Mastopexy, also known as breast lift surgery, is a procedure to lift the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to create a more youthful breast contour. During the surgery, excess breast skin is removed, breast tissue is reshaped, the nipple is repositioned to an ideal location, and the dark area around the nipple (areola) is reduced in size. This results in a rejuvenated and lifted appearance of the breasts.
By removing excess, stretched skin, reshaping breast tissue, and repositioning the nipple and areola to a higher position, a cosmetic surgeon can create a more youthful breast contour. During breast lift surgery, tightened and enlarged areolas can also be reduced, resulting in a more proportionate and natural-looking breast.
Why Do Breasts Sag?
You can assess the sagging of your breasts by the position of your nipples. If your nipples are above the breast crease, everything is fine. If your nipples are at the level of this crease, you have "mild" breast sagging, and if they are below it, you have "severe" breast sagging, indicating a potential need for a breast lift.
Breast lift surgery can rejuvenate your figure with a more youthful and uplifted breast profile. A woman's breasts typically change over time, losing their youthful shape and firmness. These changes and loss of skin elasticity can stem from:
Genetic
Aging
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Before and After Breast Lift Surgery
Breast lift surgery is a surgical procedure, so you should be careful in choosing a doctor. As with other breast aesthetic operations, it is essential to consult with an experienced cosmetic and plastic surgeon for breast lift surgery. Before undergoing mastopexy, you will consult with a plastic surgeon. Discuss your goals with your surgeon, as well as your medical history including health conditions, allergies, past surgeries, and mammogram results, and whether you or anyone in your family has a history of breast cancer.
Additionally, you should inform about all medications you are taking, including blood thinners, vitamins, and over-the-counter drugs, as well as alcohol and tobacco use, concerning the surgery. If you are a good candidate for breast lift and decide to proceed, your surgeon's team will ask you to sign a consent form. By signing, you authorize your surgeon to perform the procedure and acknowledge that you understand the risks of the procedure and have realistic expectations.
Your plastic surgeon may ask you to:
- Get a blood test or physical examination with your primary healthcare provider.
- Have a mammogram.
- Quit smoking and using tobacco products.
- Stop taking certain medications (such as aspirin, NSAIDs, and herbal supplements).
Your surgeon will remove bandages and, if present, drains during your first or second follow-up visit after breast lift surgery. The doctor will also check the color of the nipple and blood flow. Expect some discomfort for a few days after surgery. Your doctor will typically recommend wearing a supportive bra or special dressing to aid in your recovery. You may need pain relievers during the first week. If you have breast implants, be cautious not to receive any impact that could rupture the implant. Your surgeon will remove all stitches within 2 to 3 weeks. The size and shape of your breast will continue to improve over time. Minor asymmetries between the two breasts may exist, which your plastic surgeon can address with minor touch-up procedures if necessary. During your recovery, it's crucial to limit your activities as directed by your surgeon and promptly report any side effects or issues you experience. All surgeries carry risks, including infection. Permanent loss of sensation in the nipples or breast skin is very rare with breast lift surgery.
How is Breast Lift Surgery Performed?
Breast lift surgery is typically performed as an outpatient procedure using general anesthesia or local anesthesia with intravenous sedation. Depending on the extent of the surgery, the procedure usually takes about 1-2 hours to complete. You can go home shortly after the surgery to continue your recovery. Your breasts will be bandaged or placed in a surgical bra.
Your breast lift procedure can be performed with various incision patterns and techniques, chosen based on:
- Breast size and shape
- Size and position of your areolas
- Degree of breast sagging
- Quality and elasticity of your skin, along with any excess skin.
Step 1 – Anesthesia
Medications are administered during surgery for your comfort. Options include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia, which your doctor will recommend based on what's best for you.
Step 2 – Incisions
There are three common incision patterns:
- Around the areola
- Around the areola and vertically down from the areola to the breast crease
- Around the areola, vertically down from the breast crease, and horizontally along the breast crease
Step 3 – Reshaping Your Breasts
After making the incisions, your surgeon:
- Removes and reshapes underlying breast tissue to improve breast contour and firmness.
- Repositions the nipple and areola to a more youthful height.
- If needed, reduces enlarged areolas by excising surrounding skin.
- Addresses elasticity loss by removing excess breast skin.
