Understanding How Your Breasts Change Over the Years
Nov 02, 2023
Breast lift surgery addresses time-related changes in your breasts, restoring a natural, youthful appearance that helps turn back the clock. And, if you’ve never been happy with the size of your breasts, adding breast augmentation or reduction to your lift can provide the curves you’ve always desired.
Plastic surgeon Brian Blumenauer, MD, at Oceana Aesthetics in Stuart, Florida, provides expert surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic services. In this blog, Dr. Blumenauer explains how time changes your breasts and how a breast lift procedure can reverse those changes.
Although each woman's experience is unique, various factors influence changes in breast structure and appearance. For instance, estrogen production at the onset of puberty, typically between the ages of 9-12, triggers the development of breast tissue.
During the teen years, mammary glands grow, and fatty tissue accumulates, causing the breasts to enlarge. Hormonal shifts during your menstrual cycle can cause temporary tenderness and swelling. Preparation for milk production also causes breast enlargement during pregnancy.
Breast size reduces after childbirth, but it's not uncommon for breasts to remain slightly larger than before pregnancy. Breastfeeding can also stretch the skin and ligaments supporting the breasts, leading to changes in shape and size.
Breasts are usually at their firmest during the twenties due to the high collagen levels and skin elasticity. Tough fibrous bands of connective tissue (Cooper’s ligaments) attaching the breasts to chest muscles help maintain breast size, shape, and position.
As you age, collagen production decreases, affecting the skin’s elasticity. Cooper’s ligaments stretch, causing the breasts to sag.
A natural shift in volume from the top to the bottom of the breasts also results in a drooping appearance. Glandular tissue decreases while fatty tissue increases. Nipple size, shape, and positioning also change as the breast tissue ages.
Additionally, declines in estrogen that occur during menopause cause further changes in breast size and firmness as mammary glands shrink and breast density decreases.
Otherwise, weight gain can cause the breasts to enlarge due to increased fat deposits, whereas weight loss can reduce breast size and sometimes result in sagging. Smoking weakens the skin's elasticity, and excess sun exposure can cause skin damage, contributing to premature sagging.
Dr. Blumenauer offers several surgical procedures that can restore your breasts’ youthful appearance, including variations of a breast lift (mastopexy) to remove excess skin and tighten sagging breasts. The type of procedure he recommends depends on the amount of lift required.
Depending on your needs, a breast lift can include restoration of areola size and shape and nipple repositioning. Based on the results of your evaluation and your expectations, Dr. Blumenauer may also discuss breast augmentation or reduction since a breast lift doesn’t address lost volume or breast size.
To learn more about getting a breast lift, book an appointment online or over the phone with Oceana Aesthetics today.