Losing weight can be a great way to redefine yourself. It allows you to become healthier while simultaneously improving your appearance and confidence. However, there are a few potential drawbacks to consider.
If you lose weight too fast, you may have to deal with muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and even gallstones. You could also end up lowering your metabolism, a factor that could sabotage your attempts to sustain a healthy weight.
Whether you achieve your weight loss quickly or gradually, you may also have to deal with possible side effects from your physical transformation. While the ideal breast shape is subjective, one possible side effect of weight loss to consider is saggy breasts.
Why Do Breasts Sag After Weight Loss?
When you lose weight, the fat cells in your breasts shrink, making them smaller overall. Your breasts are supported by ligaments and skin that have adapted to the size of your enlarged breasts. These ligaments stretch enough to provide the necessary support.
When you lose weight and your breasts follow suit, the ligaments and skin don’t always tighten back to their original state. Like rubber bands that have been stretched for too long, the ligaments will cause your breasts to sag.
At What Age Can You Expect Saggy Breasts?
You may assume that the younger you are, the more your breasts will be able to maintain their perkiness. While age does contribute to sagging, it isn’t the only factor responsible. Depending on factors such as genetics, your breasts may be more or less resilient to aging.
As you age, your body’s ability to produce essential skin-boosting substances slows down. Skin elasticity depends on collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin. If you are deficient in these substances, your breasts will not be held in place as tightly.
There is no particular age when you can expect your breasts to lose their youthful appearance. As a general rule, each passing year will reduce your breasts’ firmness, especially after significant weight loss. Hormonal changes in the body take their toll on your breasts as well.
Causes of Saggy Breasts
Before taking action to remedy saggy breasts, it’s important to understand the potential causes of the issue. You can determine which factors are affecting you and arrive at the best solution.
It’s in Your Genes
If you’re wondering why some women’s weight constantly fluctuates but their breasts remain perky, it may be a case of genetics. The combination of genes that makes up your appearance is unique to you. The elasticity of your supporting ligaments and breast tissue also depends on heredity.
Gravity Taking Its Toll
Gravity keeps everything on Earth from flying off into space. It’s also responsible for our posture breaking down as we age. It only makes sense that gravity affects your breasts when you’re carrying a few extra pounds.
Lack of Support
If you’re a gym enthusiast or like to go on a daily run, you’ll know that a lack of support can be annoying, even uncomfortable. Movements that put stress on your breasts while working out contribute to wear and tear on the ligaments.
Pregnancies
Each pregnancy takes a toll on the elasticity of your breasts. With each child, the breast tissue and supporting ligaments will stretch just a little more.
Having a Higher BMI
Your body mass index, or BMI, is the mass of your body as it relates to your height. The higher your BMI, the larger your breasts tend to be. You can calculate your body mass index using the CDC’s BMI calculator.
Not Hydrating
Water is essential for all cells in the body. Hydration promotes skin elasticity while helping your body keep your ligaments strong.
Bad Habits
Smoking is an unhealthy habit that will adversely affect skin elasticity. This is why you’ll generally notice that smokers develop saggy breasts. Consuming alcohol can also negatively affect the firmness of your breasts. Alcohol contributes to dehydration while reducing skin elasticity.
Weight Fluctuation
When you gain and lose weight over and over, your body undergoes significant changes, especially when these weight fluctuations are quick. Much like a balloon that is inflated and deflated a few too many times, your breast firmness will suffer from constant changes in your body weight.
Preventing Saggy Breasts
Now that you know what causes saggy breasts, understanding how to deal with the issue can help you take preventative action. The small habits you incorporate into your daily life can make a noticeable difference in the appearance of your breasts.
Limit Your Bad Habits
If you’re a heavy smoker or consume alcohol regularly, kicking these habits will help promote healthier breast tissue. Even if you can’t cut them out of your life entirely, reducing your tobacco and alcohol consumption will be beneficial.
Focus on Good Posture
Slouching contributes to the factors that reduce your breasts’ firmness. When you adopt good posture that includes sitting with your back straight, your body will avoid slouching. The underlying ligaments will remain tighter while offering your breasts a natural lift.
Provide Adequate Support
There isn’t definitive research that proves that bras prevent sagging. However, not wearing one, especially when working out, has been shown to promote droopiness. If you don’t want to constantly wear a bra, at least consider using one when exercising.
Build Surrounding Muscle
Breast tissue is not muscle and therefore cannot be made firmer by working out. Your pectoral muscles, though, are a part of your chest’s underlying structure. Doing a few push-ups and weight lifting can contribute to perky breasts. Furthermore, strengthening your back muscles and abdominals will ensure you have good posture and avoid injuries.
The Breast Lift
Besides the small actions you can take daily, there are things you can do to ensure your breasts remain firm and attractive. Plastic surgery is constantly evolving to improve on procedures that have decades of history behind them. The breast lift is one of these procedures.
Removing excess sagging tissue can guarantee that your breasts have a firm appearance. An experienced plastic surgeon can help you create the outcome that fits your body and specifications.
A breast lift, or mastopexy, is a procedure that lifts sagging breasts. By decreasing excess skin volume and improving drooping breasts, a spectacular result can be achieved. The procedure is ideal for saggy breasts that result from gravity, age, or pregnancy.
If you’re otherwise healthy and want to correct sagging breasts, a change in breast shape, or nipple malposition, a breast lift is an appropriate choice for you.
Arrange a Consultation with Dr. Vitenas for a Breast Lift
If you live in the greater Houston area or would like to travel to our office for an appointment with breast specialist Dr. Paul Vitenas, you can submit the contact form on our website. One of our helpful staff members will reply promptly and answer any questions you may have. Alternatively, if you prefer to call instead, feel free to do so at (281) 484-0088.