Do Breast Lifts Make Your Breasts Smaller?

When considering having a breast lift, women wonder if the procedure will make their breasts markedly smaller. The goal of a breast lift with Dr. Moskovitz is to remedy sagging breasts by “lifting” the breasts back to their former, higher position on the chest. But because the procedure involves removing excess sagging skin, some women believe the breasts will become smaller as a result of the procedure.

That very question became the object of a recent study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons on breast lifts and bra cup sizes. The report found that following a breast lift women reported they were wearing a smaller bra, with an average decrease of one bra cup size. But this is where the study got interesting. It found that the difference reflects the changing profile of the breast rather than a true reduction in breast size.

The study details

Dr. Katie Elizabeth Weichman and her colleagues at New York University conducted the study. Its results were published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in July 2014. The sample size is far from dramatic, but the results are interesting.

Researchers performed a follow-up survey of 20 women who underwent a breast lift, clinically termed mastopexy, at an average age of 47. All of the patients only had a breast lift, without augmentation or reduction. The study queried these women five years after their surgeries, asking about their bra cup size before versus after breast lift surgery. Weight changes and other relevant factors were taken into consideration.

The women reported an average decrease of approximately one cup size, for instance going from a D to a C. All of the women were wearing the same brand of bra, so there were no variations based upon manufacturer sizing differences.

Maybe not smaller, but different

This reported decrease made the researchers delve further in the “whys.” They wondered why if the breast were being lifted and not reduced, other than excess skin, what was causing the smaller bra cup sizes? The authors of the study chalked this up to the correct bra fit and patient comfort. In the results, they note, “It is well known that most women do not wear the correct bra size.”

The authors then attributed the bra size issues to the difference in the shape of the breasts before and after a lift. Women opting for a breast lift have ptosis (sagging) of the breasts from pregnancy, breastfeeding, and normal aging. The study says, “It is our contention that the ptotic breast fills out a larger (than actual) brassiere cup size.” This is probably due to more of the breast mass sitting lower on the chest. A larger cup-size bra may be more comfortable in this situation. When the breasts are raised, more mass sits higher, so women opt to have a smaller cup size for reasons of comfort.

So, it’s not a matter of losing size, it’s a matter of raising the breast mass to a higher profile, which is exactly the reason a woman opts for a breast lift. As a final note, all of the 20 women in the study said they were satisfied with the results of their breast lift surgery.

Do you want to address the sagging in your breasts? Call Dr. Moskovitz at 201-225-1101 for a breast lift consultation.