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.