Breast changes happen throughout life and even occur on a monthly basis with hormone fluctuations. Unfortunately, many women struggle with overly large breasts or breast ptosis (drooping) due to genetics, aging, weight changes, or childbearing. Breast lift and breast reduction are common procedures at The Plastic Surgery Center in Sacramento and Granite Bay, California, and our board-certified plastic surgeons can help you decide which breast surgery is right for your needs.
Breast Reduction (Reduction Mammoplasty)
Women seeking breast reductions are motivated by physical or psychological symptoms from overly large breasts that overpower their figure. They may experience chronic pain, skin rashes, and activity limitations and may struggle with a decrease in quality of life because of the excess weight on their chests. Reduction mammoplasty removes a significant amount of volume to alleviate these concerns and provides a lifted breast appearance.
Breast reduction may decrease the nipples and areolas to match the new breast size and shape. This procedure could be a good fit for women whose breast size causes poor posture, neck or back pain, sleeping problems, chronic skin infections, and difficulty finding clothing and bras that fit their body shape.
Breast Lift (Mastopexy)
Women with sagging breasts often look to breast lifts to restore a youthful bust after they’ve lost volume due to aging, weight loss, or breastfeeding. Breast lift does not remove breast (glandular) tissue but focuses on the excess skin. The glandular tissue is reshaped and elevated on the chest wall, and the breasts may appear smaller due to these changes. Some women may have their nipples and areolas repositioned and reduced for a natural-looking breast appearance.
Mastopexy is best for women who are insecure or lack confidence in their breasts due to sagging breasts with a flat or deflated appearance and nipples that point downward or droop past the breast crease. These patients may have uneven breasts and stretched-out skin.
Which Procedure Is Best for Your Breasts?
Both procedures have high satisfaction rates among patients and require several weeks of downtime. Women experience a boost in self-confidence after either procedure, but they offer unique benefits. Breast reduction alleviates painful symptoms and psychological distress for women with large breasts, and breast lift restores a perky breast appearance for drooping breasts from aging, gravity, or childbearing. Breast lift is a purely cosmetic procedure, whereas breast reduction is often seen as medically necessary to eliminate pain or mobility issues.
The right one for your needs depends on your reason for pursuing breast surgery. Do you desire smaller breasts? Perkier breasts? Both? Breast reduction and breast lift are often combined for best results.
Schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons at The Plastic Surgery Center. Contact our Sacramento, California, office at (916) 929-1833 or Granite Bay, California, at (916) 773-5559.
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