Almost every woman struggles with breast sag (ptosis) at one point or another in her lifetime. Over time, the collagen and elastin in the body break down, causing the skin to loosen, which in turn causes the breasts to droop and sag. Long Island plastic surgeon Dr. Lloyd Landsman occasionally meets with women who believe placing breast implants can help improve breast sag. However, this is not always the case. Dr. Landsman explains more in this blog post.
What Breast Implants Can and Cannot Do
Breast implants are designed to enhance the fullness and volume of the breasts. While implants can fill out a small amount of loose breast skin, they cannot fill out severely loose breast skin. They also cannot actually lift the breast and nipple/areolar complex, or reposition the breast tissue on the chest wall. In some cases, breast implants can actually accentuate the appearance of larger and saggier breasts.
The only way to determine whether breast implants can achieve a patient’s desired outcome is to schedule a personal consultation with a plastic surgeon. Dr. Landsman meets with each patient individually to discuss her needs and goals. He also examines the anatomy of the patient’s breasts, taking measurements of the distance between the nipple and breast fold, and noting skin elasticity. This will help him determine whether the patient can achieve her desired outcome with breast implants or whether a breast lift is needed.
When to Consider Breast Lift
Breast lift is best for women who are bothered by extremely saggy or droopy breasts, have severely stretched-out skin, and/or have downward pointing nipples and/or stretched out areolas. During breast lift, breast tissue is reshaped and repositioned on the chest wall for a more youthful and natural-looking position. Excess skin is removed and the remaining skin is re-draped over the newly contoured breast mound.
In some cases, a breast lift with implants combination procedure is the best choice. Combining the two procedures can improve the shape, position, volume and fullness of the breasts all at the same time.
To learn more about your breast enhancement options, schedule an in-office consultation with Dr. Landsman. Contact his Long Island practice by calling or emailing us today.
