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Breast lift surgery, or mastopexy, is a procedure designed to give the breasts a more youthful and upright appearance. A breast lift can reduce sag and raise hanging, stretched out breasts back to their correct position.
Many women lose breast elasticity and contour over time. Contributing factors may be due to age, weight loss, pregnancy and breast-feeding. Women who are generally satisfied with the size of their breasts can have a breast lift to raise and firm them, resulting in a more youthful breast contour.
Is Mastopexy right for you?
Breast lift surgery and breast augmentation are not the same procedure. Breast augmentation is a procedure where breast volume is enhanced through the addition of breast implants.
Women who are concerned with sagging breasts but are generally pleased with maintaining their breast size (or are uncomfortable with the idea of implants) may consider mastopexy as a viable option.
the breast lift is the better option. Breast lift and augmentation can be performed together, however, for patients who wish to increase the size of the breasts as well as reduce sag.
A breast lift is also often performed as part of breast reduction surgery, and in conjunction with areolae reduction. Areolae reduction is performed to decrease the size of the areolae complexes.
How is the surgery performed?
There are several different surgical techniques that can be used to lift and reshape sagging breasts. Dr. Lanfranchi will discuss the appropriate options with you at your initial consultation, to ensure you understand and are able to make an informed decision regarding your procedure.
In general however, breast lift surgery involves removing excess breast skin and repositioning the breast higher on the woman’s chest. Incisions are made around the areola (the darkened pigment around the nipple), from the lower edge of the areola to the breast crease, and often horizontally under the breast on or near the crease.
The surgeon removes excess skin from the area of the incision, moves the nipple to a new higher position, and then brings the edges of the remaining skin together underneath the areola to reshape the breast.
The stitches that close the incision are usually located around the areola and in a vertical line extending downward from the nipple and hidden under the skin along the lower crease of the breast. Patients with smaller breasts usually require less extensive incisions than women with large breasts.
What to expect after surgery
After the surgery, you will need to stay in the clinic overnight to be closely monitored by our staff. Bandages are applied to aid the healing process and to minimize movement of the breasts. Once the bandages are removed, a specialized surgical bra is provided, which will need to be worn for several weeks. You may experience minor pain or discomfort, however this can be treated effectively with medication.
Depending on the level of activity required, you should be able to return to work in approximately one to two weeks’ time. If your job requires strong physical activity, a longer period of recovery and rest will be necessary. Driving can be resumed two weeks after the procedure.
Sutures placed underneath the skin will dissolve over several months. Sutures placed through the skin usually dissolve within one to two weeks. Breast lift surgery does leave permanent scars, but these fade over time and can usually be covered by a bra or bathingsuit.
Risks of Breast Lift surgery
Complications from breast lift surgery are infrequent and usually minor. Nevertheless, there is always a possibility of postoperative complications including infection, bleeding, or a reaction to the anesthetic or sedative medications.
Some patients may experience temporary or even permanent areas of altered sensation, including numbness.
In very rare cases, the nipple and areola may lose their blood supply, which causes the tissue to die. The nipple and areola can be rebuilt using skin grafts from other parts of the body, or with the use of medical tattoos.
In some cases, surgical incisions are fairly lengthy, and scars may take up to a year to lighten and become less noticeable. In some ethnic skin types, scarring can be more prominent, and may require further treatment. Dr. Lanfranchi will discuss your particular scarring potential in more detail at the time of your consultation.
It is also good to note that the results of mastopexy will not last forever. Eventually gravity, the aging process, and weight fluctuations will cause the breasts to sag again.
For more information about mastopexy, or to schedule a consultation, please contact us.