A very common situation that arises is a woman with a small amount of breast “sagging”, and she would like to know how to correct this. A common request is a breast lift but without significant scarring, or a breast lift without mastopexy. Breast sagging can develop as a result of childbirth and breast feeding, weight loss, age, or genetics. Correction of breast sagging as a result of childbirth and breast feeding is part of the “mommy-makeover” procedure. Some women develop significant breast sagging as they age, and some women do not develop any sagging, or “ptosis”, at all. Women with very significant amounts of excess skin and sagging usually require a formal mastopexy, or breast lift, in order to improve breast contour. The tradeoff for this improvement in contour is scars on the breast. Some women do not mind having scars on their breasts in order to have improved contour, but other women can not tolerate significant scarring on their breasts. In women with small degrees of sagging, or ptosis, a significant improvement in breast contour can often be achieved with a breast augmentation using an implant, without the additional scarring associated with a formal mastopexy. A modification in technique of traditional under the muscle breast augmentation is required in order to achieve this, but in the right patient a nice result can be accomplished:
The above patient wanted to improve the contour of her breasts, but really did not want the extra scarring on her breasts from a formal breast lift (mastopexy). She had a smooth round silicone gel breast implant placed, “under-the-muscle”, using a slight modification in technique that would normally be used in a patient with no breast sagging or “ptosis”. She does not have the scars associated with a breast lift or mastopexy, yet she did get a very nice improvement in contour and a result that she is very pleased with.