Breast Lift after Pregnancy
Many women are less than thrilled to see that, after pregnancy, the body fails to return to its pre-pregnancy shape. Even by monitoring diet and exercise, many women are unable to restore a firm and youthful appearance, especially to the breasts. The breasts fluctuate in size during pregnancy and in preparation for breastfeeding, leaving many women with stretched skin and breasts that point downward. A breast lift can improve the position of the breasts and restore a firm and perky appearance to the bust line. For our Missoula patients, a breast lift after pregnancy can help women reclaim the attractive, youthful bust line that they enjoyed prior to pregnancy.
The Effects of Pregnancy on the Breasts
Pregnancy puts the body through an enormous amount of change. Aside from the tummy area, the breasts are the part of the body that changes the most throughout pregnancy. In fact, the breasts often enlarge early on in pregnancy, with most women experiencing breast growth long before the stomach begins to expand. Once the baby is born, the body produces milk, and the breasts enlarge even further. Unfortunately, once pregnancy and breastfeeding are complete and the breasts return to their pre-pregnancy size (or smaller), many women lack the skin elasticity to restore firmness or lift to the breasts. Below are some characteristics that women may experience following pregnancy:
- Loose breast skin
- Long, flat shape to the breasts
- Stretched skin that has lost firmness
- Nipples that sit at a lower position or point downward
- Enlarged areolas
If a woman experiences any of the above following pregnancy, but is still happy with the size and proportions of the breasts, a breast lift is likely all that is needed to improve the shape of the breasts while restoring firmness to create the youthful and perky appearance that most women desire.
The Procedure
A breast lift procedure allows Dr. Stephen P. Hardy to improve the position of the breasts, restore shape and firmness to the breasts, and reposition and/or resize the areolas. This is an outpatient procedure that is performed while the patient is under general anesthesia. There are many techniques that may be used during the procedure, but the primary goal is to make an incision that allows Dr. Hardy to remove excess skin and breast tissue and reposition the nipples so that the breasts look more youthful and have a more lifted profile. While a breast lift alone can often achieve the look that our patient’s desire, if significant volume has been lost during pregnancy, Dr. Hardy can place a breast implant during surgery to enhance the size, shape, and lift of the breasts all at once.
Schedule an Appointment
After giving so much of themselves during pregnancy, women deserve to focus on their own desires. If you are looking to enhance your breasts or body following pregnancy and would like to feel confident knowing that you are being treated by the best, schedule an appointment with Dr. Stephen P. Hardy at your earliest convenience. Dr. Hardy will be happy to answer any questions you may have about restoring your pre-pregnancy figure.
