The Truth About The "Botox Breast Lift"
One doctor claims that Botox can give you the look of bigger breasts. Photo: Getty Images
Some women love Botox for its ability to erase frown lines and soften crow’s feet with one little injection. Now, one London doctor claims that injecting the pectoral muscles with Botox can create perkier, fuller breasts—no surgery required.
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“It is a knifeless instantaneous breast lift,” Dr. Neetu Nirdosh tells the Daily Mail. “This form of breast augmentation works best for those who are between a cup size A and C and is safer and quicker than regular surgery.” The “breastox” treatment, Nirdosh says, takes less than 30 minutes, lasts for up to six months, and promises to make breasts look perkier and up to one cup size larger. The technique purportedly works by using Botox to relax the pectoral muscles, which leaves the shoulder muscles to do the heavy lifting—hence the “breast lift.”
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But does it actually work? Dr. Jennifer Walden, an Austin-based cosmetic plastic surgeon, says injecting Botox into the breasts would be a waste of money. “It’s more of a marketing tactic,” she says. “Botox cannot do what a surgical breast lift can do. People who are candidates for a surgical breast have excess saggy skin and drooping. Botox can’t address any of those things.”
Moreover, she says, placing Botox—or any injectable meant for the face—into the breast can be risky. “If you were to misplace the injection or the Botox were to migrate, it could cause breathing issues,” Walden says. “It could also affect the rotation of the arms. And if the injection were to go to deep, it could puncture the lung.” Would she consider doing the procedure on her patients? “I don’t know any plastic surgeon who would do this,” she emphasizes.
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And what about the so-called “vacation breasts,” which use saline injections to create a temporary, 24-hour breast augmentation? “It’s a sexy idea,” Walden admits. “It’s creative, but in reality, is it worth the money, the time, or the risk of putting needles in the breast? I don’t know.” Attempts are underway to make the effect last for weeks, but Walden says much more research is necessary before she would recommend such a procedure.
“When we talk about using injectables like Botox in the face, we have predictable outcomes,” she says. “Starting to inject materials into the breast, which is a cancer-prone organ, worries me. With any new idea or procedure, we need to do it for a long time before we can advise it as the standard of care.”
Bottom line: Using Botox to relax wrinkles in the face is safe. But as a substitute for a surgical breast lift? It’s a total bust.
