Best Age for Breast Lift Surgery
For women concerned about the drooping and sagging of their breasts, breast lift surgery can be a great solution. Before deciding whether or not you want to undergo breast lift surgery, it’s important to determine the degree of sagging, or ptosis, you are experiencing. There are three grades of breast ptosis:
- Grage I: mild ptosis
- Grage II: mild to moderate ptosis
- Grage III: severe ptsosis
If your nipple is directly in front of the inframammary fold (the crease at the bottom of your breast), you may have mild ptosis. Mild to moderate ptosis is characterized by the nipple falling 1 to 3 centimeters below the fold. When the nipple is more than 3 centimeters below the fold, you may have severe breast ptosis.
Causes of breast sagging include aging, pregnancy, significant weight gain or loss, large breasts, or cigarette smoking. These can occur at any age, which means women do not have to wait until a certain age to consider breast lift surgery. Dr. Schlechter will determine the breast lift procedure that is best for you once he verifies the severity of your ptosis.
Breast Lift Procedures
Traditional Breast Lift
This procedure is best for correcting severe sagging. The incision is made around the areola, down the breast, and across the crease. The scarring typically fades over time. This procedure provides the most distinct results in patients who might not respond well to less invasive techniques.
Circumareolar Breast Lift
This procedure works to correct mild ptosis. Scarring is almost invisible as the incision is made around the perimeter of the areola. Dr. Schlechter will reduce the size of the areola and move it higher on the breast. Excess skin will also be removed, and many times, implants are placed at the same time.
Crescent Breast Lift
This is a great option for patients who want very minimal scarring; however, it is only appropriate in patients with very mild ptosis. Dr. Schlechter makes an incision on the top edge of the areola, removing a crescent shaped piece of skin. He then sutures together the remaining skin.
Vertical Breast Lift
This procedure is best for women who have mild to moderate ptosis. It is very similar to a traditional breast lift, but there is no incision made across the base of the breast.
To learn more about which breast lift procedure is right for you, contact Dr. Schlechter for a consultation. Please call us at (610) 678-9200 to schedule your appointment.
