Women often come to my practice with concerns about breast sagging. Do not feel alone if you have this issue. Most, if not all, women experience some droopiness to a certain extent as they age. This breast sagging can be caused by loss of breast volume, pregnancy, weight loss, and genetics. Fortunately, a breast lift at my Albany practice can be an effective option for women who want to restore a more youthful breast contour.
Loss of Breast Volume
As women age, breasts often lose volume. This is due to changes in your reproductive hormone levels that happen throughout the natural aging process. Over time, the dermis also begins to lose elasticity, making it unable to hold the breasts in place, causing them to sag. The dermis is the layer below the skin’s surface that is made up of nerves, fat, blood vessels, elastin, and collagen. After the age of 20, 1 percent less of collagen and elastin is produced in the dermis each year. These elastin and collagen fibers become thicker and looser, which leads to wrinkling and sagging.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, breasts become fuller and engorged to prepare for breastfeeding. As your breasts become bigger, the skin must stretch to account for the growth. Post-breastfeeding, your breasts will likely shrink down, which can lead to deflated-looking or sagging breasts. The more pregnancies you have, the more your breasts will be affected. Even if you do not breastfeed, the weight fluctuations caused by pregnancy can still impact your post-pregnancy breasts.
Weight Loss
The breasts are primarily composed of fat tissue. When you gain weight, your fat cells expand, just as weight loss causes them to shrink. Some breasts have more fatty tissue than others, making sagginess more apparent with weight loss. Additionally, rapid weight loss will likely cause more skin laxity, while gradual weight loss allows your body to adjust, which minimizes sagging.
Genetics
Just like the rest of your body, genetics dictate not only breast shape and size, but also firmness, fat tissue, and elasticity. Your breast characteristics can come from both sides of your family, so your mom’s breasts are not necessarily the most accurate predictor of your future breasts.
So, how can a breast lift address these issues? The procedure can tighten the breast tissue, reduce sagging skin, restore a more youthful breast shape, direct nipples upward, and reduce the size of enlarged areolas. We offer a few different types of lifts that can be customized to fit your specific needs.
It is important to note that a breast lift does not change the size of the breasts, only the shape. Because of this, we also offer a combined lift and augmentation to improve breast shape and increase cup size. It is very common for women visiting my practice to choose this option for more comprehensive restoration.
Check out our photo gallery to get a better idea of your potential with a breast lift. If you are interested in a breast lift and want to discuss your options, request a consultation online or give us a call at (518) 328-3330.
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