Motherhood takes a toll on the body. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can impact the shape, size, and appearance of the breasts. Added pressure placed on the ligaments that hold the breasts in position increases throughout pregnancy, causing them to stretch like a rubber band. Once this elasticity is lost, the breasts may start to sag. After expanding to support milk production, breast tissue can become overstretched. When you’re done breastfeeding your children, reduced breast volume can leave the chest looking a bit deflated. These and other breast changes can be disheartening for women in the New Orleans and Metairie, LA area.
Now that this stage of life is behind you, it may be an ideal time to consider restoring the appearance of your bust line. With breast augmentation, implants can be used to improve and enhance the size and shape of the breasts. Meanwhile, a breast lift can lend a more perky, youthful appearance to the chest. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Jules Walters works closely with patients at his two locations in New Orleans and Metairie, LA, to help them look and feel their best. He details specifics about these procedures, which frequently are performed together, and how they can effectively transform your post-baby body.
Why Pair Augmentation with A Lift?
When breast augmentation is combined with a breast lift (also known as mastopexy), a bust that is rounder, fuller, more youthful, and perky looking can be achieved. It is a common misconception that implants alone are the solution for sagging breasts (a condition called ptosis). Although implants do boost the volume of the breasts, they do not address the underlying issues that cause the breasts to sag in the first place. In fact, when certain patients undergo breast augmentation in New Orleans and Metairie, LA, and receive implants without undergoing a breast lift, the saggy appearance may worsen.
The best way to know whether a breast lift should be performed with augmentation is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon in Metairie and New Orleans, LA such as Dr. Walters. A leading expert in breast augmentation, Dr. Walters will examine your breasts and determine whether one or both procedures are necessary to create the excellent aesthetic outcome that is desired.
All About Augmentation
More than 313,000 breast augmentations were performed in the U.S. in 2018, making it the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure. Thanks to major advancements over the past decade, the selection of styles as well as the durability of breast implants has never been greater. Also, surgical techniques have become more precise and gentler forms of anesthesia have helped to ease the recovery process. There likely has never been a better time to undergo breast augmentation in New Orleans and Metairie, LA and get the beautiful breasts that you’ve always dreamed of having.
The fatty tissue that composes the breasts is what gives them their size and fullness. Underlying ligaments and other connective tissue help to maintain their shape and height. Because the breasts do not contain muscles, it is not possible to restore their shape and laxity with exercise once it has been lost due to pregnancy and breastfeeding. Implants can correct and improve breast volume and, if the skin is healthy and has retained its laxity, may help them to look perky again. However, if changes have occurred to the skin and connective tissues that support the breasts, sagging may be noticeable and can actually increase with the placement of an implant.
The Lowdown on Breast Lifts
The primary goal of a breast lift, or mastopexy, is to create a more youthful-looking bustline by tightening up the breasts. With a lift, the breasts of patients can be reshaped by removing excess skin and tightening underlying tissue to lift the breasts into a perkier position. By repositioning the nipples, the breasts can be made to appear more symmetrical and natural once in the correct place on the torso.
In most cases, when the position of the nipple rests lower than the natural fold of the breast, mastopexy can be beneficial. Also, breasts that have taken on an elongated shape, are asymmetrical, feature excess amounts of loose skin, or have a nipple that points downward can be improved with a lift. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Walters can expertly determine what must be done surgically to remove the excess skin and improve sagging to give patients the lifted results they seek.
How Is the Procedure Performed?
For this outpatient procedure, patients are sedated with general anesthesia. There are three styles of incisions that traditionally are employed for a breast lift – the donut, the anchor, and the lollipop. Given your specific surgical needs and goals, Dr. Walters will determine which one of these is best suited for you. Loose skin along with unwanted fat and tissue are removed from the breasts. The skin can then be tightened to reposition the breasts higher. The areola may also be reduced and reconstructed to appear more symmetrical on the repositioned and newly shaped breast. A saline or silicone implant may then be placed above or below the chest muscle before the breasts are sutured closed to complete the surgery.
What Will Recovery Be Like?
Because every woman’s aesthetic needs and surgical goals are different, the duration of the recovery period for breast augmentation with a lift will vary for patients in the New Orleans and Metairie, LA area. In most cases, women usually feel well enough and are given the green light by Dr. Walters to resume their normal activities within about a week of the procedure. Strenuous exercise and other activities, especially those that involve lifting or moving the arms above the head, should be avoided for about a month. It is common to experience some mild-to-moderate inflammation for 2-3 weeks following surgery. It may take several months for your implants to settle into their final position, after which the full results of your enhanced, uplifted breasts can be experienced.
With the rigors of pregnancy and breastfeeding in the rearview mirror, you may wish to restore a sexy shape, youthful fullness and a perky appearance to your breasts. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Jules Walters at either location in New Orleans or Metairie, LA. Breast augmentation, when paired with a breast lift, can help you feel more confident about your figure.
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