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Questions About Plastic Surgery13. What is breast ptosis? Ptosis is a term that means droopiness or sagginess. There are degrees of how droopy the breast can be (see photos below). This degree of droopiness will determine if a lift procedure needs to be performed along with a breast implant. A breast lift (mastopexy) may need to be performed at the same time as the augmentation or as a delayed procedure. Ptosis is graded I through IV.
14. How do I know if I should have a breast lift with my breast augmentation? The laxity (sagginess) of your breast tissue will determine if you need a breast lift or not. The best way to gauge this ptosis is by looking at the position of your nipple (at eye level with your breasts) in relation to the position of the fold under the breast. This is shown in the diagrams accompanying the previous question. A breast implant can be placed in any degree of ptosis but what it will look like afterwards is the important question to answer. If you have too much laxity of your breast tissue and skin, this will "hang off" your breast after implantation under the muscle. If the implant is placed above the muscle in an effort to try to lift the breast in the presence of ptosis, the implant will eventually fill the breast envelope and hang lower potentially yielding what is referred to as a rock-in-the-sock or snoopy nose deformity. 15. What types of breast implants are available in the United States? Two manufacturers currently make FDA approved implants in the US. The manufacturers are Allergan (formerly McGhan & Inamed) and Mentor. These companies manufacture a variety of products, which include both saline and silicone filled implants. These are both made in a variety of sizes, and shapes. The exact implant size, shape and texture should be discussed with your plastic surgeon. High profile, anatomic, expandable implants are available and the use is dependent on what your desires are, and the pre-operative breast appearance. |
