years of experience in treating breast ptosis. He offers plenty of options to fix droopy breasts such as breast augmentation, lift, and reduction or sometimes a combination of these procedures.
Breast Ptosis is a medical term that is used to describe sagging or drooping breasts. This occurs when your breasts hang lower than their normal position on the chest wall. The condition can be attributed to skin laxity, loss of breast volume, and other reasons. Your breasts are made up of glandular tissue, breast fat, and an intricate network of connective tissues that hold your breasts in place. Think of these connective tissues as a web of tight and very fine cords that run through the breasts to give them a firm shape. Over time, the ligaments become weak and stretched out which can cause your breasts to droop and lose their firmness, eventually leading to breast ptosis.
Ageing is one of the key factors when it comes to breast sagginess; however, it is not the only cause of breast ptosis. Some women might experience drooping of breasts in their 20s while others experience it post-menopause. A lot of factors come into play when it comes to deflated and droopy breasts.
Some of the causes of breast ptosis can include:
Some people think that breastfeeding is one of the key contributors to breast sagging. However, there aren’t any concrete studies to back this claim. By the time you give birth, your breasts will grow and develop to accommodate milk production post-childbirth. Once you begin weaning, involution begins which restores your pre-pregnancy boobs. Your milk ducts will shrink and your breast tissue will become smaller. The skin however might not retract on the new contour of the breasts in some cases, which causes sagging and deflated breasts.
There are multiple degrees of sagging breasts. Plastic surgeons typically use the Regnault classification of breast ptosis to classify your condition. The classification takes into account the location of the nipple, your inframammary crease (IMF) and lower breast pole. This crease is located right underneath your breasts. The lower the nipple is, the more severe the breast ptosis is.
Here is the Regnault classification:
Dr Michael Kernohan offers a range of customised surgical procedures to fix sagging breasts. The procedures aim to restore the normal position of the breasts and nipples, tighten your skin and help pump up the volume of deflated breasts.
This is a good choice for you if your breasts are sagging due to stretched skin but have enough breast tissue and adequate volume. During the procedure, an incision will be made around the nipple that might extend to the lower breast pole. The excess skin will be removed and your nipples will be repositioned higher. The skin is then pulled together to help you achieve perky and firm boobs. Different surgeons offer a Lollipop-shaped incision or the Anchor-shaped incision for a Breast lift.
Breast augmentation alone can be a good solution when it comes to treating sagging breasts in women. Adding implants to your breasts in certain cases is enough to push your nipples back to the normal position. During the surgery, Dr Kernohan will create a periareolar or an inframammary incision. Then, a pocket will be created inside your breasts for the insertion of implants. The result can be perkier, larger breasts that outline your cleavage and gives you the fullness of the upper pole. This solution only works for minor breast sagginess and patients with good quality skin as the added weight of the implants may cause sagging some years later.
In some cases, a combination of breast augmentation and lift is used to get the desired results. It is ideal for women who have sagging and deflated breasts. If your breast tissue has shrunk and your skin is stretched, this can be the perfect option for you. The procedure will involve removing the excess skin, repositioning of nipples and implant insertion to help restore a full and perky appearance.
If you have naturally large breasts and are dealing with breast sagging, you might see better results with a breast reduction which offers a lifting effect. During the surgery, excess tissue will be removed to minimise the size of your breasts along with the repositioning of the nipples to a higher position. It can give you perky boobs, but, more than this, the breasts will be more proportionate to the rest of your body.
If you have decided to say goodbye to your sagging breasts, schedule an appointment with Dr Kernohan for a consultation. Dr Kernohan will ask about your expectations from the surgery and design a plan that will help you reach your aesthetic goals.
Unfortunately, there isn’t any way to prevent breast ptosis completely. There are a few things that you can do to delay ptosis or prevent extreme sagging. The following suggestions might help:
The wrong posture can do more harm than you think. Sitting in a bent posture will exacerbate the impact of gravity on your breasts. So, try to sit and stand straight to offer natural support to your breasts.
Losing or gaining a lot of weight in a short amount of time can stretch your skin and lead to skin sagging. As your weight changes, so does your skin. Try to maintain a healthy weight and avoid highly restrictive diets.
Drinking water is essential to keep your skin healthy and hydrated. Make sure you are always hydrated so that your skin is able to maintain its elasticity. Cut out on caffeinated beverages and drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.
Smoking is not only bad for your health but also responsible for premature skin ageing and loss of elasticity. In fact, it is one of the major contributors to sagging breasts.
If you are looking for a treatment for sagging breasts you might want to know about Australian Medicare and Health Insurance Coverage. Breast Lift might be covered partially by Medicare if you are dealing with moderate to severe breast ptosis post-pregnancy. You must meet the strict Medicare criteria.
Find out more details about Medicare item numbers and plastic surgery prices.
Here is a list of frequently asked questions we get regarding Breast Ptosis & Breast Surgery: