Stretch marks on the breasts are often associated with pregnancy because new mothers are usually confronted with this unpleasant phenomenon that occurs as a result of the overstretching of the skin. However, stretch marks can occur not only in pregnant women but also any person who gains weight and then suddenly loses a considerable amount of weight in a short period of time.
While it might seem strange, stretch marks are also a natural occurrence for teenagers, and there is a simple explanation to it. When a person has an alert growth rate or changes weight considerably, stretch marks occur as the skin is forced to stretch. When stretch marks occur, the collagen fiber in the skin has broken and the stretch marks are the scars left behind.
At first, stretch marks can look like red or purple lines with a different texture compared to the skin around them. In time, the stretch marks become less visible and get a white color. However, once they occur, the stretch marks are permanent and there are little to no efficient methods to get rid of them for good.
While stretch marks in certain areas of the body can be easier to tolerate, it can be very frustrating for the woman when they occur on the breasts as they are one of the most important symbols of femininity and sex appeal. Moreover, stretch marks are often associated with a certain level of breast ptosis, often moderate or severe. We consider stretch marks to be a sign of skin that doesn’t have a very good tonus, just like cellulite.
When coming to the pre-operative consultation for the breast lift, many patients want to know whether the plastic surgeon can remove the stretch marks on the breasts during the procedure. Unfortunately, there is no straight or simple answer to this question. Some patients will have some or all of their stretch marks eliminated, while for others the procedure will have no effect on the stretch marks that will only change position on the breasts.
When the breast lift is performed, the plastic surgeon will make incisions around the areola, in the inframammary fold, and possibly from the areola to the inframammary fold. These incisions are used to detach the skin from the mammary gland tissue so it can be re-centered and positioned higher on the chest wall. After this stage is completed, the surgeon will re-drape the skin envelope of the breasts and remove the excess skin. If your stretch marks are on the pedicles of skin that will be removed, it means they will disappear after the procedure. However, what happens in the vast majority of cases is that some of the stretch marks will be left behind, but they will have a different placement on the breasts after the skin is re-draped.