A breast lift always goes hand-in-hand with breast implants, right? Not anymore.
There are legions of women out there whose breasts sag, or maybe one breast droops a little more than the other, and they have zero interest in larger breasts. They just want them restored to what they used to be.
Until recently, their options would have been limited to a traditional breast lift, which helps, but only for a relatively short period. Now, plastic surgeons are turning to bioresorbable mesh scaffolds instead. It’s an absorbable mesh shaped like a demi cup that gives internal support to make breast lifts last longer. In clinical trials, patients are maintaining their results after almost six years. (For all the recent advances, none is capable of outlasting nature—not yet, at least.)
Internal support leads to longer-lasting results
Breast sagging is caused by a number of factors, including pregnancy and breastfeeding, changes in weight, high-impact exercise, aging, menopause, and genetics. In other words, life. These same factors can also cause the surrounding skin to weaken along with the breast tissue.
A traditional breast lift entails removing excess skin to tighten the surrounding tissue, which raises and firms the breast. The procedure’s popularity has risen an incredible 99% since 2000. But the result can be a bit disappointing, ultimately. Some of it is lost to gravity within weeks of the procedure. And after a year or two, even if the nipple stays high, the bottom part of the breast will begin to fall.
The idea of adding some internal support to help the traditional lifts last longer is not new. But earlier versions were prone to complications. The latest generation, however, of which there are several brands, is made of a polymer that breaks down naturally, a lot like absorbable stitches, but at a slower rate.
While the mesh dissolves over 12 to 18 months, collagen and elastin enter the scaffold and create a support system that’s three to four times stronger than the existing tissue. The procedure doesn’t change cup size, but it does result in higher, fuller breasts. Even more, unlike earlier versions, it’s completely undetectable to the touch.
Shape and proportion, now just size, matter now
A unique phenomenon has been unfolding over the last few years. As we’ve become more conscious of our appearance (thank you, social media), the stigma of plastic surgery has decreased sharply, all while the procedures themselves have gotten better. The breast lift is one instance. Breast augmentation, which is still commonly paired with the breast lift, is another.
Now, shape and proportion, not size alone, are what matter, which represents a significant paradigm shift in the way we’re approaching breast augmentation.
Today’s more anatomical implants are slightly fuller at the bottom than at the top. The most popular sizes are still relatively large, but they look more like real breasts. Beyond these new teardrop shapes, implants now also come in more sizes and widths, which allows the plastic surgeon to choose ones that uniquely fit each body.
While there’s a certain amount of artistry in every cosmetic procedure, it’s especially prominent in the breast lift and breast augmentation. The latest advances grant the plastic surgeon more freedom in that regard. And patient reaps the benefits, with results that are more in line with a subtle enhancement of their natural features.