Breast Lift
Breast Lift
Reversing the effects of gravity
As a woman grows older, a number of factors including pregnancy, nursing and the force of gravity, weight gain and loss, may cause your breasts to sag. A surgical procedure called mastopexy or breast lift, as it is more commonly known, can raise and reshape sagging breasts. Mastopexy can also reduce the size of the areola, the darker skin around the nipple.
Of course, no surgery can delay the effects of gravity forever, but mastopexy may be able to give you the enhanced appearance you are looking for.
Am I a good candidate for a breast lift?
Most women who seek mastopexy are dissatisfied with how their breasts look after pregnancy and nursing. Their skin has stretched, and they may have decreased breast volume or enlarged areolas. Mastopexy is not a simple procedure, but the experienced surgeons at Augusta Plastic Surgery have performed it safely and successfully.
You will likely be most pleased with the results of mastopexy if you:
- Are in good physical and emotional health.
- Have small, sagging breasts. (The operation can be performed on breasts of any size, but the results may not last as long in women with heavy breasts.)
- Do not plan to have more children. (While a breast lift should not interfere with future pregnancies, your breasts will likely stretch if you become pregnant. Most women choose to postpone their breast lift until they are finished having children.)
What does the breast lift procedure involve?
The most common mastopexy technique involves removing a section of skin above the nipple and moving the nipple up into this new location. After removing the excess skin, the surgeon pulls down the skin that used to surround the areola and sutures it together to reshape the breast. Stitches are usually placed around the areola, in a vertical line extending from the areola to the base of the breast and along the lower crease of the breast, but may vary.
If you have smaller breasts, your doctor may choose a different technique, but the general idea is the same.
If you are having a breast augmentation at the same time as your breast lift, the doctor will also place an implant beneath your breast, either under your breast tissue and/or under your chest muscles.
The breast lift procedure takes two to three hours and is typically performed on an outpatient basis.
What should I expect after the breast lift?
Your breasts will probably be swollen and sore for a few days following your surgery, but your pain can be relieved with oral pain relievers. Right after surgery, you will wear a surgical bra over gauze dressings. After a few days, you will begin wearing a soft support bra, which you will wear continuously for the next two to four weeks. The doctor will remove your sutures after a week or two.
You should be able to return to work after a week or so, but you should continue to take it easy for about a month. After that, you can gradually resume your regular routine.
