Many women walk into a breast lift consultation expecting a permanent solution. What they often do not anticipate is how pregnancy, breastfeeding, time, and gravity can alter the results, even after a technically successful procedure.
Dr Teklu Zenebe, a consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Aga Khan University Hospital, says that two surgeries can lift breasts.
One option is an aesthetic breast lift, which is primarily done to raise and reshape the position of the breasts and nipples. The other is a breast reduction, which can also create a lift while reducing volume.
The latter "lift" is often tied to a medical need, especially for women whose enlarged breasts cause back and neck pain or skin irritation where the breast meets the chest.
"However, if you are undergoing a breast lift for aesthetic purposes, pregnancy can affect the outcome of your surgery," he says.
First, the changes begin with pregnancy itself. When a woman becomes pregnant, hormonal shifts stimulate breast tissue growth, causing the breasts to enlarge and the skin to stretch to accommodate the expansion.
After breastfeeding, the glandular tissue can shrink, but stretched skin may struggle to regain its previous firmness, causing ptosis of the breast.
"As a result, the nipple will be below the breast mound."
Similarly, women who become pregnant after undergoing a breast reduction may experience a reversal of the desired results, including a recurrence of nipple ptosis, due to the same cycle of enlargement and shrinkage.
The only way to permanently change the sizes is through plastic surgery.
Photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK
Secondly, breastfeeding is affected. Dr Zenebe explains that breast lift and reduction procedures can reduce breast gland tissue volume, and some milk ducts may be injured during the process, depending on the technique and extent of tissue removal.
This is why some women find breastfeeding more difficult after a breast reduction, especially if they plan to breastfeed exclusively.
Additionally, Dr Zenebe says that over time, gravity can reduce the results of the surgery, even without pregnancy.
"The older you get, the more your skin's tissue and elasticity will decrease, reducing the benefits of the surgery."
Also, there is a risk of losing nipple sensitivity, either partially or completely, and cosmetic symmetry is not guaranteed.
"Yes, because doing a secondary surgery is always risky. While we try to preserve nipple vascularity, the risk of nipple necrosis is higher."
"Yes, after you have finished breastfeeding, it is wise to wait at least six months before undergoing surgery," he says.
However, he stresses that the decision to have surgery before or after childbirth depends on the woman's condition and the symptoms she is experiencing.
A breast surgery patient. The success of the procedure in sparing breastfeeding potential is about 75 per cent. PHOTO | FOTOSEARCH
For patients with severe breast enlargement, such as macromastia or gigantomastia, Dr Zenebe says that a breast reduction can be performed as soon as possible to provide relief because delaying surgery may prolong pain and skin problems, as well as reduce quality of life.
