Augmentation mammoplasty is a procedure that many women undergo to improve the appearance or size of their breasts. On some occasions, after the operation the breasts are left sagging, causing great disappointment in the patient.
This situation is not as uncommon as it is believed and has a solution, either through a non-surgical postoperative treatment or, in other cases, it will simply be solved with time. In more extreme cases, where breast sagging is very evident, secondary breast surgery will be necessary.
Breast sagging after surgery
On many occasions when there is a drooping breast in the immediate postoperative period, it is due to an asymmetry between the breasts, with one prosthesis higher than the other. This is usually temporary, caused by postoperative swelling, or because the pectoralis muscle has not relaxed at the same time. In these cases the solution is simple: give time for the swelling to go down or for the distension of the breast to be completed.
A sagging breast can also be caused by a woman’s previous breast asymmetry, which is completely normal. In general, it is a not very noticeable difference, but there are more evident cases, in which specialists use prostheses of different sizes or perform the augmentation with fat.
This basic asymmetry can make this difference still noticeable after the breast augmentation, so it is important to have clear expectations regarding the final result, although it is usually highly satisfactory.
In such cases it is also possible to equalize the position of the mammary folds, although it may increase the risk of experiencing an asymmetry between the nipples. To avoid this, you can choose to perform breast augmentation associated with a breast lift (mastopexy), in the breast with the lower areola.
In short, there is a solution for each particular case, and the most important thing is to be able to evaluate it extensively with the specialist, previously making a proper diagnosis.
Drooping breasts after postoperative period
When the operated breast is sagging after overcoming the first stage of the postoperative period, in addition to malpractice, it may be due to several cases:
- Size of the implant: a larger size, implies a greater risk of drooping, due to the effect of gravity.
- Light skin: dark and Asian skins are thicker than light skins, offering greater support to the breast.
- Implant position: when breast implants are placed behind the gland there is a greater risk of sagging than when they are placed behind the muscle. This is because they have more support, instead of just the skin.
How to prevent breast sagging with implants
- Perform postoperative care: it is important to follow the care recommended by the specialist, as well as to attend the indicated check-ups, since they allow any anomaly to be detected early.
- Breast care: moisturizing the skin of the breasts and using a suitable bra can prevent breast sagging. It is important to stress the importance of the bra, since it helps to control postoperative swelling and prevents overloading the breast. It is also essential when practicing sports.
- Lifestyle: diet, smoking and sedentary lifestyle can be factors for breast sagging.
- Choosing a good cosmetic surgeon.
Causes of breast sagging with implants
- Fluctuation in weight: a drastic weight loss or weight gain and with little time can cause breast sagging, since it increases the fat around the gland or because fat is lost and the breast descends.
- Maternity and breastfeeding: can cause a change in the appearance of the breasts, especially breastfeeding, due to the distension of the skin that occurs when the milk comes in. This can cause sagging and softening of the breast.
- Capsular contracture: unusual, which is caused by a deformity of the breast.
- Prosthesis rupture: can cause a change in shape or size.
How to correct sagging breasts
It is essential that the specialist makes it clear to the patient that the result of operating on a sagging breast is not immediate and should always leave a few months to assess the final result. In these cases a breast lift is usually performed with or without implants.
In the intervention the nipple-areola complex is repositioned to the proper position, distributing the glandular tissue. The excess skin must be removed, which will cause scars. These scars are worked on with a laser that causes a strong improvement, as well as postoperative techniques to leave them practically imperceptible.
For more information about the technique, contact Dr. Salvador Lopez. You can also view her results here.