Breast Lift and Breast Ptosis Toronto

Drooping and sagging breasts, more formally known as breast ptosis, occurs in just about every woman past puberty. Loss of breast tissue, poor skin elasticity, and the weakening of ligaments that “hold up” the breasts are major causes of breast ptosis. As a result, drooping is directly related to the signs of aging, pregnancy, breastfeeding and a decrease in weight.

Though it is not a serious health condition, breast ptosis can be detrimental to women in a psychological sense. Droopy breasts contravene the feminine ideal, thereby profoundly affecting a woman's self esteem and confidence. Intimacy, a positive outlook and a general feeling of self satisfaction may also be affected.

Unfortunately, breast ptosis is a fact women must face sometime in their life. But the good news is that the routine cosmetic surgical procedure of a breast lift can eliminate droopiness and rejuvenate that feminine body contour.

The medical term for the breast lift procedure is mastopexy. When considering undergoing mastopexy, it is helpful to know how much correction will be required so that you may be adequately prepared mentally and physically.

Ptosis is measured by the amount of drooping in each breast. This amount may be the same for both breasts or different. Consequently, mastopexy may be performed on one breast to correct asymmetry. A typical measurement involves three grades, 1 being mild. Needless to say, the most amount of surgical correction is performed on Grade 3.

A convenient way to determine how much your breasts sag requires a ruler placed horizontally underneath each breast while they hang freely and are not supported. The ruler should sit flat, immediately underneath where the breast meets the body.

In Grade 1 ptosis, the nipple typically sits just above the ruler, or slightly lower. If the nipple sits even lower than this, it is categorized as Grade 2. Grade 3 ptosis is when the area above the nipple and areola is longer than below it, with barely to no skin visible. The breasts may appear as if almost pointing downwards.

A breast with a nipple and areola that are placed well above the ruler, but still appear as if droopy and sagging, is considered pseudoptosis. As the name implies, it is not a true ptosis, but can still be corrected with mastopexy.

This is a general guideline and may not accurately reflect the assessment of the physician you choose to perform mastopexy. During the consultative process, your physician will assess the amount of ptosis according to their guidelines.