How do sagging breasts develop and what can I do about them?
Sagging breasts are classified by degrees of severity from 1 to 3. Depending on the extent of breast ptosis, different treatment options are available.
Learn more about the development, causes, and treatment options for sagging breasts.
Beautiful, firm breasts are the ideal that many women aspire to. However, breast tissue and the surrounding skin are very delicate and sensitive, which means that sagging breasts can develop over the years. Once sagging breasts, also known as mastoptosis, have developed, breast surgery is usually the only option to lift and firm sagging breasts again.
What causes sagging breasts?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can have a negative impact on breast tissue and lead to sagging breasts. Sagging breasts can also occur following a diet and significant weight loss. However, at the latest with the ageing process, the firmness and volume of the breasts decrease, the skin begins to sag and droop, which can lead to sagging breasts. Various factors such as excessive tobacco consumption, wearing an ill-fitting bra, or significant weight fluctuations can accelerate breast drooping further.
How can I prevent sagging breasts?
There are various measures to prevent sagging breasts (mastoptosis) and to help firm the breasts:
How can sagging breasts be treated?
A breast lift procedure can achieve very good results in restoring beautifully firm breasts. During this breast surgery, the breasts are lifted and shaped more firmly. Depending on the patient's wishes and requirements, a breast lift can be combined with a breast augmentation or breast reduction.
In a breast lift with implant, the lost volume of the sagging breast can be restored with the help of an implant. The breast lift and augmentation can also be achieved through autologous fat transfer (lipofilling). In a breast lift with own fat, adipose tissue is harvested via liposuction from areas such as the abdomen or thighs, processed, and then transferred into the breast for augmentation. The results of a breast lift and augmentation with own fat are very natural, as the body's own material is used. A combination of breast lift with implant and own fat also leads to very beautiful and natural results. This procedure is also known as hybrid breast augmentation.
Sagging breasts can also occur with excessively large breasts. The weight of the breast is then too heavy and the volume too great, so that the connective tissue and muscles are unable to support the breast adequately. The women affected often also suffer from considerable back and neck problems. If you are troubled by overly large breasts, a breast lift combined with a breast reduction is a worthwhile surgical option.
Degrees of severity of sagging breasts
There are various degrees of severity of sagging breasts from 0 (no sagging) to 3 (severe sagging). The nipple points increasingly downward at severity grades 1–3.
Here is a simple self-test:
Stand in front of a mirror. If your nipples sit below the inframammary fold, a clinician would classify this as sagging breasts.
The extent of breast sagging can be determined relatively easily. Measure the distance from the upper edge of the sternum at the neck to the nipple. Ideally, this distance should be between 18 and 21 centimetres. The nipple should still point upwards. The centre of the nipple should be positioned above the inframammary fold. This level is then referred to as grade 0.
From when can the breasts be lifted?
A breast lift is possible at any time. If a woman is dissatisfied with her breasts due to pregnancies, advancing age, or poor connective tissue, she should consider a breast lift.
Experience has shown, however, that it is advisable to undergo breast surgery preferably in autumn and winter.
Sagging breasts after pregnancy
Pregnancy is a profound change in a woman's life. The body undergoes significant transformation during pregnancy. The abdominal wall stretches and the breasts increase in size. Many women report that these changes remain visible even after pregnancy. The abdominal wall has not fully retracted due to the stretching. Sometimes stretch marks or pregnancy striae appear on the abdomen, hips, and breasts. In such cases, a tummy tuck is a corrective cosmetic procedure for a firm abdomen.
Another consequence can be sagging, loose breasts after pregnancy. The skin envelope was stretched so considerably by the increase in breast size during pregnancy and breastfeeding that the breasts now sag significantly. The connective tissue of the delicate breast skin becomes looser. The loss of mammary glands and fatty tissue makes the breasts appear empty and less firm. Sagging breasts after pregnancy and breastfeeding are caused by hormonal changes.
A breast lift can make the dream of firm breasts a reality once again. Whether an augmentation is also advisable in conjunction with the breast lift to compensate for the loss of volume should be discussed in advance.
Breast lift costs
The costs for a breast lift (treatment of sagging breasts) start from €7,500 and vary depending on the type of procedure, duration of the operation, anaesthesia, and aftercare. As a breast lift is a cosmetic operation, the patient must bear the costs herself. Only in very rare cases are the costs covered by health insurance, and this applies equally to sagging breasts of severity grade 3. If, for example, an appropriate psychiatric assessment is available, the health insurer may in individual cases cover the costs of a breast lift.
We offer you follow-up cost insurance for your breast surgery. It is also possible to pay for the breast lift in instalments. We have found qualified partners for the financing of your breast surgery.
Breast surgery in Düsseldorf
If you are dissatisfied with the size, shape, or firmness of your breasts, there are options to correct minor and more significant concerns with breast surgery in Düsseldorf. As an expert in breast surgery, Dr. Karl Schuhmann offers a range of breast operations:
FAQ
When is a breast lift advisable?
When the skin and glandular tissue have become significantly lax and conservative measures can no longer improve the shape.
Which incisions are commonly used?
Depending on the findings, periareolar scars around the areola with a vertical line (I-scar) or additionally in the inframammary fold (anchor scar).
What does the aftercare involve?
A supportive bra, restricted activity, and scar care over several weeks; follow-up appointments ensure healing and the final result.
Über den Autor
Facharzt für Plastische und Ästhetische Chirurgie & Handchirurg
Mit mehr als 30.000 Eingriffen und mehrjähriger Tätigkeit als Chefarzt führt Dr. Schuhmann seit 2016 als Gründer von artethic® seine Praxen in Düsseldorf und Berlin.