Breast Ptosis

This is when the skin stretches causing the mammary gland to sag. The breast is in too low a position and frequently “detached” from its upper part.

Drooping breasts can exist from the outset, after significant weight loss or after pregnancy, especially through breast-feeding.

• They may merely droop but have a satisfactory volume, in which case they are known as pure ptosis.
• Ptosis may also be associated to some extent with mammary hypertrophy, or conversely, with mammary hypotrophy (breasts too large or too small).

Before the operation for correcting breast ptosis: choice of technique

• Where the ptosis is slight and is combined with a request to increase the volume, it is sometimes possible to correct it merely by inserting breast implants, with minimum post-operative scarring (see the information file about breast prostheses).
• Above a certain degree of ptosis, it will be necessary to resection and re-tighten the skin and this will cause scarring:
• The scar usually takes the shape of an inverted “T”.
• If the breast is only slightly sagging, we can perform the so-called “vertical” technique leaving a scar around the areola and a vertical scar.
• In rare cases, it will be possible to have just one, peri-areolar scar.

In all cases, it is possible to insert a breast implant as part of the same operation, to restore a satisfactory volume to the breast.

The operation for correcting breast ptosis

• General anaesthetic.
• Operation lasts one to two hours.
• The breast is marked while the patient is in a sitting position before sedation in the operating theatre.
• The operating for curing ptosis consists in detaching the skin of the mammary gland, reshaping the gland and re-draping the skin after having re-sectioned the excess.
• If planned pre-operatively, at the same time a small breast reduction can be performed by removing a little of the mammary gland or increasing it by adding a breast implant.
• Sutures are made with re-absorbable thread so there are no stitches to remove.

After the operation

• Hospitalisation for one night (generally discharged on the day after the intervention).
• If no implants are inserted (otherwise see the section on prostheses/implants):
• In general there is little pain after the operation so only ordinary pain-killers are required.
• It is possible to lead a normal life and to drive a car after a few days.
• Œdema and ecchymosis disappear in a fortnight to three weeks.
• The first dressing is removed after 48 hours and replaced with a bra. Dressings are changed at the doctor’s office once or twice a week for two to three weeks.
• The final result in terms of the shape and volume of the breast is achieved six months after the operation.
• The scars achieve their final aspect after one to two years.
• Allow for convalescence and work stoppage of between three and 10 days.
• It is advisable to wait for one or two months before starting to do sport.
• Sequels and any complications from correction of mammary ptosis will be explained to you by Dr COURBIER during the consultation and in the literature supplied.