As we age our skin will go through many changes to its appearance, such as losing elasticity. Our Ottawa cosmetic specialists talk about what causes these changes in your skin and what you can do to fix sagging breasts naturally without surgery.
Saggy Breasts: How do they form?
When it comes to changes in our skin, including the skin on our breasts, the main factor is usually time. As we age, our skin loses elasticity and will begin to become loose and sag.
While this may be more common as we become older, it is also a possibility for younger people. There are a number of other potential causes for sagging skin such as:
- Pregnancy - This can cause the supportive ligaments to stretch and droop. This can increase with multiple pregnancies.
- Smoking- Your skin may lose its flexibility and strength.
- Having large, heavy breasts - Those who have large, heavy breasts typically have an increased chance of sagging.
- Losing significant weight quickly - You may experience loose skin and excessive sagging.
- Being overweight or obese - This may cause the tissue in the skin and breast to stretch and droop.
- Excessive and repeated sun exposure -This can cause a breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin.
- Hormonal changes - Menopause can cause significant changes in skin elasticity.
- Repetitive, strenuous exercise - Exercising repeatedly and strenuously can cause tissue to break down.
- Illness and disease - Certain illnesses and diseases can be responsible for degrees of tissue weakness and a lack of breast support.
Are there treatment options to help fix saggy breasts?
The most commonly sought-out surgery to fix sagging breasts is a breast lift. This procedure can be combined with a number of others such as implants and liposuction to address a number of concerns at once. This will help with changes related to the size, shape and firmness of your breasts.
While surgical procedures are the most common treatment options there are also non-surgical, non-invasive options that can visibly change the breast skin and tissue using non-invasive treatments and lifestyle changes.
Surgical Procedures for Saggy Breasts
A surgical breast lift, or mastopexy, is commonly used to focus on concerns involving the shape and appearance of your breasts. During this procedure, a medical professional will remove any excess skin or breast tissue in order to give the breasts a lifted appearance.
This surgical procedure will alter the positioning, shape and size of the breasts themselves as well as potentially change the size of the areola.
While changes in the breast tissue as you age are expected, surgery to fix sagging breasts can help to restore a youthful appearance. Occasionally, this procedure may be combined with implants or liposuction to address other concerns.
Can you fix saggy breasts without surgery?
While it is not possible to completely restore the breasts to their original appearance, there are steps you can take to help improve the lift and strength of your breast tissues.
Regular Exercise
Unfortunately, the breasts themselves aren't made up of muscle tissue so exercise will not directly affect the size and shape of the breast. Although there is fibrous connective tissue and muscles beneath the breast tissue that can be affected by exercise resulting in a potential improvement in your breast shape.
Another possible benefit of chest exercises is that you may see an improvement in your posture which we will touch on more below. Some exercises that are useful are:
- pushups
- swimming
- bench press
- arm curls
Healthy Diet & Nutrition
A healthy, balanced nutritional diet can help both your body and skin stay strong and healthy throughout your life.
Eating well can also help you manage your weight and nutrients leading to a healthier lifestyle. Excess weight can add pressure to your skin tissue and breast increasing the risk of sagging.
There are other healthy lifestyle choices that can be made outside of diet. It would be best if you avoided smoking as tobacco is harmful to your skin (including the skin on your breasts) and your entire body including your organs.
One of the other important ways you can help care for your skin is by staying hydrated at all times. By drinking lots of water you keep your body moving properly while caring for the state of your skin and decreasing the risk of loose, sagging skin.
Proper Posture
Bad posture: When you spend most of your time hunched over you may actually cause the breasts to hang by their own weight, which in turn creates pressure and tension on the breast tissue, causing sagging.
Good posture: By improving your posture and sitting in a proper upright position each day you can help decrease the amount of strain placed on supporting ligaments and muscles.
This helps to evenly distribute the weight in your body which can help prevent sagging breasts before they become a concern.
Breast Support
While a bra can't physically change the size, shape or placement of your breasts it can help provide support and lift.
One common issue is that many women aren't aware of their actual bra size. Wearing an improper bra size can lead to other potential concerns. Our cosmetic specialists recommend visiting a shop with staff designated to bra fittings to allow you to be sized and purchase bras that fit properly to allow for the best breast support possible.
How to Fix Saggy Breasts Naturally with Non-Surgical Breast Firming
Here at Pure Medical Cosmetics, our team offers RF skin tightening treatments to help fix sagging breasts without surgery.
RF skin tightening offers a non-invasive option for women who would like to lift and firm their breasts without the need for expensive and complicated surgery.
The radio frequency device we use provides immediate, visible improvements to the appearance of your breasts with minimal discomfort and no downtime or risk of complications.
This treatment option can help fix sagging breasts by heating your skin to between 38 and 41 degrees. This will stimulate the healing factors known to rejuvenate, remodel and restructure the collagen and elastin proteins found within the skin.
What to Expect During Bust Firming Treatment
Throughout your treatment, you may experience a warm sensation on your skin that is similar to a hot stone massage.
Once your treatment is complete you may notice some side effects such as dryness, redness and tight feeling skin. These symptoms will gradually diminish after 24 hours.
You will see improvement in your skin with each treatment and the full tightening effects are typically noticeable after approximately 3 to 6 months.
For most clients, we generally recommend a series of 6 to 10 weekly treatments followed by a once-yearly maintenance appointment.
Advantages of Non-Surgical Breast Firming
- Tissue Tightening: The heat generated by RF treatments causes a local contraction of the collagen fibres which can help to immediately tighten the skin.
- Improved Collagen Generation: New collagen production is stimulated by heating the dermis. You may notice this change gradually over the course of 3 to 6 months of treatment.
- Increased Blood Flow: RF may also be able to improve your blood and lymphatic flow. This helps with a better oxygen supply and a reduction in toxins creating healthy, youthful skin.