Will Breasts Be Pulled Down During Tummy Tuck?

This is a very good question, and the answer is yes! Although, they won't be moved down much. This is particularly important when you get tummy tuck at the same time as a tummy tuck because the incisions to place the implants may become more noticeable after the tummy tuck. However, with just a tummy tuck your breast shape shouldn't change too dramatically.

Thank you for your question regarding whether a tummy tuck will pull your breasts down when the skin is tightened. During a tummy tuck, the surgeon removes excess skin and fat from the abdominal area, and the remaining skin is pulled down to create a tighter, flatter stomach. While this process affects the abdominal area, it doesn’t typically pull the breast tissue downward in any noticeable way.

The skin tightening in a tummy tuck is focused primarily on the lower abdomen, and although some minor tightening may occur around the upper abdomen, it generally does not significantly impact the position of the breasts. If you're concerned about sagging breasts or the position of your breasts, this would be better addressed with a breast lift or breast augmentation.

For patients who experience breast ptosis (sagging) due to weight loss, pregnancy, or aging, many choose to combine a tummy tuck with a breast lift as part of a mommy makeover to get the best results for both the abdomen and breasts. However, the tummy tuck procedure alone should not cause noticeable changes to the position of your breasts.

If you're still concerned about how the tummy tuck might affect your breasts, I would recommend discussing your goals and concerns with your plastic surgeon during your consultation.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Thank you for your question! No, the position of the breasts should not change with a tummy tuck procedure.

It would be very unusual for the breast to be pulled down from a tummy tuck. The breast fold is a very well defined structure in most patients and this should not be disrupted during a tummy tuck. It is possible to move the breast fold during breast surgery, so this should be discussed with your Plastic Surgeon if you are having a combined procedure.
The inframammary fold, or breast fold, is where the breast skin is attached to the strong connective tissue underneath the breast, along the lower rib cage. This may be intentionally altered during breast augmentation, breast lifts or other types of reconstruction of the breast. It is also possible to change this fold inadvertently during any breast surgery, but not likely during a tummy tuck.

Yes, ti will pull it down but this is not usually noticed by the patient. Typically the crease may be pulled down more than the breast itself. For this reason, when breast augmentations are performed at the same time as a tummy tuck, I may place the incision slightly higher on the breast to compensate for the "pulling down" effect.

The breast fold (inframammary fold) will likely not change after a tummy tuck. Most dissection during a tummy tuck does not extend as high up to have any noticeable effect on the breast position. Even if a patient has laxity of their upper chest wall near the breast fold, a tummy tuck has only minor effect on the breasts. Most patients will never notice such a change.

During a classical Tummy Tuck, the skin is elevated to the level of the ribs.
The fold under the breast is at leas two rib levels above the rib margin even with large breasts. I suppose it is possible to get some skin stretch to pull down the breasts but during the many years I did the classical tummy tuck I never noticed it.
The Lockwood technique does not even go near the breasts and it elevates much less tissue. It also has less incidence of fluid collections, numbness, etc. If you are interested in hearing more about it, check the link below.

Depending on how "mobile" your skin is in the upper abdomen, the fold may move a little or a lot! The only time that I've ever seen it create a problem is when a breast augmentation is being done at the same time. You can effectively "pull the breasts off the implants" if there is enough mobility. Just be sure to discuss these concerns with your surgeon at your consultation and good luck!

During a typical tummy tuck you would not notice any change to your breast position. The area from the tummy tuck surgery is separated from the breast and it is not typically violated. If you have any combination procedures that create a connection between the areas of the abdomen and the breast, then you will see some shifting of the breast position and specially the location of the breast fold. That is very rare, however, This is something to discuss with your surgeon regarding the specific procedure(s) you are having.

Unlikely.
Each one of us does a tummy tuck slightly differently. In the "classic" abdominoplasty the tummy skin is lifted from just above the pubic area to close to the lower edges of the ribs sideways and centrally to the area of the triangle where the two sides of the chest meet the midline. There there is no need to undermine the tummy skin all the way up to the actual breast in a routine tummy tuck.
Doing so does NOT enhance the tummy tuck but can weaken the breast support and potentially reduces the blood flow in the raised tummy skin.
The bottom of the breasts (inframammary fold area) is VERY densely adherent to the chest. (you can see for yourself. Put a finger 3 inches away from the lower fold of the breast. First against the breast,flex your finger and watch the breast moving upwards easily. Now - do it with the finger firmly planted on the chest wall 3 inches below the fold, try and pull the breast down. It does NOT budge. Because of the dense attachments in the area not allowing movement).
In the hundreds of cases I have done, I never saw a down pulling of the breast. But, i suppose that if some people decide to dissect WAY above the ribs (which few of us, if any do), this may be seen.
Ask your surgeon this question and listen carefully to his / her answer.
Good Luck.
Peter A Aldea, MD, FACS