Sagging or dropping of the breasts is a natural, inevitable process that happens to most all women at some point. The most notable sagging happens through normal life experiences.

Webster's dictionary defines sag as: to sink downward by, or as if by weight or pressure. Cosmetic surgeons have definition of sagging and it is when the nipple falls below the infra-mammary fold, or the crease of the breast. A Ptotic (or sagging) breast, is measured according to the level of droop that is present.

To determine if you have a truly ptotic breast you would need to get the recommendations of a board certified cosmetic surgeon. Through a physical exam and measurements, the surgeon could then give you accurate information in regards to your own unique situation. Another way to get an idea if you are in doubt, is to look at your breasts from the front and side.

Which way are your nipples pointing? If you turn to the side and look in a mirror, where are your nipples in relation to the fold of your breast? If they are just at, or above that fold, chances are that your breasts would not be considered to be sagging. If your nipples is lower than the fold, then sag is present.

Breasts can start drooping at any age, because they do not have muscles in them. They have ligaments and connective tissue. When the gravity pulls the breasts down, those ligaments and the skin can stretch, and so the breast droops. This depends on the elasticity of the skin and of the ligaments, as determined by your genes and diet and also, the normal aging process.

Some common reasons for sagging is when a woman loses weight and through breast involution.

When you lose weight, some of that fat disappears from your breasts. Typically the skin and the ligaments inside the breasts don't retract accordingly, resulting in an empty looking breast that then may sag.

Breast involution is a process where the milk-making system inside the breast shrinks because it's not needed anymore. This happens either after weaning, or right after pregnancy if you don't breastfeed at all, or during menopause. When the tissues inside the breast shrink, and the skin surrounding it doesn't, the breast can look empty and saggy.

There are also childless women who feel that they have sagging breasts and wonder if it's normal. It is true that sagging happens to all women at some time or another. Even if you never get pregnant, your breasts will probably start to droop as you age.

If your breasts are bothersome, or you have thought about what can be done to improve the appearance and shape of your breasts, then a surgical intervention might be something to consider. A breast lift is designed to lip and re-shape the breast to give it a more youthful, desired appearance. A breast augmentation is designed to restore volume and shape to the breast. Schedule a consultation with a board certified surgeon to find out what it will take to get you the breasts that dream of.

Copyright (c) 2007 Dr. Robert Kenevan