These days, surgery to augment, reduce, or lift breasts is considered routine. When performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon, you can expect excellent results that will improve your proportions and build confidence. But don’t race into any procedures before the time is right. The FDA recommends that women put off any cosmetic breast surgery until the age of 18 – 20 when breasts are fully developed. Waiting until this time ensures optimum results in terms of shape, size, and longevity.
Breast Augmentation (Augmentation Mammoplasty)
This surgery is most popular among women between the ages of 20 and 40. It involves the insertion of silicone or saline implants. To choose the implant of correct type, size and shape, the breast must be fully developed. Furthermore, surgeons advise postponing the procedure until after child birth, as implants can hinder breast feeding and leave breasts droopy and misshapen. Additionally, healthy women over 50 are excellent candidates for augmentation as long as they understand that any risks increase when you have elective surgery at an advanced age.
Breast Reduction (Reduction Mammoplasty)
There are many reasons to undergo breast reduction – some aesthetic, some physical. From a cosmetic standpoint, overly large, pendulous breasts are often a source of embarrassment, exacerbated by ill-fitting clothes, bad posture, and poor self-image. Meanwhile, the physical ramifications include back, neck, shoulder and breast pain, as well as limitations on physical activity. Reduction surgery involves removing excess fat, glandular tissue and skin. In the majority of cases, the nipple will also have to be repositioned for a natural look and feel.
Breast Lift (Corrective Mastoplexy)
Do you need a breast lift? Try putting a pencil under your breast. If it doesn’t drop to the ground, this is a procedure you should consider. Candidates are usually 40- to 60-year-old women for whom pregnancy, gravity, and the aging process have taken a toll. Still, mastoplexy is also recommended for younger women who are finished having children, as well as those who have undergone extreme weight-loss that has left their breasts hanging and deflated. The procedure involves lifting the breast tissue and removing excess skin, which usually calls for the relocation of the nipple to a higher position on the chest.
