What is a breast lift?
A breast lift—also known as a mastopexy—raises the breasts and corrects the nipple position. During the procedure, your surgeon will make incisions based on your desired outcome. Then they can reshape your breast tissue, nipple, and areola. They can also tighten tissue and remove excess skin before closing the incision.
A breast lift can include implants if you want to increase your breast volume and reshape your breasts. Because of the difference in breast size, women with smaller breasts have longer-lasting results than women with larger breasts.
If you want to learn more about a breast lift—or schedule a consultation with a breast lift surgeon in the Lehigh Valley—then contact St. Luke’s Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.
Overview
Breast lift candidates include adults with the following characteristics:
- Sagging or misshapen breasts
- Flat, elongated breasts
- Downward-pointing nipples or areolas
- Low-hanging nipples
A breast lift can look natural and is highly customizable–so you can have the size and shape you’re looking for. It can help combat changes in breast tissue from aging, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and weight changes.
Schedule a consultation with a St. Luke’s breast lift surgeon in the Lehigh Valley to determine if a breast lift is right for you.
Getting a breast lift can positively impact your wellbeing and self-confidence. The following list includes some of the most commonly reported benefits:
- More symmetrical breasts
- Better-fitting clothes
- Added volume and curves
- Restored breasts after pregnancy or as a result of aging
- Firmer breast appearance
- Improved nipple projection
- Reduced irritation under breasts
A breast lift can also be combined with other breast surgeries–like an augmentation–for optimal results. The results can look natural, dramatically improve your body image, and give you a more youthful appearance.
As with all surgeries, a mastopexy has risks. Some of them include the following:
- Pain
- Changes in sensation
- Loss of nipple or areola
- Scarring
- Trouble breastfeeding
- Uneven breasts
Your surgeon will review a complete list of risks before getting your consent.
Before the procedure
In the time leading up to your breast lift at St. Luke’s Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, you can take steps to make your procedure as safe as possible. These include discussing the following topics at your surgical consultation:
- Goals and expectations
- Surgical options
- Results
- Recovery
As part of your consultation, your surgeon will also do a complete evaluation—which may include the following items:
- Ordering lab work
- Taking “before” photos for comparison
- Assessing medical conditions, allergies, and medical limitations
- Reviewing medications, supplements, alcohol, tobacco, or drug use
A week before the procedure, you can prepare at home in the following ways:
- Filling outstanding prescriptions
- Purchasing any medical supplies as needed
- Coordinating transportation and meals as needed
- Staying hydrated
You should arrive early on the day of your procedure to avoid travel delays.
During the procedure
Lollipop lift
With a lollipop lift, a surgeon will make a circular incision around the areola and below the breast–creating a lollipop shape. This commonly performed procedure can easily hide scars and is ideal for women with moderate breast sagging (but who don’t plan to get breast implants).Anchor lift
With an anchor lift, a surgeon will make a circular incision around the areola and down below the breast–and an additional one horizontally in the same place. This procedure is ideal for women needing a more considerable amount of tissue removed or who have severe breast sagging.Periareolar donut lift
With a periareolar donut lift, a surgeon will make a circular incision around the areola, allowing the nipple to be repositioned. This procedure is ideal for women with minimal breast sagging who need subtle lifting. It can also reduce areola size, results in minimal scarring, and is sometimes performed with breast implant surgery.Crescent lift
With a crescent lift, a surgeon will make a crescent-shaped incision above the areola to reposition the areola and nipple. This procedure is the least invasive of all breast lifts, results in the least amount of visible scarring, and is sometimes performed with breast implant surgery.After the procedure
Immediately after the procedure, you’ll have swelling–so you may not see your full results for several months. Over this time, your breasts will settle into their final shape and position. Your incisions should also fade over time. A breast lift is permanent, but breasts can change due to aging. However, most women feel more attractive after this procedure and are happy with their results.
Your St. Luke’s plastic surgeon will customize your procedure based on your desired treatment results. The typical recovery milestones include the following:
- Two to three days after surgery: You may experience moderate swelling and pain–but they’re managed by prescription pain medication. If you have surgical dresses or drains, then your surgeon will likely remove them at this time. You should wear a surgical support bra to promote healing and avoid sleeping on your back.
- One week after surgery: Though you will probably still have swelling and bruising, your pain should have minimal discomfort. You’ll also switch from a surgical support bra to a soft bra. At this point, your surgeon may recommend that you return to work–as long as your job isn’t strenuous. But you should only perform light daily activities.
- Two weeks after surgery: You shouldn’t have pain when performing everyday activities–though you should still avoid strenuous activities. You may still have swelling. If you have stitches, your surgeon will likely remove them.
- Four weeks after surgery: You can start adding more strenuous activities to your routine, depending on your surgeon’s recommendations. However, you’ll still want to avoid movements targeting the chest.
- Six weeks after surgery: You should be able to see your final results once the swelling and bruising have subsided.