Will a Breast Lift Help with Back Pain?

Sorry, but breast lifting involves removal of only an ounce or two of breast skin, and numerous studies have shown that in order to positively effect improvement in back pain requires removal of at least a pound of breast tissue per breast (more if you are overweight) via reduction mammoplasty. The incisions are the same for full breast lift and breast reduction, but what is needed for symptomatic relief (and insurance coverage) is removal of a specific amount of breast tissue per side via a formula dependent on your weight and your height. All plastic surgeons who perform breast surgery know this formula and can determine this amount of tissue needed to be removed for relief of back pain (and insurance reimbursement).

Breast lifts may help alleviate some back pain depending on the amount of breast tissue. For some patients, a breast reduction may be necessary in order to relieve pain.

It is possible that breast lifting will help with neck, back, and shoulder discomfort. Whether this operation will be helpful will depend on the size  and position of your breasts.  For example, I have had patients who have had large ( but deflated),  low riding breasts who complained of a constant “drag” on the neck back and shoulders. These patients did very well with breast lifting surgery even though they do not start out with very large breasts “breast hypertrophy". The breast lift also served  to negate the need for tightfitting supportive bras and the resulting broad strap grooving.

I hope this helps.

While breast lift surgery can improve the shape and appearance of the breasts, it is not likely to have any effect on neck, back or shoulder symptoms. 

Breast lift will improve the shape and look of your breast, though the procedure has no record of improving posture and reducing back pain as breast reduction will. Breast lift is a procedure that medical insurance does not consider medically necessary.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd

A breast lift will not usually change the breast weight significantly and therefore will probably not impact your back. If your breasts are quite large, a reduction may help to  improve symptoms.

Generally a lift improves the shape of the breast, but because very little, if any,  breast tissue is being removed with the procedure, there is little improvement in back pain.  It is when breast tissue is being removed with the lift that neck pain and back pain are improved because there is a significant  reduction in the amount of weight that is dragging your neck and shoulders downward. This results in a smaller cup size, and can be discussed with your PS 

Probably not.  A breast lift wil do the same as wearing a well-fitting bra, so if you find that your back pain is improved when wearing a bra, then it is conceivable.  Breast reduction may well help with back pain, although even this cannot be guaranteed as there are many causes for back pain.

Breast lift coupled with breast reduction ,for oversized breasts, can help upper back pains..

I found that even breast lift alone which brings up the gland into higher position and compacfs the breasts might occasionally help with upper back pain.

The breast lift differs from a breast reduction, in that no weight is removed. All the breast tissue is left behind and only skin is removed with a lift.  The two procedures are otherwise quite the same with regards to  final scar and end result.  The lift may help a little with back discomfort, but in general, the anterior weight of breast is definitely a cause of back & neck discomfort, so if this is not reduced the pain will not be improved.   So, if you are looking to help the back pain, consider a reduction, exercises to strengthen the back, or a different style bra to better support the weight of the breast, ie- an exercise bra that squishes the breast and crosses in the back will often create more neck & back discomfort than a normal bra shaped Champion exercise bra. The lift will create a more aesthetic breast that do not necessarily need a bra.  I hope I have not disappointed you.  

Best,

Dr. Kimberley