Will An Implant Lift My Sagging Breasts?

Q: Dr. Eppley, Help! I have got the saggest breasts ever. I am only 20 years old and am small at just 5’ 1” and 105 lbs. I have never been pregnant. Despite not having children, I have  very sagging breasts and am not sure the best way to get them lifted. Should I have implants or just have a lift? I am not sure I care either way although I might prefer implants because of the scar issue. How do I go about making the right decision? Thank you.

A: Your question is a common one and often illustrates comfusion about whether a breast implant can create a lifting effect. The asnwer to that question is yes and no. By filling and pushing out the breast skin envelope, the breasts can appear in some patients to be actually lifted. But the key question to this type of ‘scarless breast lifting’ is the location of the nipple before surgery. As long as it is above the level of the lower breast fold, an implant alone will create a lifting effect. But if the nipple is at or below the breast fold, no real lift will happen and the added volume may create the opposite effect of just pushng the existing breast tissue and nipple even further down. Your descriptor of ‘very sagging breasts’ suggests that you do have a low nipple location and a real surgucal breast lift will be needed. Whether that may include an implant for the creation of more volume is an option but the implant alone will not create the desired breast lifting effect.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana