Breast Lift: Pencil Test
June 24th, 2014
The “pencil test” is a simple and an effective way to tell if breast lift surgery might be helpful to correct sagging breasts. The pencil test helps to identify true sagging. You do the “pencil test” by placing a pencil beneath your breast where it attaches to your chest and if your nipple hangs below the pencil when you sit or stand, then you might consider a breast lift.
True sagging of a woman’s nipples can occur following pregnancy or as a result of any dramatic weight gain/loss. There may be slight evidence of this condition even before weight gain. True sagging refers to nipple position below the crease beneath your breast. I do not recommend breast lift surgery if nipples are above the crease or at the level of the crease. Breast enlargement is usually sufficient to correct the saggy breast shape in most cases. Breast lift surgery repositions the nipple and areola (pigmented skin around the nipple) upwards toward your shoulders. The natural position is about one half to three-quarters of an inch above the crease. Positioning them any higher than this can result in an odd breast appearance. The size of the areola can also be reduced if desired.
Breast enlargement or breast reduction may be considered at the same time as breast lift surgery. Changing the breast size may be accomplished at the same time and through the same incisions made for the breast lift and is often part of the Mommy Makeover. As with all breast surgery, size is a personal choice. Many woman are able to breast feed following breast lift surgery. Patients report a high degree of satisfaction after having a breast lift.
Record Rainfall and High Water on Lake Minnetonka
June 20th, 2014
According to the Wayzata Police Department, yesterday Lake Minnetonka reached the highest recorded lake level ever, with 1-3 additional inches of rain forecast for the next few days and have issued a safety warning. You can already see the destructive results of debris piling up on the Wayzata Bay boat launch across from my office, with several docks dismantled by high water and wind. No doubt devastating flooding will unfortunately continue in the metro and southward along rivers and streams. We are all hoping for a break in the storms. Hennepin County has posted some safety reminders from the MN Department of Health on flooding due to our excessive rainfall, just click here.
Photo: I caught this image on the way walking home from my office last night.
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