Video
Voiceover:
24-year-old Gina came to see Dr Pixie about her sagging breasts. She has been referred to see plastic surgeon Angelica Kavouni to discuss a breast uplift operation, or a mastopexy.
Ms Kavouni:
Could you show me ideally how would you like your breasts to be?
Gina:
If they were like…I can’t even get it because there’s so much loose skin.
Ms Kavouni:
Yeah. Like that.
Gina:
Yeah.
Ms Kavouni:
Okay. With the procedure, with the uplift, I think we can remove that there, which is about, let me show you…
Voiceover:
It’s a procedure that involves removing the excess skin and reshaping the breast.
Ms Kavouni:
Um, I’m not planning to take any tissue away, I’m planning to take skin, so the rest of your tissue still will be there. So now you are a C cup, so you will remain the same, there’s no reason for your, for your cup to go down.
Voiceover:
A few weeks later and Gina is back to see Angelica at the BMI Fitzroy Square Hospital. Angelica begins by marking up Gina for the operation, and showing her what the new shape of her boobs will look like.
Ms Kavouni:
So if you can visualise, in that area is where the nipple is going to be lifted up.
Gina:
Okay.
Ms Kavouni:
Okay. All the breast tissue will be moulded into the new shape.
Gina:
Yup.
Ms Kavouni:
And then the skin will be removed. And this is going to close together, like that.
Gina:
Okay.
Ms Kavouni:
Okay?
Ms Kavouni:
The size of the new nipple is approximately…has a diameter of approximately four, four and a half centimetres, and that’s, um, an average size. This is a mild titration that helps reduce bleeding and also adds some pain relief.
Voiceover:
Angelica starts by cutting the nipple away from the breast tissue, which has to be done very carefully so it doesn’t damage any nerves or blood supply.
Ms Kavouni:
I’m now cutting through the incisions in order to create the new shape of the breast.
Voiceover:
Then, the excess skin is gradually removed.
Ms Kavouni:
She has a good amount of breast tissue, it’s just that the skin on top of it has become quite loose. That’s mainly the problem.
Voiceover:
Next, Angelica detaches the breast tissue from the chest wall…
Ms Kavouni:
What you’re seeing here is the breast tissue. This is the breast gland, and that’s the aureole and that’s the nipple.
Voiceover:
...reshapes it before reattaching it.
Ms Kavouni:
Gina’s breast has been spread too much, and it has lost its nice conical shape, and I’m trying to recreate that. I’d like to show you, it’s the shape of the new breast, we can see the area where the tissue was, before, and this has been mobilised and made into a cone, and reattached on the chest wall. And the skin is going to be redraped on top of it.
Voiceover:
The outer skin is then stitched over the reshaped breast tissue. The stitches will form an anchor-shaped scar which will fade over time.
Ms Kavouni:
I’m very happy with the shape. She will have a very nice pert breast.
Voiceover:
Halfway through the operation, the improvement that the procedure has had is clear to see.
Ms Kavouni:
Okay, now, see the difference in the shape between the right breast and the left breast? I really like the operation of the breast uplift, because it makes a dramatic change. The breasts heal very quickly, and the patients really never look back.
Voiceover:
With one breast finished, the procedure is repeated on the other side. Then Angelica uses special dressings to make sure that the nipple stays healthy.
Ms Kavouni:
So I have used a dressing where the nipple is exposed, so that the nursing staff on the ward can inspect the nipple. I’ve just finished Gina’s, uh, breast uplift, and it has gone really very well. She has a very nice shape, I’ve managed to remove a lot of the loose skin, so I think she will be very happy. The breasts will take at least a few months to settle down, but already after the second or the third week, we can see that they have a very nice shape.
Voiceover:
Three months after her operation to perk up her sagging breasts, Gina is back to see Dr Pixie.
Dr Pixie:
What’s happened since we last met?
Gina:
I had, um, a full uplift done, they took the four inches of skin away…
Dr Pixie:
Yeah…
Gina:
And moved everything up.
Dr Pixie:
Do you think it’s boosted your confidence?
Gina:
Yeah. Changed my wardrobe, been out and bought new tops, um, I’ve been on holiday, so I went and bought a bikini.
Dr Pixie:
Oh brilliant. And you’d never, when was the last time you wore a bikini?
Gina:
Gosh, probably about ten years ago.
Dr Pixie:
So Gina, if I could get you to pop off to the couch and you can show me the results?
Gina:
Yup.
Dr Pixie:
So…crikey! It’s incredible to think that four inches of skin have come out, it really is. I mean, your main problem, Gina, was sagging. The procedure you underwent certainly resulted in scarring and was pretty painful. Would you do that all again?
Gina:
Definitely. It’s given me all the confidence I’ve wanted, so it’s, it’s worth it.
Dr Pixie:
Really good.
24 year old Gina came to Dr Pixie in search of help for her sagging breasts that she says resemble those of an 80 year old. Her breasts aren’t the only things that are down as Gina’s confidence is clearly low because of her unsightly boobs. Dr Pixie has a look at the offending organs and does indeed note stretched, sagging, excess skin which is quite unusual for a woman of Gina’s age but she also notes that it is really a cosmetic issue with no real option other than surgery – that would leave scars. Gina opts to go under the knife for a breast uplift (Mastopexy) where 4 inches of skin are removed. Gina then returns to show off the results to Dr Pixie. Noting vast improvements in both breasts and self esteem Gina eases Dr Pixie’s reservations saying she was pleased with the results and the grueling process she had to go through to get them was worth it.
