Breast Lift Alternatives – What Else is Out There?

If you are considering a breast lift to perk up sagging breasts, but are not totally sold on undergoing surgery, it may be time to review some of the breast lift alternatives.

Here we give you the lowdown on some of the breast lift alternatives you may have heard of — and others you may not have.

Breast Auto Augmentation

In breast auto augmentation, a woman's existing breast tissue — not implants — is used to optimize breast shape and projection. The procedure incorporates breast lift techniques to remove excess skin and correct any sagging that may be present.

Botox Breast Lift

Botox, the same neurotoxin that can help temporarily erase your frown lines and other facial wrinkles, may also help lift sagging breasts. A Botox breast lift involves injecting Botox into your pectoralis minor chest muscle. This allows your back muscles to compensate by lifting the breast. Botox is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for breast lifts, so this is an off-label use of this prescription medicine.

The main downside of a Botox breast lift? The effects are not as dramatic as those of a traditional surgical breast lift (mastopexy). In fact, the lifting effect is mild, lasting roughly three to four months. On the plus side, Botox breast lift is surgery-free and produces no scars and no real breast lift recovery time.

The Laser Bra Lift

The laser bra breast lift is done in conjunction with a traditional breast lift. When performing laser bra surgery, your surgeon uses laser energy to craft an "internal brassiere" that protects the breast lift result. This is not so much an alternative as it is an insurance policy — a "breast lift plus."

The Breform internal bra

The Breform is an internal bra made of mesh that can lift sagging breasts. Look at it like a support bra that you wear under your skin. Over time, the mesh is absorbed by your breast and provides a fibrous tissue that holds the Breform in place permanently. The results last as long as you do not gain or lose excessive amounts of weight.

The Breform internal bra surgery takes about four hours to perform, after which the patient must spend up to two nights in the hospital. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia. The scar is typically in the nipple area, but it can also be underneath the nipple or in the inframammary crease.

Thermage

Thermage is a nonsurgical cosmetic procedure that uses radio waves to tighten collagen layers in the skin. This may help lift and firm sagging skin in the breasts.

Breast Lifting Creams

There are a myriad of dream creams out there that promise to firm your breasts without the breast lift risk, but most are nothing more than glorified moisturizers. They likely do no harm, but are they a breast lift in a bottle? Not likely.

Chest Exercises

Exercises that target and strengthen your chest muscles can also help firm up breast tissue. That said, if the sagging and drooping is pronounced, exercise alone likely will not make the same difference as breast lift surgery.

A New Bra

Most experts will agree that the best alternative to a breast lift is a well-fitted bra. Wearing the wrong- sized bra (of which many women are guilty) can change the appearance of your breasts. If your bra is not supportive enough, all that bouncing around can actually wreak havoc in the connective tissue of your breasts, causing them to sag or droop.

Get fitted for a new bra by a trained expert and see how it affects your appearance. Visit our article on smart bra buying tips to learn more.

Breast Lift Alternatives: Will They Break the Bank?

Breast lift alternatives can cost nothing (think chest exercises) to around $50 for a new breast-lifting bra at Victoria's Secret, or even more for a Botox breast lift. By contrast, breast lift cost ranges from $3,500 to $6,000 — and the results speak for themselves, unlike some of the costly, but unproven alternatives.