A woman’s breasts are a subject of great mystery and beauty. They are also a primal source of nourishment for new life. We are encouraged (mainly by the opposite sex) to show off our beauty and yet I just read about some poor woman in Houston who was breastfeeding her child in a restaurant (she had covered the baby with a blanket) and was asked to leave. It seems, we are encouraged to celebrate our femininity but not publicly supported for one of our essential roles as mothers. It makes people uncomfortable and so there we are feeling conflicted. (The painting is called Pregnant Girl by Lucian Freud).

I love my boobs, and I am sad they aren’t what they were. I know Ihave given life and how much my body has contributed to that experience and yet I am now expected to return to my prepregnancy appearance as if it never happened. Obviously I am making some generalizations here…. but let’s face it, you don’t read too many articles about women’s bodies being celebrated if they don’t get back to their prepregnant selves (I don’t believe any woman can say their body is the same). Yes, I am a victim too.

I decided to have a look at the options women have to make physical changes to their breasts. I am sad to say they are not great (because I also know that if there weren’t any dangers or scars involved I would probably get myself a lift). Having said that, I am sure there are a lot of women out there who have fixed their breasts and feel very happy with the changes. So here is an objective picture and I would welcome all feedback from women who have undergone surgery or have any opinion on the matter.

Breast Lift (Mastopexy)

A breastlift is a surgical procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts — at least, for a time. According to the American College of Plastic Surgeons, no surgery can permanently delay the effects of gravity and the best candidates are healthy, emotionally-stable women who are realistic about what surgery can accomplish.

Surgery - The American College of Plastic Surgeons writes: The incision outlines the area from which breast skin will be removed and defines the new location for the nipple. When the excess skin has been removed, the nipple and areola are moved to the higher position. The skin surrounding the areola is then brought down and together to reshape the breast. Stitches are usually located around the areola, in a vertical line extending downwards from the nipple area, and along the lower crease of the breast.

Some patients, especially those with relatively small breasts and minimal sagging, may be candidates for modified procedures requiring less extensive incisions. One such procedure is the “doughnut (or concentric) mastopexy,” in which circular incisions are made around the areola, and a doughnut-shaped area of skin is removed. If you’re having an implant inserted along with your breast lift, it will be placed in a pocket directly under the breast tissue, or deeper, under the muscle of the chest wall.

After Surgery - You can expect some loss of feeling in your nipples and breast skin, caused by the swelling after surgery. This numbness usually fades as the swelling subsides over the next six weeks or so. In some patients, however, it may last a year or more, and occasionally it may be permanent. To read more about this, go here…..

Cosmetic Breast Augmentation AKA Implants

This a surgical procedure performed in order to increase the size and/or alter the shape of a woman’s breasts through the use of breast implants. The surgeon makes an incision (this can vary based on your preference) and silicone rubber shells filled with either silicone gel or saline solution are implanted either under breast tissue or under the chest muscle for breast augmentation or reconstruction.

Saline-filled breast implants are silicone shells that are either prefilled or filled with saline during surgery, and some of these allow for adjustments of the filler volume after surgery. Silicone gel-filled breast implants are silicone shells prefilled with silicone gel. Breast implants vary in profile, size, and shell surface (smooth or textured).

I read on Implantforum.com “I choose textured implants to help deter capsular contracture, however, I wish I had gotten smooth so they would move more like natural breasts. Mine are stuck in place. When I lie down they stand straight up. My husband loves this. The downside to smooth is you’ll have to massage them daily. Also, others have told me smooth sometimes fall into your armpits when lying down. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side.”

The major risks with implants include:

- Reoperations (additional surgeries), with or without removal of the device
- Capsular contracture (hardening of the area around the implant) breast pain
- Changes in nipple and breast sensation
- Rupture with deflation for saline-filled implants
- Rupture with or without symptoms for silicone gel-filled implants
- Migration of silicone gel for silicone gel-filled breast implants.

To read more about all of this, have a look at this FAQ, I also thought you ladies might be interested in some before and after shots.

Back to my own saggy happy breasts, I read things get a little better about 6 months after you have weaned (but don’t hope for miracles ladies) when fatty deposits start to return to your breasts. I also read breastfeeding is not the main cause of the problem. It seems pregnancy and genetics have the biggest impact on the change of our breast shape. And while we are on that subject, now feels like a really good moment to get some great fitting bras.

Finally I thought I would read you a comment in this month’s Cookie magazine made by a man on the subject of breast augmentation…”On the off chance that my wife was considering implants to make herself more attractive to me, I guess I’d feel compelled to tell her that there is actually nothing less sexy, to me, that a packed-too-tight, high-riding, overly round, dense-looking scar-bearing, clearly artificial set of midlife-crisis boobs, I get along just fine with the old (less perfect but all-natural) ones.” Why do I feel most men don’t think like this…..??