Patient Name: Gina Blackwell
Condition: Sagging Breasts
Specialist: Miss Angelica Kavouni, Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Hospital: BMI Hospital Fitzroy Square
Length of operation: Approx 1.5 hours
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I am 23 and I'm a 36 gg since having my 2 yr old but I have always had big boobs and I have always hated them but since giving birth I am really down about it now as I was to embarrassed to breast feed and the are really saggy now and it is effecting my everyday life and my sex life as I never take my bra off in front of my partner. I know the nhs won't give me any help and I don't have any money to afford the surgery but I don't know what else I can do as this is severely getting me down.
I havent even had children, all i did was loose weight and iv been to my doctors and everything but they dont want to know I was 13.5 stone with 38GG breasts, now im 10.5 stone with 34FF breasts but they are lifeless, saggy and droopy. They have been droopy since i was around 14 years old but they just keep getting worse & worse and iv only just turned 22! Like i said, i have been to the doctors already about this but they said the NHS cant do anything for me. A year later i have been getting really bad pains in the sides of my boobs, its really uncomfortable to sleep and my boobs are most painful in the morning so maybe its time for a check up because its affecting my day to day life now but i cant imagine them to do much. If i had the money i would have the surgery as it would have massively with self confidence
Hi , I am 19 years old and I have to children both was breast feed , however I have found that my boob's have stared to get smaller and hang down alot more now , I used to be 34c but now I am only a 32a , is really getting me upset and I hate myself for the way my boobs look , I know I done the best thing for my kids tho but I need some help on way's I can get the same surgery or something close to it as the above person got done i cant live my life any more getting up to feel this bad hating myself , please can some one help me for wot step's i should take , many thanks x
I am 45 years of age. I have three children. I use bra size of 36. My breasts are saggy and a little . To enlarge and firm and lift I use Olay cream of breast firming & lifting. Is it safe & effective ?
I am JUST 14, two days ago, but i'm really worried about my breasts. I know i shouldnt be at this age, but i cant help it. I'm really scared they are going to get really saggy because i can already see that they are going slightly down. It shows through my tops as well, and when i look at my self in a bra i can definatley tell. I only ever feel comfortable wearing vest and tight tops when the bra straps are at their tightest so they are pulling my boobs up. But sometimes the bra straps dont go that tight. My boobs arent round they are a wierd shape. Is their anything i can do to stop them sagging and to pull them up to make them look rounder and a bit flatter?
Hiya, I can personally identify with how you feel, as my breasts are quite large and they seem to be lower than they should be. One thing you need to remember is to make sure that you are wearing the right sized bra (correct back and cup size) this makes a massive difference. The correct size can reduce sagging, provide necessary support and choosing the right types of bras would help you (which you will get when you get your breasts measured which I highly recommend. Exercise can also help too, best wishes. X
Hi, Im 22 years old and have never liked my breasts! They are extremely saggy! I just wish I had the breasts every other 'normal' 22 year old starts out with. They are not particularly large but yet are very saggy, my nipples pointing downwards leaving my breasts looking more like thin flaps of skin and fat rather than actual breasts. Im not sure what is available via the nhs or cosmetic companies or what procedures would be used as I have read all breasts need individual consultations etc but need to do something ASAP I have really had enough! Thank you.
I just lost alot of weight because i was ill and went from a 36 dd to a 34 c, my boobs arent as perky as they were and there is alot of loose skin all over my body? how can i make my boobs lifted again? btw im 15
I'm 41 now and in the last 2 years I have lost over 7 stone in weight, a consequence of this is all the excess skin I now have. My breasts are now just skin and they make me feel so old and horrible, i've tried all sorts of padded bra's and push-up bra's but nothing is working, does ANYONE have any advice, please and thank you for reading this....
Hi Sharon, I was the same I lost just half a stone stone in weight but it left me with just skin for breast and a tiny size A and I always wore padded bras. I was like this for 8 years and hated them. 2 years ago aged 32 I went to the doctors and told her how I felt and was told that the NHS would not do a breast enlargment. I decided to go private with Transform I had had enough and it was the best money I have spent. I went to a C/D cup and they look so natural you would never guess that I have had them done, I wish now I had done it years ago. I paid £4000 which I know is a lot of money but trust me it was well worth it and im thrilled with them. My advice would be go and get them done don't be unhappy for years like I was.
Thank you so much for replying to my post, money is a big issue for me and most of the british population but I think I am going to ohave to try to save up the money as I dont even look at myyself in a mirror anymore. Thank you again.
Hi, I am 28 and a mother of 1. I only breastfed for 3 weeks but my boobs are still really saggy, they just look like empty bags. Does anyone know if the NHS will offer surgery like the uplift shown? Also do i just go see my GP or is there another way to be refered as i am nervous about showing my breasts. I really think it would help me but am scared of being laughed at and told to go away :-(
I'm 17 and have a seriouse case of Sagging Breasts. From the first time i started growing breast they have been severely saggy for my age. I am a E36 and i understand NORMAL breats don't look like the one's you see in the magazines (so im not compareing them to fake breasts. They are starting to get to a point where they are painful heavy. Can i get surgery done ? Plz help
Im 17 too and I am a 34E and I have the same problem too! I started developing at the age of 11 and i have always had saggy boobs, i=I always got fitted every month so im not too sure why my breasts are so saggy. Unfortunately you wont be able to get surgery till you are 18 and it costs on average about 5k, but in the mean time there are exercises that apparently help perk your boobs up, these could include lifting weights maybe? You should consult a gym instructor or physicist or just google for full details on work outs to perk your breasts up
Funny you say that ..... I've been going to the gym for some time and i have been hitting the weights and working on the chest but not much of a change... I going to save money to get them done.. Good lucky with yours :)