Shreveport Doctors

Are There Strategies to Slow Down the Process of Breast Drooping?

For example: wearing sports bras to bed, sleeping on your side, taking vitamins to give the ligaments more nutrients, applying lotions with collagen, etc.

Thanks for the question.  The biggest culprit in breast droop is your genetics.  If you were "blessed" with large breasts, they will not stay perky over time.  Skin aging, time and gravity will make them settle. The 2nd culprit is weight fluctuations.  Whether you waffle 10 lbs up and down, or pregnancy with larger weight gains and losses, your breasts respond to these weight changes.  You gain fat, your skin enlarges to accomodate the weight and fat - you may even get stretch marks.  When you then lose the weight or fat, your skin does NOT go away and your breasts will sag.  Some approaches that will help are wearing good bras to prevent gravity working too hard on them, and maintaining a steady weight.  There are no magic potions.  Save your money for good bras.

Holly Casey Wall, MD

Shreveport Plastic Surgeon

Would I Need a Lift in Addition to Implants?

Hello Dr's My body is not quite the same after 3 children and a lot of weight gained and lost. Just wondering your opinion on whether I would require a breast lift as well as implants if I was to ever regain what once was! Thank you.

Hello, I think the answer really all depends on your goals.  Your breasts are deflated from multiple pregnancies and you have some sag.  Your nipples are still pointing straight out instead of down, which is a good thing.  If your goal is a very natural look without much fullness up on your chest - like by your axillary crease - then I also believe you can get away without a lift.  The larger the implant however, the quicker you will stretch your tissues even more and will be looking at a lift in the future.  Your result may look great at 6 months, but you may not be pleased with the larger breasts low on your chest in 1.5 years.  It is a common mistake to just put in a larger implant to fill out the loose tissue in an effort to avoid a lift.  BUT, your tissues will pay the price and you will be buying a lift in the future.  However, if your goal is fullness higher on your chest and you do not want to wear push up bras for the rest of your days, then a lift combined with an implant will provide better upper pole fullness.  In patients like you, I would show patients with similar breasts preop and show you their 1 or 2 year results with both approaches.  Then, you can make a more informed decision.  Best of luck!

Holly Casey Wall, MD

Shreveport Plastic Surgeon

Do I Need to Be at my Goal Weight and Have Maintained That Weight in Order to Be Considered a Good Candidate for Abdominoplasty?

I have lost close to 70 # over the past year but would like to lose about 30 - 35 more # to be at what I consider my optimal, or goal, weight. I am close to 5'10" and currently weigh 185. I want to get a tummy tuck to remove the loose skin, stretch marks and scars from numerous other abdominal surgeries. Should I wait until I hit and maintain my goal or am I good candidate now? I also had an emergency unilateral oopherectomy last yr to remove a 17 cm benign tumor and have a bad diastasis.

You absolutely want to be at your "happy weight" before surgery.  When you lose weight, you lose fat - but your skin doesn't go away.  After losing another 30 lbs, your skin will be even looser and more of your excess skin can be removed with the abdominoplasty.  Also, being closer to your ideal body weight decreases your risks of surgery.  I agree with my colleagues, you need to make sure that you do not have a hernia from your previous surgeries that may need to be repaired before your tummy tuck or in conjunction with your tummy tuck.

Holly Casey Wall, MD

Shreveport Plastic Surgeon