Understanding the Degrees of Breast Sagginess

At Cruise Plastic Surgery, Dr. Joseph T. Cruise, MD has designed a classification system for the seven main types of breasts. This helps his clients determine what kind of procedure they will need based on their current breasts and the results they are hoping to receive.

A woman’s breasts may sag because of childbirth, breastfeeding, changes in weight, or aging. Whatever the reason, having perky, defined breasts can greatly improve a woman’s confidence and a breast lift at Cruise Plastic Surgery can make this possible. The various degrees of breast ptosis, or sagginess, can help you identify which type of breast lift will give you the best results.

Type 1

If your breasts are in the Type 1 category, you have a modest amount of breast tissue and your nipples sit a few centimeters above the lower breast crease. Since this is a very mild degree of sagging, or perhaps none at all, a breast augmentation can be performed to increase the size of your breasts, but a lift will not be needed.

Type 2

Type 2 breasts also classify a modest amount of breast tissue, with the nipples sitting slightly lower but still a few centimeters above the lower breast fold. Luckily, a lift is also not needed since your breasts are still perky, but an augmentation can give you beautiful results if you are looking to enhance the size or shape of your breasts.

Type 3

Type 3 breasts may now have some slight sagging since there is a moderate amount of breast tissue. It may not be necessary to get a breast lift at this stage but if you choose to, an areola incision, breast fold incision, or doughnut lift will be your best option, depending on the size of the implant you wish to have.

Type 4

At this stage, the breast tissue is beginning to sag and sit low on the chest wall, covering the upper part of the abdomen. Your nipples may be just in line with or slightly below the lower breast crease. A Lolly Pop or short anchor will effectively lift the breast; the choice of procedure depends on the implant size you choose since a short anchor includes a small incision under the breast alone with an incision going from the nipple to the lower crease of the breast.

Type 5

If your breasts are at this degree, you will need a short or medium anchor to effectively lift your breasts. The difference between these types of surgeries is the length of the incision under the breast and the incision will be based upon the amount of breast tissue you have and how much it is sagging. By this stage, the breasts are often sagging enough to cover a significant portion of the upper chest, making your abdomen appear shorter. Dr. Cruise often likes to remove a significant portion of breast tissue to reduce the possibility of future sagging and then place an implant under the muscle to create a beautiful, long-lasting result.

Type 6

Type 6 breasts are significantly sagging, with the nipples resting several centimeters below the lower breast crease. A medium or long anchor incision will be made, depending on the amount of breast tissue and sagging. Similar to a breast lift performed on Type 5 breasts, Dr. Cruise will remove as much breast tissue as possible and replace the fullness with long-lasting implants for a beautiful, natural appearance.

Type 7

Type 7 breasts have sagged enough to nearly cover the entire upper abdomen and the nipples may be resting six centimeters or more below the lower breast crease. An anchor lift or free nipple graft will be needed to effectively lift the breast. A second surgery may also be needed if you choose to add implants. This will create a fuller look but the choice is completely yours.

Schedule a Consultation

If your breasts have begun to sag and you’re hoping to bring back perky, full breasts, schedule a consultation with Dr. Cruise, located in Newport Beach, CA to determine your best treatment option. You can even take a quick, interactive survey to virtually design the breasts you are hoping to achieve and one of Dr. Cruise’s consultants will contact you to see up your appointment.