Breast Lift Surgery (Mastopexy)
A breast lift or mastopexy raises the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast contour. There are four main goals of mastopexy: raising the nipple to a more youthful position, reducing the size of the areola, reshaping the breast to give a more perky and esthetic appearance, and preserving the natural breast volume.
A woman’s breasts change with time, losing their fullness and firmness. Changes in breast shape and loss of skin elasticity can result from several causes including: pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations, aging, gravity and heredity reasons.
Sometimes the areola becomes enlarged over time, and a breast lift can correct this as well. A breast lift can rejuvenate one’s figure with a breast profile that is more youthful and uplifted.
New statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show breast lift surgeries have grown by 70% since 2000.
Details
There are three primary techniques used to lift and reshape the breast. The number and length of resultant scars depend on how much of a lift the patient needs.
Peri-Areolar Breast Lift: This technique is performed by placing a circular incision around the entire outer edge of your areola, resulting in a minimally visible scar. The peri-areolar breast lift technique is a great option for women with a mild degree of ptosis or drooping. When used by a skilled surgeon in conjunction with breast implants, this technique can produce satisfactory results for women with a mild degree of sagging.
Vertical Breast Lift: The vertical lift involves an incision around the perimeter of the areola and another vertical incision made from the bottom of the areola down to the natural breast crease. The vertical lift is ideal for women who have moderate breast sagging and require more reshaping of the breast. The shape of the incisions resembles a lollipop, hence the nickname “lollipop lift.”
Anchor Breast Lift: The incisions used in this procedure are shaped like an anchor or upside-down “T”. The incision is made around the perimeter of the areola, vertically down from the areola to the breast crease and horizontally along the breast crease. This lifting technique is reserved for women who require a more powerful reshaping to improve more significant sagging. The anchor incision is the oldest technique used for breast lifts and is also the desired technique in large-volume breast reductions.
Depending on one’s anatomy and aesthetic goals, a breast lift can be combined with a breast augmentation to both improve breast shape and enhance volume. This combined procedure known as mastopexy augmentation, is commonly performed to treat typical breast changes seen after pregnancy and breastfeeding, weight loss or breast asymmetry. Liposuction is also commonly used during the procedure to treat fullness of the lateral chest wall and to further shape and refine breast shape.
Breast lift with or without augmentation is performed under general anesthesia as a day surgery. A typical recovery ranges from 2-4 weeks.
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FAQ
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A breast lift is a surgical procedure designed to reverse the natural changes that affect the aging breast. Typically, this involves reducing the size of the areola, correcting breast ptosis or sagging, and restoring the breasts to their more youthful, perky appearance. The procedure aims to preserve the natural breast volume and redistribute the tissue to provide improved upper and inner fullness by removing excess skin and lifting the tissue.
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An incision is always made in this procedure, therefore there is always a scar. The scar pattern can vary depending on the technique performed, however, scarring can be minimized or hidden. Certain surgical techniques can greatly minimize scarring especially when combined with proper post-operative scar care. As every patient’s needs and anatomy is different, an initial consultation is an essential step for us to understand your ultimate aesthetic goals.
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Results are visible immediately after surgery, but it can take a few months for the swelling to subside and for the breast tissue and skin to settle into its final position.
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After surgery, most patients feel sore for two to three weeks. One may also feel pulling or stretching in the chest area. Bruising and swelling is normal and improves after several weeks. Though pain medicine for may be required for up to two weeks, one can expect to feel better and stronger each day after the procedure.
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Although a breast lift can be performed before or after pregnancy, it is important to understand the effects that pregnancy has on the breast. Many patients can breastfeed after a breast lift procedure, however there is some data to suggest that the ability to breastfeed may be reduced. If you are considering a breast lift and breastfeeding is something that is very important to you, it may be best to wait until your family is complete before undergoing the procedure. There are also several aesthetic advantages of waiting until after pregnancy to undergo surgery since the breast shape and volume often changes after pregnancy.
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As with every surgical procedure, bleeding and infection, though rare, can occur after surgery. Scarring, mild asymmetry, changes in nipple or breast sensation (which typically come back after several months) and minor wound healing issues can occur.
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The ideal candidates for a breast lift are non-smokers who are at a healthy stable weight. We require patients seeking a breast lift to undergo proper breast cancer screening before surgery.
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