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.
Mommy Makeovers: a Popular Trend
May 12th, 2014
Women are postponing motherhood, waiting longer to have children today. What is the best age to have a baby? Many factors enter into this equation. From a purely biological viewpoint, the early twenties are best biologically, according to John Mirowsky, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Austin. Women in their twenties are least likely to have developed health problems that would put them or their babies at risk. Physically speaking, it is apparent that younger women are able to weather pregnancy and bounce back more quickly than older moms.
Perhaps the popular trend of considering a Mommy Makeover reflects the desire to erase the physical toll that later childbearing sometimes brings. Many will agree that having children at any age is one of the most rewarding experiences a mother will have. However, the physical effects of pregnancy, especially multiple pregnancies, can leave unwanted and unflattering changes to your body. Common complaints from my patients include, loss of breast fullness and/or sagging, excess abdominal skin, stretched or torn abdominal muscles and umbilical hernia. Even if you adhere to the 25-35 pound weight gain during pregnancy, it’s often more difficult to get back into shape the older you are when you have a baby. No amount of exercise or weight loss can fix some of these problems. Fortunately, cosmetic surgery is an option to help a patient return to a pre-pregnancy appearance and restore the natural feminine shape following their pregnancy. Some of my happiest patients are women of all age-ranges who have chosen Mommy Makeovers.
Be sure to watch KSTP-TV’s Twin Cities Live when we share a patient’s personal story of a tummy tuck restoration Mommy Makeover.
Photo: Our daughter, Ashley.
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