The breasts may be a functional aspect of a woman’s body but we also know that most women associate breast shape and position with a sense of youthful femininity, too. At Ong Institute, we enjoy helping women feel amazing about their body. We have seen first-hand that, when the breasts are shaped in proportion to the body frame, a woman’s sense of confidence and personal satisfaction tend to be generally good. Before surgery, though, most do want to know if the results of their breast lift will last. They can, especially when the factors that cause breasts to sag are understood and managed.
Why Breasts Fall
Breasts sit nice and high on the chest wall when a woman is young. They don’t fall because a woman has had children, although pregnancy and breastfeeding are contributing factors. More specifically, breasts change shape as a result of weight, tone, and firmness.
Weight
One of the reasons that pregnancy and breastfeeding are perceived as factors in breast sag is because both add weight to the breasts. First, pregnancy adds weight through general gains. During pregnancy, the breasts are also preparing for breastfeeding so are likely to enlarge to some degree. After childbirth, weight may stabilize higher than it was before pregnancy. At the same time, breasts enlarge further with milk for breastfeeding. These two factors alone add bulk and heaviness to the breasts. However, weight gain alone also makes the breasts heavier and more likely to droop when other factors are added in. Weight stability after breast lift surgery lends to longer-lasting results.
Tone
Muscle tone is an integral aspect of general health in the aging process. As it pertains to breast shape and height on the chest wall, it is the state of the pectoral muscles that is most relevant. These muscles lie beneath the fatty tissue of the breasts and provide a degree of support. Two ways to manage the tone of pectoral muscles after breast lift surgery include mild to moderate strength training and wearing a well-fit bra. Bras with too much support take all the work off the pectoral muscles and encourage atrophy that could ultimately lead to premature drooping.
Firmness
It isn’t the firmness of the breasts themselves that matters in this context but the firmness of the skin and connective tissue that covers the breasts. Tissue firmness declines with age because we lose collagen faster than the body makes it. Research has suggested that consistent vitamin C levels stimulate the body to make collagen at any age. Therefore, taking 500 to 1000mg of time-released vitamin C may be one of the most convenient ways to support tissue firmness in the breast area as well as all over the body.
Learn more about breast lift surgery and what it has to offer. Contact us to schedule a consultation in our Scottsdale office.
