Learn Why Breast Lifts are More Popular than Ever

Although all plastic surgery procedures took a dip during the pandemic, at last count in 2019, breast lift surgeries ranked among the top three cosmetic surgical procedures in the country, with more than 110,000 performed during that year alone — almost twice as many as the year before.

So, what’s behind the growing popularity? At Rick J. Smith, MD, in East Lansing, Michigan, we have the inside track on women’s motivations for undergoing plastic surgery. Dr. Smith takes the time to discuss our patients’ aesthetic goals, overall health, and unique lifestyle before creating a customized surgical plan, and he’s gained valuable insight that helps shed light on this trend. Here’s what we know.

The difference between a breast lift and breast augmentation

It’s not just semantics — terminology matters when it comes to altering your breasts.

Breast augmentation is a procedure to increase the size of your breasts by adding artificial implants under your skin. That makes them look firmer, fuller, and better proportioned. 

Breast lifts correct sagging by repositioning the tissue higher up on your chest, but they don’t change the size of your breasts.  Fat grafting to the breast is often done simultaneously to replace fullness to the upper portion of the breast. 

Breast augmentation has always led the pack in cosmetic surgical procedures, with more than 287,000 performed in 2019, but it isn’t rising in popularity as rapidly as breast lift surgery. We asked our breast lift recipients why and learned some interesting facts.

Why breast lifts are more popular than ever

People choose plastic surgery for various reasons, including a mix of physical, societal, and emotional factors. Here are some reasons we believe breast lifts have increased in popularity lately.

The idea of what’s beautiful has changed

Throughout history, the feminine beauty ideal has evolved. A quick flip through an art book reveals that a voluptuous, curvy body was the standard in the Baroque period, and thin was in during Romanticism of the Victorian era. 

Every generation has its own idea of what constitutes beauty. When the 21st century began, big bosoms were all the rage, but today, women want their bodies and breasts to look natural, not oversized. A breast lift restores your breasts’ height and position without increasing volume.

The workplace has changed

With more women in the professional workforce than ever, more women are opting for cosmetic changes to maintain their fit and youthful look. Although physical appearance shouldn’t be a factor in hiring, it often is. So, many women choose to give themselves an advantage over the competition by ensuring they look healthy, young, and professional.

It also means they don’t want to enlarge their breasts — at least not drastically — to avoid unwanted negative attention. They want to be taken seriously and perceived as physically and professionally fit, and a breast lift accomplishes that.

Lifestyles have changed

These days, women are more active — whether they participate in sports, work out at a gym, or engage in physical hobbies, like skiing, hiking, rock climbing, or cycling, they lead a demanding lifestyle. Large breasts get in the way of strenuous exercise, which is why many big-bosomed women opt for breast reduction surgery. 

If their breasts are sagging, a breast lift can relocate the tissue higher up on the chest wall, making it easier to move and creating a more natural look.

Reasons to consider a breast lift

Now you know why breast lift popularity has increased, but what are the personal reasons women get breast lifts? Here are a few to consider:

• You’ve recently lost a lot of weight, and your breasts are sagging
• Pregnancy and nursing “deflated” your breasts
• Your nipples point toward the ground
• Your areolas (the dark circles of skin around your nipples) are too big 

In short, Dr. Smith can correct anything that makes you self-conscious or uncomfortable about your breasts. To find out which procedure will help you achieve your idea of beauty, schedule a consultation with Dr. Smith by calling our friendly staff or booking online today.