New statistics released today by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) show that breast lift procedures are growing at twice the rate of breast implant surgeries. Since 2000, breast lifts have grown by 70 percent, outpacing implants two-to-one. Breast implants are still by far the most performed cosmetic surgery in women, but lifts are steadily gaining. In 2013, more than 90,000 breast lift procedures were performed by ASPS member surgeons.
"Many women are looking for a youthful breast by using the tissue they already have," said ASPS President Robert X. Murphy, Jr., MD.
According to the new statistics, women between the ages of 30-54 made up nearly 70 percent of the breast lift procedures performed in 2013. "The breast lift procedure is way up in my practice," said Anne Taylor, MD, an ASPS-member plastic surgeon in Columbus, Ohio. "More women are coming to us who've had children, whose breast volume has decreased and who are experiencing considerable sagging," she said. "For many of them, we are able to get rid of excess skin and lift the breasts back up where they're supposed to be."
Kim Beckman of Casstown, Ohio is one of the women who went to Dr. Taylor. "Childbirth, breastfeeding and aging takes a toll on the body," she said. "I finally decided one morning that I was going to lose weight and get healthy. Now that I've had the procedure, I feel confident. I'm wearing clothes that I never really thought that I would wear. I've worn a bikini on the beach and I'm comfortable. I didn't feel the need to cover up in a towel or throw on a t-shirt to walk down the beach with my husband. I feel good."
Breast augmentation remains the most popular plastic surgery procedure for women. In 2013, there were 290,224 breast augmentation surgeries performed by ASPS member surgeons. That represents a growth of 37% since 2000, just under half the rate of breast lifts.
New statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that since 2000, breast lift procedures have grown by 70 percent, twice the rate of breast implants. According to the numbers, women in their 30s tend to get the most implants, but lifts are performed more often on women over the age of 40.
(Photo Credit: American Society of Plastic Surgeons)
Kim Beckman, of Casstown, Ohio. Credit: American Society of Plastic Surgeons)
Though she eventually opted for implants, too, the idea of starting with a surgery that only used her natural tissue appealed to Beckman. "I'm a nurse myself, so I put a lot of consideration into anything medical, especially when it comes to surgical intervention."