3 Myths About Breast Lifts

Aging, pregnancy, and breastfeeding can all contribute to stretched skin and volume loss, which result in breast droopiness. Sagging breasts are a common concern for many of my plastic surgery patients, and a breast lift at my Sacramento practice restores their breasts to a more natural, upright position for a younger-looking appearance.

When women visit me for breast enhancement surgery, they often have many questions and misconceptions about the procedure. Here are 3 of the most common myths about breast lift surgery.

Common Breast Lift Myths

Myth #1: You can get perky breasts with creams and supplements.

There is no cream or supplement that can provide a lifting effect equal to that of a surgical breast lift. While some creams or supplements may improve skin elasticity by stimulating collagen growth or providing a very mild degree of skin tightening, it is not enough to physically lift the breast or create substantial, lasting effects.

A breast lift, on the other hand, creates significant, lasting improvements in breast shape, position, and symmetry. During the procedure, extra skin is removed and tightened to create a new breast shape. This brings the breasts higher on the chest wall and sculpts more youthful breast contours. You can see more about the breast lift procedure in this American Society for Plastic Surgeons video.

Although the newly lifted breasts are not immune to aging (and will change shape over a woman’s lifetime), most women enjoy their results for many years.

Myth #2: Exercise can increase the perkiness of breasts.

Unfortunately, there is no magic workout regimen that can lift sagging breasts. Chest exercises only build the chest muscle—they do not affect the breast tissue or skin. So, while chest exercises are great for building muscle, as well as confidence, they will do little to reposition or reshape your breasts.

To truly lift the breasts, you need to address the skin. Skin that has been stretched because of aging, weight gain/loss, or pregnancy won’t bounce back into place once elasticity is lost. It must be surgically removed and reshaped to create a firmer, shapelier breast.

Myth #3: A lift isn’t necessary if you get breast implants.

Some women think that opting for breast augmentation, rather than a breast lift, will give them perkier breasts. This may be true for a small minority of women (like those who have very minimal sagging and good skin elasticity), but for most, a breast augmentation will not be enough.

For women who want to enhance volume and lift the breasts, I recommend a combined breast augmentation and breast lift. This gives women a fuller chest while also improving droopiness and restoring a youthful breast shape.

To learn more about breast lift, request a consultation online or call my cosmetic plastic surgery office in Sacramento at (916) 929-1833 or Granite Bay at (916) 773-5559. You can also see before-and-after photos of my breast lift patients in the photo gallery.

Originally published October 2018; Updated March 2021