Breast Lifts Grow to Highest Numbers Yet, Now Outpace Implants 2-to-1
It’s official: breast lift surgery is on the verge of becoming America’s go-to option for cosmetic breast enhancements. New statistics released in May from the American Society of Plastics Surgeons (ASPS) indicate the number of lift procedures in America is outpacing implant surgeries two-to-one.
In 2013, lifts surged in popularity by 70 percent to just over 90,000 – up from approximately 52,000 just over a decade ago, according to the ASPS data. It is the first time since the ASPS began collecting data that lift surgeries have topped the 90,000 annual mark. Women between the ages of 30-54 account for the majority of 2013’s numbers.
Although implants still rank as America’s most performed cosmetic surgery for women, it is evident that lifts are gaining serious traction. For example, some women do not necessarily want bigger, rounder breasts, which is typically the reason many opt for implants. Yet most women do want to improve the sagging that often occurs from pregnancy, nursing, aging, and significant weight loss or gain. In other words, women seem to like their natural breasts, but simply prefer them lifted rather than increased in size.
A lift can also correct uneven breasts, decreased volume, drooping nipples, and stretched areolas to recreate a youthful shape that looks great and increases confidence.
An easy test can tell whether a woman is a good candidate for a breast lift. Take a pencil and place it under the breast. If the pencil stays in place against the chest, there is a hanging nature that can be easily fixed with such a procedure.
With more than 290,000 surgeries performed in 2013, a 37 percent increase since 2000, breast augmentations still remain the most popular form of plastic surgery for American woman. This overall growth rate is just under half the rate of breast lift surgery during the same time. Implants may be more popular still, but the gap is clearly closing.