The natural aging process, weight changes, and pregnancy can cause the breasts to lose elasticity and sag. A breast lift (mastopexy) can help lift, tighten, and reshape the breasts. The surgery can also correct asymmetry and other breast imperfections. Plastic surgeons often perform breast lifts alongside breast reduction or augmentation.
What Causes Breast Changes?
Breasts change over time as they lose elasticity and sag, stretch, or droop. It can be due to aging, gravity, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and significant weight loss. Breast sagging can be genetic. A breast lift can make the breasts firmer and more youthful, but it does not change their size.
If you want a larger breast size, consider breast augmentation or implants. To reduce your breast size, the surgeon can perform breast reduction.
What a Breast Lift Can Do
Plastic surgeons perform breast lifts to restore breast shape and firmness. The surgery can help with the following:
Lift the breasts higher on the chest
Make uneven breasts more identical or symmetrical
Remove stretched or extra skin on the breasts
Reshape the breasts, creating a more rounded appearance
Reduce areola size or change their position
Tighten the breast tissue to provide better support for the nipples and areolas
Before Breast Lift Surgery
Before you get mastopexy, the plastic surgeon will examine your breasts and discuss your goals. The surgeon will ask about your medical history, mammogram results, previous surgeries, and allergies. You need to inform the surgeon about any medications you may be taking, including OTC drugs, supplements, and blood thinners.
The surgeon will measure and examine your breasts, use a marker to draw on the area, and take pictures. The discussion will include options for mastopexy, the use of anesthesia, and risks associated with the surgery.
During Breast Lift Surgery
Surgeons perform breast lifts in hospitals or surgical centers. The procedure can last one or two hours, depending on the amount of work. Breast lift incisions differ depending on the patient’s condition.
The surgeon will recommend the best incision type based on your breast shape and size. Surgeons also consider how stretched or elastic the skin is and the amount of extra skin. They check how the breasts sag and the areola placement and size.
Restoring Breast Firmness and Shape
Surgeons position the patient on the surgical table before administering anesthesia. They clean and prep the surgical area and use a marker or pen to mark the skin. They make cuts or incisions around the areolas before cutting, repositioning, and shaping the tissue to create the desired look.
Surgeons sew the breast muscles to lift and tighten them, and they move the nipple and areola higher. When the procedure is complete, they close the incisions and apply bandages. A surgical bra can help support the breasts during healing.
Most patients go home the same day after breast lift surgery. It is a good idea to have someone drive you home after the procedure. For best results, follow the post-op instructions, including changing the bandages and caring for the drains. Use medications as directed and sleep on your back. Wearing a surgical bra will help support the breasts and reduce swelling.
For more information on breast lift (mastopexy) surgery, visit Handal Plastic Surgery at our office in Boca Raton, Florida. Call 561-220-6360 to book an appointment today.
