Question 1

What is a nonsurgical breast lift?

Accepted Answer

While it's not possible to fix severely sagging breasts without surgery, nonsurgical breast lift techniques can firm the skin and tissue of sagging breasts. Unlike traditional breast lift surgery, these noninvasive procedures require no anesthesia, incisions, or downtime, and they leave no scars.

Nonsurgical breast lift results aren’t nearly as dramatic as what you'd see with breast lift surgery (mastopexy), which can remove excess skin, raise the breast tissue, and reposition the nipples to a perkier position. But it is possible to see some improvement in firmness with nonsurgical options.

Related: The Top Treatments to Fix Saggy Breasts, According to Doctors

Good candidates for this route are usually in their 30s to mid-40s, with mild sagging, good skin elasticity, and realistic expectations for the results they can expect.

Some opt for a nonsurgical breast lift to delay surgery, while others choose a noninvasive breast lift because they want to completely avoid an operation.

RealSelf Tip: Vampire facelifts have evolved into vampire breast lifts, which use platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, from your own blood to promote rejuvenation in skin of the breasts, encouraging skin tightening and lifting, there's little to no science to back it up. Most doctors on RealSelf don't recommend it.

Question 2

What are the pros and cons of a nonsurgical breast lift?

Accepted Answer

Pros

These nonsurgical techniques don’t require anesthesia, surgery, or significant downtime.
You won’t be left with scars.
Nonsurgical breast lifts are far less expensive than surgery.

Cons

Nonsurgical breast lifts aren’t a great option for people with excess skin or serious sagging due to weight loss, aging, or breastfeeding. Noninvasive treatments can provide skin tightening benefits, but they can't remove excess skin or tighten lax Cooper’s ligaments (the connective structural tissue inside the breasts). Because of this, results are much less dramatic than what you'd see from a plastic surgery procedure.
You may need a series of treatments to achieve your desired results.
Results won't be nearly as long-lasting as those from breast lift surgery. Depending on the type of treatment you have, you can expect to need maintenance treatments every few years.
While a traditional breast lift can adjust the position or reduce the size of the nipple and areola, this isn't an option with a nonsurgical treatment.
Though less expensive than surgical breast lifts, nonsurgical options can still be costly: expect to pay $2,000 or more, depending on the type of treatment your provider recommends. That's still a significant investment, so it's a good idea to consult with more than one qualified provider, to make sure you're a good candidate for a non-invasive procedure and compare several options.
If you want to lift your breasts and restore lost volume, a surgical procedure—namely a lift with breast implants or fat transfer breast augmentation—is still your best bet.

Question 3

What are the best nonsurgical breast lift options?

Accepted Answer

A board-certified plastic surgeon can assess your situation and make a recommendation that best aligns with your anatomy and goals. They may suggest one of these nonsurgical procedures.

A laser breast lift typically uses a Nd:YAG or Er:YAG laser to tighten skin and breast tissue. The heat of the laser causes the collagen fibers in your skin to contract (so you may see some immediate tightening) and triggers a natural healing response that stimulates collagen production in your cells, creating a slight lifting and firming effect over the coming weeks and months. Another bonus: you should see improvements in chest wrinkles and sun damage. Doctors typically recommend a series of three laser treatments over six months, for optimal results. Just be sure you see an experienced provider: laser treatments carry risks of hyperpigmentation (areas of excess pigment) or scarring.
Radiofrequency energy treatments, such as BodyTite, Thermage, and ThermiTight, use RF waves to stimulate collagen production on order to tighten and firm breast tissue. It’s often a one-time treatment with some immediate firming effects, with improved results over the next three months as new collagen forms.
Breast thread lifts work similarly to facial thread lifts. Once the area is numb with local anesthesia, thin threads are inserted just under the skin and secured, to create an immediate lift and stimulate collagen over time production. Most providers use dissolvable threads, which are absorbed by the body after about two years. The best candidates for breast thread lifts are those under age 55, with mild sagging.
Sculptra dermal fillers are increasingly being used off-label (read: not FDA-approved) as a nonsurgical breast augmentation option, lifting deflated breasts for up to three years. While the procedure itself is relatively fast and comes with no downtime, this option also isn't a quick fix: most patients need multiple treatments over a few months, and because most of the benefits from Sculptra stem from its ability to stimulate new collagen production, your results will develop over the next three to six months. It's also important to be aware of the potential side effects include bruising, asymmetry, and the development of nodules called granulomas under the skin. These nodules can develop as late as 60 months after your initial injection. Dr. Sheryl Clark, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, says she doesn't believe that Sculptra is a good option for breasts, for this very reason. "Papules and nodules are more likely to form over the sternum, and if they occur in the breasts might raise concern about possible breast cancer and cause unnecessary biopsies." She recommends ThermiTight or fat transfer instead. If you decide to go this route, find an injector with extensive experience using Sculptra in this area, and make sure they teach you how to massage the treated area at home to help reduce this risk. Also keep in mind that Sculptra can be very expensive: it's about $700 per vial, and you may need two or more vials per treatment.

Related: Here’s Why Sculptra Is Not Your Average Filler

RealSelf Tip: Some providers say that Botox injected into the chest muscle may create a subtle lifting effect by relaxing the pectoral muscles, so that the shoulders aren’t pulled forward.

This is an off-label use of the product, and other doctors have voiced concerns that the high dosage needed to temporarily relax those muscles could increase the risk of breathing problems. The number of units required can also be very expensive, and Botox doesn’t actually firm or tighten skin.

Question 4

How long does a nonsurgical breast lift last?

Accepted Answer

The longevity of your results will depend on the type of nonsurgical breast lift procedure you’ve chosen, but all are temporary.

Not smoking and using sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher can help prolong your results and slow down your skin’s aging process.

Laser breast lifting results can last two to five years.
Sculptra results last two to three years.
BodyTite or Thermage results can last up to two years.
Thread lift results also last up to two years.

Question 5

Nonsurgical breast lift before and after pictures

Accepted Answer

The nonsurgical breast lift photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

NONSURGICAL BREAST LIFT

Wendy Rose Gould

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	YAG Laser nonsurgical	BodyTite surgical	Thread Lift nonsurgical	Sculptra nonsurgical
Worth It Rating	50%	84%	75%	82%
Average Cost	Not yet available	$7331	$2104	$1905
Downtime	3 to 7 days of social downtime	Up to 1 week of downtime	Minimal downtime	Minimal downtime
Anesthesia	Local anesthesia	Local or general anesthesia	Local anesthesia	Topical anesthesia

Wendy Rose Gould

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