An abundance of information exists on the Internet suggesting that certain exercises can help women enhance the size, shape, and position of their breasts without the need for surgery. The vast majority of these claims, however, are largely unfounded. To my knowledge, there are no exercises that can help avoid surgery to lift the breasts, and here’s why:

In general, exercises such as push-ups, bench presses, flys, and other techniques that target the chest work to strengthen muscles and/or eliminate fatty tissue located beneath the breasts, neither of which helps to actually lift the breasts! In contrast, breast lift surgery – also called mastopexy – is designed to remove excess skin and help reshape the breasts into a more youthful form and projection. Additionally, the procedure can also help restore proper nipple positioning, a concern that is generally unresponsive to exercise and other non-surgical enhancement techniques.

All of this is not to say you shouldn’t visit the gym or follow a healthy exercise regimen – you absolutely should! Just be cognizant that no matter how many chest exercises or repetitions you perform, surgery is generally the most effective option for addressing skin and tissue laxity that causes breast sagging.

– Dr. Jon Kurkjian, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon