As time passes, pregnancy, nursing, excessive weight loss and gravity have adverse effects on women's breasts causing them to lose their elasticity, firmness, and shape. This creates a sagging appearance. A breast lift is a procedure that corrects this condition using a combination of removing excess breast skin, tightening the skin. If desired, implants may be used to restore breasts to their natural shape and size.
The best candidates for a breast lift (Mastopexy) are healthy, emotionally stable women who are realistic about the result they would like to achieve. A breast lift can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence. The best results are achieved on women with small, sagging breasts due to loss of skin elasticity secondary to pregnancy and / or nursing, or weight loss. Those who plan to have more children may want to postpone surgery, as the process of pregnancy and breast-feeding may change the final result of the surgery.
There are benefits to undergoing breast lift surgery, however with any surgical procedure there is always the possibility of complications occurring. Possible complications associated with breast lift include bleeding and infection following surgery, which may cause scars to widen, (poor healing and wider scars are common in smokers). The procedure can also cause a change in feeling in the nipple or breast.
Actual Patient Mastopexy with Augmentation
Scars pink at 3 months post op
The
Breast Lift Explained
Breast
lift or Mastopexy is surgical procedure to raise
and reshape sagging breasts. Mastopexy can also
reduce the size of areola. If the breasts are small
and have lost volume breast implants inserted along
with Mastopexy can increase both firmness and their
size. A breast can be performed at any age, but one
has to wait until breast development has stopped.
Since milk duets and nipples are left intact,
surgery will not affect your ability to breast
feed. Breasts that are large and heavy can be
lifted, but the results may not be so long lasting
as when it is done on smaller breasts.
Reasons for undergoing a breast lift:
--- Breasts that lack substance or firmness.
--- Some of the candidates have breasts that are
pendulous, but of satisfactory size.
--- Nipples and areolas that point downwards,
especially if they are positioned below the breast
crease.
--- Loss of elasticity, weight loss, pregnancy and
breast-feeding affect the shape and firmness of the
breasts.
Personal
consultation:
During your visit, you will be asked about your
desired breast shape and size. Your plastic surgeon
will tell you how nipples and areolas will be
repositioned. Mention your expectations about your
breasts. Dr. Shaw will examine your breasts, takes
measurements. The size and shape of your breasts
and the placements of nipples and areolas will be
carefully evaluated. Medical history will be
discussed like medicine conditions, drug allergies,
medical treatments received, previous surgeries
include breast biopsies and medications that you
take. If there was a weight loss, your weight
should be stabilized before surgery.
Risks
involved:
A breast lift surgery is normally safe when
significant by a qualified surgeon. Significant
complications from breast lifts are not frequent.
Thousands of women go through surgery, without
experiencing major problems and are pleased with
the results. Following a breast lift surgery,
sometimes the breasts may not be perfectly
symmetrical or the nipple may vary slightly,
permanent loss of sensation in the nipples or areas
of breast skin may occur rarely. Revisional surgery
may be helpful where incisions have healed poorly.
Bleeding and infection following a breast lift are
not common, but they can cause scars to widen. You
can reduce the risks by clearly following your
physician's advice before and after surgery.
Breasts lifts are usually performed under general
anesthesia. In patients where a smaller incision is
being made the surgeon may use local anesthesia.
Surgical
procedure:
Full breast lift:
Mastopexy usually takes one and half to three and
half hours. The most common procedure involves an
anchor shaped incision across the base of the
breast as well as incisions around the areolas and
an incision between the areola and the base of the
breast. The incision outlines the area from which
the breast skin will be removed and defines the new
location for the nipple. The nipple and areola are
moved to the higher possible with the removal of
excess skin. The skin surrounding the areola is
then brought down to reshape the breast. Maximal
correction of the breast shape is possible with
this but at the cost of more scarring.
Modified
breast lift:
Patients with
relatively small breast and minimal sagging are
candidates for modified breast lift. This requires
fewer incisions. One such procedure is the
"doughnut mastopexy", in which circular incisions
are made around the areola, and a doughnut shaped
of skin is removed.
After
your surgery:
After surgery you
will wear an elastic bandage or a surgical bra over
gauze dressings. Your breasts will be bruised,
swollen for a day or two. Pain will not be severe,
which will be relived with medications. The
stitches will be removed after a week or two. If
the breast skin is dry, use moisturizer several
times a day. The numbness you feel in that area
usually fades as the swelling subsides over the
next six weeks or so. Healing is a gradual process.
Take it easy for a week or two. Lifting weight for
three or four weeks should be avoided. Avoid
strenuous sports for about a month. This operation
will not affect your ability to breast feed, since
your milk duets and nipples will e left intact. You
should remember that a breast lift won't keep you
firm forever. The effects of gravity, pregnancy,
aging, and weight fluctuations will eventfully take
their toll again.
Call to schedule a surgical
consult
I hope
you will call us with your questions, and schedule
an appointment to discuss your breast lift. A
breast lift is an important decision and I'm sure
you have many questions. Let's get the discussion
started.
Please call 480-767-1900
Breast Lift: The War Against Gravity