Medically reviewed by Dr. Lucrecia Villanueva body and breast surgeon, licence no. 282871279Published on 11 November 2026
Sagging, empty breasts after pregnancy: how to fix them
If your breasts have dropped and lost volume after pregnancy, they need to be repositioned and filled at the same time. To do this, a mastopexy, which removes the excess skin and lifts the breast, is combined with a breast implant that restores the volume. When the sagging is significant, the scar is usually an inverted T.
With Dr. Lucrecia Villanueva, plastic surgeon on our breast surgery team.
Reposition and fill your breasts with a mastopexy
Why do breasts sag and empty after pregnancy?
During pregnancy and breastfeeding the breasts grow and the skin stretches; afterward, the breasts lose volume and the skin does not always go back. The result is two problems at once: the breasts have dropped and they are also empty.
That is why you usually need a mastopexy, which repositions the breast, combined with an implant that restores its volume.
What was done in this case?
Dr. Lucrecia Villanueva's patient is around 40 and last became a mother three years ago. "After her pregnancies, her breasts were very droopy and empty. In her case, we needed to reposition the breasts and also restore their volume," the doctor explains.
"So we performed a mastopexy with inverted-T scars and also placed a breast implant." The lift and the implant are done in the same procedure.
Why is a breast augmentation not enough?
Because a breast augmentation adds volume, but it does not lift the breast or remove the excess skin. If the breast has dropped, an implant alone does not reposition it. The other way round, a mastopexy without an implant repositions the breast but does not restore the lost volume.
Not every breast that looks droopy really is: sometimes only volume is missing, as in the case of empty breasts after weight loss. The measurements at the consultation decide.
What is an inverted-T scar?
It is the lift technique for advanced sagging and significant excess skin, also called the "anchor" technique. It leaves a scar around the areola, a vertical one down to the fold and a horizontal line in the inframammary fold, under the breast.
Every mastopexy leaves a scar, and at IdB we always plan the shortest incision your degree of sagging allows. The scar matures between 12 and 24 months, when it becomes pale and discreet; during the first year it must be protected from the sun.
How long should you wait after pregnancy and breastfeeding?
At least 6 months after breastfeeding ends, so the breasts can settle. And if you still plan to have more children, it is better to wait: a new pregnancy can change the result. If you are worried about breastfeeding afterward, we cover it in breastfeeding after breast surgery.
What is recovery like?
You can return to everyday life in about 10 days, and the stitches are removed between days 10 and 14. Exercise resumes between 4 and 6 weeks, and for the first few weeks you wear a post-surgical bra that holds the breast in its new position.
Frequently asked questions about sagging breasts after pregnancy
How much does a mastopexy with an implant cost?
A mastopexy starts from €7,000. The price depends on the degree of sagging, the technique and whether it is combined with an implant; we explain it in the cost of a breast lift. The consultation costs €80 and is deducted if you go ahead with surgery.
Can I have surgery if I want more children?
You can, but we do not recommend it in the short term: a new pregnancy and breastfeeding can change the breasts again. Ideally, have surgery once you are no longer planning more pregnancies.
Does it always leave an inverted-T scar?
No. The inverted T is for significant sagging with a lot of excess skin. If the sagging is milder, the scar can stay around the areola or add only a vertical line.