[Breast Ptosis] Why Do Breasts Sag After Childbirth?

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Hello, this is AB Plastic Surgery.

I will answer the questions you have been wondering about.

Q.

Hello. I am in my 40s and have experienced two childbirths and one period of breastfeeding.

Why do breasts sag after childbirth? I’m curious whether there is a solution.

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AB.

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First, sagging breasts (sagging breasts or ptotic breasts) refers to the breasts moving downward as the elasticity of the breast muscles and skin tissue decreases. There can be various causes, such as rapid weight loss and reduced elasticity due to aging. In particular, breast sagging can become more noticeable after childbirth. Postpartum breast sagging is the result of a complex combination of physiological changes, including atrophy of the mammary gland, stretched skin, and a downward shift in the position of the nipple-areola complex.

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Pregnancy and childbirth are a continuous process. So, strictly speaking, breasts can sag because of the many physical changes that occur during the pregnancy-childbirth process. During pregnancy, the female hormone estrogen is secreted in the body to maintain the pregnancy. Estrogen is an important hormone that thickens the uterine wall and regulates the reproductive cycle. This hormone also plays a role in enlarging the mammary gland during pregnancy. In addition, body weight increases during pregnancy. That is why, in most cases, breasts become one cup size or even larger.

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Also, after childbirth, as breast milk is produced, the breasts become even larger. At this time, as the breasts become heavier, the suspensory ligaments that support and hold up breast tissue are subjected to a greater burden and stretch out. Then, when the amount of breast milk that was being actively produced after childbirth decreases and milk production stops completely, the breasts shrink back to their original size, or in some cases an even smaller size. However, the skin and suspensory ligaments that have already stretched may no longer have the elasticity to shrink to fit the smaller breast size. In other words, because the proportion of skin is relatively greater than the breast tissue, excess skin remains, and as the ligaments that maintain the shape of the breast tissue become stretched, this causes breast sagging.

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Then how should we understand the fact that the degree of breast sagging differs from person to person? There are several factors, but age is one of the first. In general, younger people have more skin elasticity than older people. If the mother is older, there may be more sagging after childbirth. Also, the more times a person goes through the pregnancy-childbirth process, the more sagging there may be.

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In addition, among those whose breasts changed more in size during pregnancy, sagging may be more severe. On the other hand, if the change in breast size during pregnancy was less than one cup size, there is a high possibility of less sagging. These physical changes vary from person to person. It is similar to how breast engorgement or menstrual pain differs individually among women. Ultimately, because the DNA inherent in each person’s body and their lifestyle are all different, there are individual differences in skin elasticity.

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Another thing we should remember is that breastfeeding itself does not cause breast sagging; rather, it is the changes in the body that occur during pregnancy and childbirth that cause the breasts to sag. In other words, it is difficult to conclude that the act of breastfeeding makes breasts sag more.

Excessively sagging breasts can cause not only cosmetic concerns but also uncomfortable symptoms such as eczema under the breasts and skin chafing.

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Therefore, if breast sagging is severe for cosmetic or functional reasons, it is best to receive an accurate evaluation of the degree of sagging from medical staff with abundant anatomical knowledge and clinical experience. It is advisable to fully discuss what specific surgery is needed depending on the breast shape before proceeding with surgery.

🍕If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I will answer. Thank you.