Dear Dr. Seckel, I am 33 years old and in great physical shape. I have two children and have worked very hard to regain my shape after my pregnancies. The only problem is that my breasts and tummy are loose and sagging. No matter how hard I work out I just cannot firm these areas. I have read about tummy tuck and breast augmentation; can these be done at the same time? Also I have read about the lollipop breast lift can that be done at the same time? How do you decide if a breast lift is needed or just a breast augmentation. Please help! Thank you, Denise, Boston, MA
Dear Denise,
Your question is one of the most common situations I see in my plastic surgery practice. Most women who have had children notice lax abdominal skin or a sagging tummy and experience laxity of the breasts or sagging breasts and no amount of hard work can completely firm these areas back to the way they were before pregnancy.
The tummy tuck and breast augmentation or breast lift are frequently done together. A minor tummy tuck involves only an incision down low in the abdomen which can be designed to be hidden under today’s brief bikini’s so that the scar is not visible at the beach. A major tummy tuck, called an abdominoplasty, done when there is a great deal of abdominal skin laxity and excess abdominal skin and stretch marks, require an incision around the “belly button” or umbilicus, and thus creates a visible scar. Most women in your age group only need a minor tummy tuck.
Many women who only have a small amount of sagging of the breast, called glandular ptosis, can restore their breast shape and firmness with only a breast augmentation or breast enlargement with a breast implant. The implant can be a saline breast implant or a silicone gel breast implant which has a more natural feel.
For women who have more severe breast sagging, called breast ptosis, a breast lift or dermal mastopexy is required. This decision is made based on your breast anatomy. Generally if the nipple is below the inframammary crease (IMC) the diagnosis of mammary ptosis is made and a breast lift or dermal mastopexy is required.
Most women do not want to have the breast lift, called a dermal mastopexy, done because the dermal mastopexy or breast lift creates visible scars on the breasts. However the breast lift or dermal mastopexy can create a beautiful youthful breast shape and many women choose this procedure and accept the scars which are much less noticeable with time.
The lollipop lift or lollipop breast lift is a procedure designed to minimize the scars associated with the breast lift or dermal mastopexy. The lollipop breast lift involves a circular scar around the areola and a vertical scar running straight down the breast beneath the areola so it looks like a lollipop when viewed from the front.
My recommendation is that you consult 2 surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and get their opinions as to the best options for you.
Thank you for your question.
For more information on plastic surgery and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.
Dr Seckel
978-369-4499
Concord, Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts