At Centre for Surgery, our surgeons advise patients to be above the age of 18 before considering any type of aesthetic breast surgery including breast lift surgery. The reason for this is that the breasts could still be undergoing growth and development. Any surgical intervention carried out during this phase may result in a future requirement for a further corrective surgical procedure. Patients below the age of 18 may also lack the necessary psychological maturity to make a decision on cosmetic surgery treatment.
Many women find they have breasts that may be significantly asymmetrical or incompletely developed in some way. The most common breast deformity found in younger women is tubular or tuberous breasts. This type of breast deformity results in a conical appearance to the breast which can be unsightly and cause a significant loss of self-confidence. Having large breasts is also a common finding in many women and all of these reasons are valid ones to consider having cosmetic breast surgery. For younger women, it is best practice to involve a psychologist and your general practitioner to make sure the procedure is being carried out for the right reasons and has a high chance of a successful outcome.
It is not uncommon for adolescents to have breast lift surgery but they will have to demonstrate adequate maturity as well as other criteria for a plastic surgeon to consider them for surgery. All patients must have realistic expectations of what the breast lift procedure can achieve for them. Centre for Surgery does not carry out any consultations or surgical procedures for prospective patients under the age of 18.
Is a Breast lift worth it?
Breast lift surgery is a commonly performed procedure at Centre for Surgery in London and the vast majority of women who have the procedure are extremely satisfied with the results and the subsequent improvement in self-confidence it brings. The aim of breast lift surgery is to improve the shape of the breasts so that a perkier breast appearance is achieved. Perky breasts are seen as a highly desirable appearance of the female breast as they appear much more youthful.
It is important to bear in mind that as we age, the size and shape of the breasts will change over time. However, these age-related changes are much less compared to women who have not had a breast lift procedure. It is very rare for women to require a second breast lift procedure. Breast lift surgery should be seen as a ‘one and done’ procedure.
Ideal candidates for a breast lift
Patients who are considering having a breast uplift procedure may find they are unhappy with the size and shape of their breasts. The presence of breast asymmetry is a very common reason to seek breast lift surgery. This may result in patients developing a loss of self-confidence and this may result in the development of anxiety or depression. Our surgeons are experts in all types of breast uplift surgery and we would recommend a face-to-face consultation to determine the correct treatment for you.
What is the minimum age to have a breast lift?
The growth and development of the female breasts vary between individuals. Some women may have breasts that have not undergone full growth and maturity as late as their 20s whilst other women who are younger and often as young as 16 may have undergone full growth and development. This is part of the spectrum of normality for breast appearances and is not abnormal in itself. Most surgeons however would consider a woman to be suitable for a breast lift if they are at least 18 years of age and fulfils other admission criteria including being in good mental and physical health. Patients should also have realistic expectations for what the procedure can achieve and have a reasonable degree of psychological maturity which helps in the recovery period after a breast lift.
There are a number of factors that may affect the results of a breast lift and the most common one is pregnancy and childbirth. Women who have a breast lift procedure and then subsequently become pregnant find the results of the breast lift surgery may be affected with an increase in breast sagging and loss of breast firmness. Many surgeons may therefore recommend deferring having a breast lift surgery until a woman has completed their family and does not desire to become pregnant again.
Any patient considering breast uplift surgery should make sure they maintain a stable weight as breast shape and volume can be adversely affected by dramatic changes in weight including both weight loss and weight gain over short periods of time. As with pregnancy and breastfeeding, the firmness of the breast can be affected leading to an increase in breast sagginess.
What is the best age to get a breast lift?
As long as patients meet our minimum criteria of being over the age of 18, women can be suitable for a breast lift at any age. There are a number of other criteria that determine suitability for a breast lift including being in optimum mental health and not having any serious chronic medical conditions including diabetes and hypertension. We would recommend that patients consider having a breast lift after completing their family as both pregnancy and breastfeeding can adversely alter the shape and size of the breasts which may require patients to have a second procedure further down the line to restore an optimum breast shape.
For women who have recently given birth and have decided to breastfeed their baby, we would recommend waiting at least three months after completing breastfeeding before having breast lift surgery. This is because breastfeeding will have effects on the shape of the breast and the breast will need time to recover and reach a stable size and shape after the completion of breastfeeding. Undergoing mastopexy surgery too early on may lead to a sub-optimal aesthetic result.
Breast lift surgery is not known to affect the ability to breastfeed for those who have a baby after the surgery. However, patients who have significant degrees of breast ptosis that require dramatic changes in the position of the nipples to improve overall breast shape may find that the ability to breastfeed may be impaired and this is a recognised risk of any type of surgery involving the nipples. Your surgeon at Centre for Surgery will be able to explain in further detail the potential risks at your face-to-face consultation.
