D or DD breasts that are extremely saggy. I'm happy with the size but hate the shape. Reduction or lift?

Hello there,I think that it's extremely important that you select a surgeon with whom you have clear communication.If you are happy with the volume of your breasts, have a lot of loose skin and just want them raised on your chest, a breast lift may be an excellent choice.  Keep in mind, if the volume of your breasts is very heavy, they will tend to sag faster, despite tightening the skin.   Next time send some pics.  And think about what kind of a long term result you are seeking.Thanks for asking!In good health,Ellen Mahony, MD

Hi,The Horndeski Method/The Bellesoma Method has developed a weight transfer technique that takes the weight off the skin (and surrounding tissues) placing it on the chest muscles without removing much breast tissue to relieve pain. Women no longer have to sacrifice loosing cup sizes to enjoy full/perky breasts. Upper pole fullness is achieved by re-positioning and reshaping a patient's own tissue to improve cleavage and fullness. I have attached a short video of an example of this technique. No implants are ever used and the vertical scar has been completely eliminated. I hope this helps you make a more informed decision. Best wishes and kind regards,Dr. Gary Horndeski

Hi there,It sounds like your surgeon may be trying to satisfy your insurer's requirements for payment at the possible expense of your complete satisfaction... I would emphasize to him/her that your goal is to stay at your current size but with a better shape and position- understanding that your insurer will probably not pay for this procedure but that your chances of being happy are higher.

Hello and thanks for your question-Breast lift and breast reduction can be very similar procedures and use similar incisions. A breast reduction will remove a significant amount of breast tissue, with the goal being an uplifted breast that is significantly smaller. In Alberta, healthcare will cover breast reductions that are done to improve symptoms such as back and neck pain, and if the surgeon estimates that at least 300g (about 3/4 of a pound) will be removed from each side.If you're happy with your current breast size, you may want to consider a lift (mastopexy) instead. Breasts will often look somewhat smaller after a lift, because although you have a similar amount of breast tissue, it's compressed into a smaller space and less skin. While it's true that breasts will re-droop to some extent after both breast reduction and lift, there are some techniques of breast lift that may be more successful at preventing re-drooping than others.I hope that helps-Best wishes-

One of the questions I ask a patient is whether she likes the appearance of her breasts in a bra.  If she is happy with that look, then often just a breast lift (mastopexy) will provide a great outcome.  If she is larger than she wants to be, then removing some breast tissue will probably be necessary.  On occasion, even if she is happy with how she looks in a bra, a bit of breast tissue may need to be removed.  I discuss this with each patient as necessary, however.  Once the nipples are elevated to new positions, it is not likely in my experience that they will descend over time.  What may happen, however, is stretching of the bottom of the breasts.  Large, heavy breasts will create some stretching in the lower part of the breasts after surgery.  Just how much stretching will occur is not perfectly predictable.  The larger and heavier the breast, the more stretching will occur.Insurance companies typically won't cover breast reduction surgery unless about 500 grams of tissue or more will be removed from each breast.  That's really a pretty large amount of tissue for someone who wears a D cup bra.  Some women will be happy with that result because they have been having back and neck and shoulder pain and are willing to have smaller breasts.  Some women may not be happy with their breasts after having that much tissue removed.  Make sure that your surgeon understands what you want your outcome to be.  I encourage patients to visit with a few surgeons.  Different surgeons have different opinions, but ultimately the patient is the one who lives with the result of the decisions made.  Having as much information as possible before surgery ever takes place is the best way to choose which surgeon and which procedure is likely to help create the outcome you really want.