Also known as Mastopexy, breast lift surgery addresses sagging and uneven breasts, decreased breast volume, drooping nipples and stretched areolas – recreating a youthful shape and lift to your breasts. This procedure is very similar to Breast Reduction Surgery.
If there is too little or too much breast volume, a breast augmentation or breast lift may be recommended in addition to a lift. Every year, thousands of women undergo successful breast-lift surgery, experience no major problems and are pleased with the results.
The Procedure:
General anesthesia is commonly used during your breast lift procedure, although local anesthesia or intravenous sedation may be desirable in some instances.
For your safety during the surgery, various monitors will be used to check your heart, blood pressure, pulse and the amount of oxygen circulating in your blood. Your surgeon will follow the surgical plan discussed with you before surgery.
Different techniques for removing breast skin and reshaping the breast determine the location of the incisions and resulting scars. Your surgeon will select a technique based on your breast size and shape, areola size and position, degree of breast sagging, skin quality and elasticity and how much extra skin you have. Your surgeon can conceal some incision lines in natural breast contours, but others will be visible on the breast surface.
- The “anchor” incision is made around the perimeter of the areola, vertically down from the areola to the breast crease and horizontally along the breast crease and produces the most scarring. It is for women with a severe degree of sagging who will not be helped sufficiently by less invasive techniques. This incision, which is the oldest technique, is often used for a breast lift in conjunction with a breast reduction.
- The “lollipop” lift, also known as a “keyhole” incision, made around the perimeter of the areola and vertically down from the areola to the breast crease, is suitable for women with a moderate degree of sagging who will not be helped sufficiently by the periareolar technique and who do not want breast implants.
- The “donut” lift, also known as the “periareolar incision,” made around the perimeter of the areola only, is suitable for women with a mild-to-moderate degree of sagging. When used by a skilled surgeon in conjunction with the placement of implants, it can produce a satisfactory result for patients with more pronounced sagging.
- The “crescent” lift, which is less commonly used, is an incision that lies just along the upper half of the areola. A crescent-shaped piece of skin is removed above that line, and the surrounding skin is reattached to the areola. This type of lift is usually done in conjunction with breast augmentation in women with minor sagging. It cannot accomplish the same degree of lifting as the other incision techniques.
- The “scarless” lift. For a select few women concerned more about volume loss than actual sagging, there are procedures to lift the appearance of the breast that are touted as scarless.
These procedures can be combined with breast augmentation to lift the breasts with minimal scarring. However, they require incisions of some sort, no matter how small or well-hidden.
Your plastic surgeon will remove excess breast skin and shift the nipple and areola to a higher position.
If your areola has become stretched, it can now be reduced in size.
Skin that was formerly located above the areola is brought down and together, beneath the breast, to reshape the breast.
Your surgeon will remove excess skin and close your incisions, tightening the skin, sewing the breast back together and placing sutures deep in the breast tissue to support the new breast position for a longer period of time.
Scars are usually hidden under the breasts, although some light scarring may be seen on top of the breast.
The nipples and areolas remain attached to underlying mounds of tissue, and this usually allows for the preservation of sensation and the ability to breast-feed.
After your procedure is completed, you will be taken into a recovery area, where you will continue to be closely monitored. Occasionally, drainage tubes may be used for a short time following surgery.
The procedure normally takes between 120 – 180 minutes.
- Pregnancy, nursing, gravity, weight gain or loss, normal aging, and heredity have taken a toll on the shape of your breasts, resulting in sagging
- If your surgeon thinks that breast implants alone are unlikely to achieve the contour you desire
- If the tissue surrounding the nipple or areola has become stretched.