Step 4 – Closing the Incisions
After reshaping your breasts and removing excess skin, incisions are closed to tighten remaining skin. Some incision lines from breast lift surgery are concealed within natural breast contours, while others may be visible on the breast surface. These lines are permanent but typically fade and improve significantly over time. Most women prefer minimal scarring, and your plastic surgeon will recommend the most suitable incision for your anatomy. Stitches are placed deep within the breast tissue to support and shape the newly formed breasts. Skin closure may involve stitches, surgical adhesive, and/or surgical tape.
Step 5 – Seeing the Results
The results of your surgery are immediately visible. To achieve the best possible outcome from your breast lift surgery, it's crucial to follow the recovery steps recommended by your surgeon.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the early period after breast lift surgery, the breasts become too lifted and hard. Breasts that soften and sag slightly over time reach a more naturally lifted appearance. Excessive weight gain or weight loss after surgery may cause sagging breasts.
Your surgeon will remove bandages and drains, if any, during your first or second follow-up visit after your breast lift. The doctor will also check the color of your nipple and assess blood flow. Expect some discomfort for a few days after surgery. Your doctor typically recommends wearing a bra or applying special dressings to support your recovery. You may need pain medication during the first week. If you have breast implants, avoid any impact that could cause them to rupture. Your surgeon will remove all stitches within 2 to 3 weeks. The size and shape of your breast will continue to evolve over time. Minor asymmetries between the two breasts may exist. If so, your plastic surgeon will perform a small touch-up procedure to reposition the nipple as needed. Further adjustments can be made later. During your recovery, it's crucial to limit your activities as instructed by your surgeon and promptly report any side effects or issues. All surgeries carry risks, including infection. Permanent loss of sensation in the nipples or breast skin is very rare with breast reduction surgery.
For breast lift surgery, breast development must be completed. Except for very special cases, you must be at least 18 years old. There is no specific upper age limit for patients who do not have general health problems.
In certain situations, breast lift surgery alone may not meet the patient's expectations. If you perceive your breasts as "sagging" or have experienced volume loss due to aging, weight loss, or pregnancy, your cosmetic surgeon may incorporate breast implants during the breast lift procedure to enhance fullness and shape. Opting for augmentation mastopexy can efficiently achieve larger, uplifted breasts through a single surgery and recovery phase.
There is no permanent breast lift method without surgery. Applying cream to the surface, massaging, or doing chest muscle exercises will not help correct breast sagging or breast volume. It is not possible to have firm breasts by doing sports. This is because the pectoral muscle is located behind the breast, not inside it. This muscle can be developed by doing sports, but the mammary gland and the fatty tissue in the breast cannot be reshaped by doing sports.
Ameliyattan sonra emzirebilmek için meme bezi, süt kanalları ve meme ucu arasındaki ilişkinin sağlam kalması gerekir. Meme dikleştirme ameliyatı sırasında bu ilişkiyi zedelemeyen teknikler uygulanırsa emzirmek mümkündür.
There may be some loss of sensation in the nipple and breast skin due to tissue edema that develops after the surgery. This usually resolves within 6 weeks; sometimes it may take 1 year or more; Permanent loss of sensation is very rare.
You may consider a breast lift surgery to regain a better breast shape after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Pregnancy can cause unwanted changes in the breasts, often leaving them loose and sagging. Whether with implants or without, a breast lift can help reverse these changes and achieve a more aesthetic appearance. However, it's advisable to wait at least 3-6 months after breastfeeding has ceased for the breast glands to completely cease milk production and return to their pre-pregnancy state.
If you are planning to have a baby in the near future, breast lift surgery is recommended after the end of pregnancy and breastfeeding because breasts sag and their volume changes during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
First of all, what is clear is that silicone breast prostheses do not cause breast cancer. With today's advanced imaging techniques, they do not prevent the diagnosis of breast cancers that may develop spontaneously. Breast lift surgery does not cause cancer.
Using a Bra After Breast Lift
After surgery, you should wear a special supportive bra (sports bra) for 8 weeks. Many patients return to work within the first week after breast lift surgery, depending on the nature of their work, and resume most daily activities within about a week. During the first 2-6 weeks after breast lift surgery, except for walking, you should limit other exercises; your plastic surgeon will provide detailed instructions on when it is safe to resume any activity. Remaining pain and swelling should gradually decrease within the first few months after breast lift surgery, and most patients are allowed to wear an underwire bra again approximately 8 weeks later.