We’re all aware of the benefits of a timely breast lift procedure: it’s the most effective treatment for raising and firming the breasts without increasing the cup size, leaving the client with a new and vastly improved upper-body contour. It also works as a fix for sagging breasts, can reposition nipples for a more natural look, and reduce the appearance of enlarged areola. The jury came out on this one a long time ago: breast lifts work.

However appealing a breast lift appears, it must be pointed out that a procedure of this nature is not suitable for everyone and not everyone who approaches us will be automatically given one. Here’s a checklist that may be of some help:

You are physically healthy and are maintaining a stable weight

Because dramatic weight fluctuations – in either direction – can affect the appearance of your breasts after breast lift surgery, the procedure is best suited to clients who have maintained a relatively stable weight for a period of time.

You’re a non-smoker or nicotine-free

We all know the dangers of smoking, but these are exacerbated after a breast lift. Because a breast lift procedure temporarily compromises the blood supply to the skin, the danger of nicotine constricting that blood supply further considerably raises the danger of post-procedure health issues. You need to be nicotine-free for at least one month before and after surgery.

Your breasts are sagging, or have lost shape and volume

Some surgeons drag out the tried-and-trusted pencil test as an indicator of sagging breasts – if the pencil stays there, it’s time to think about a breast lift. The sad fact is that as we age, we start to lose elasticity in the skin – which can be exacerbated by other factors such as smoking, fluctuations in weight, and plain old gravity.

Your nipples and areolas point downward

This is a key symptom of breast ptosis – a natural consequence of ageing which can be hurried along by other factors such as smoking, over-vigorous exercising and pregnancy (but not breastfeeding).

You have stretched skin and enlarged areolas

Stretched skin is a natural consequence of ageing and being well-developed – either naturally or through pregnancy and weight gain. Enlarged areolas can be a cause of pregnancy, but other factors can include hormonal changes, certain medications, and simple ageing.

One breast is lower than the other

Perfect breast symmetry is a rarer occurrence than you’d think: as our bodies go through puberty, the rapid growth spurts we go through can affect one breast more than another – although this usually balances itself out over time. If one breast has suddenly grown larger than the other, we strongly advise you get it checked out by your GP immediately.

A breast lift is an extremely flexible procedure. An incision will be made – either around the areola, or around the areola and down to the crease at the bottom of the breast, or around the areola and down to the breast crease and horizontally along the breast crease – followed by a lifting and reshaping of the breast tissue and the repositioning the nipples and areola. For more information on what we can do to restore your natural shape, get in touch with us here.