What is breast lift surgery?

A breast lift is a surgical procedure performed to raise and firm the breasts. Also called mastopexy, the procedure involves removing excess skin, tightening surrounding tissue, and creating and reshaping new breast contours.

Breasts tend to lose their shape and firmness, reduce in size, or sag over the years due to pregnancy, breastfeeding, and the effect of gravity on them. As a result, the breasts become unattractive and may cause a dip in a woman’s self-confidence.

Through mastopexy, such breasts can be raised, reshaped, and contoured to look more attractive. And if the breasts have lost their volume, implants may be inserted alongside a breast lift to increase both size and firmness.

In women with breast ptosis — nipples that sit below the inframammary fold or point downwards—the procedure restores the nipples to a position higher on the breasts. And for women with enlarged areola, the darker skin around the nipple, the surgery can reduce the size of the areola.

Who needs a breast lift?

Generally, women go for a breast lift surgery after pregnancy and breastfeeding, which usually leave them with stretched skin and reduced breast volume.  But it is also effective in getting rid of the adverse effects of aging on the breasts.

The procedure helps to change the alignment of the breast and nipple, eliminate breast sagging, and correct breast ptosis. Plus, it reshapes the breasts, changes the size or shape of the areola, and raises the nipple position relative to the rest of the breast.

Mastopexy is ideal for you if you have:

  1. Sagging, soft, out-of-shape breasts
  2. Flatter, elongated or pendulous breasts
  3. Nipples and areolas that point downwards
  4. Stretched breast skin and enlarged areolas
  5. One breast that is lower than the other
  6. Breasts that when unsupported have their nipples fall below the breast crease

But to undergo the procedure, you should also have:

  1. Fully developed breasts
  2. Good overall health
  3. Realistic expectations
  4. No future plans of pregnancy, which can reverse the results of the procedure

Besides, you should know that:

  1. A breast lift surgery will not radically change your breast size or perfectly round out the upper part of your breasts.  So if you desire much fuller or smaller breasts, then you should instead go for breast augmentation or breast reduction surgery.
  2. Pregnancy and breastfeeding after mastopexy will stretch the skin and reverse the results of the procedure. Hence, you should wait until breast development, child birth, and breastfeeding have stopped before you undergo the surgery.
  3. The size and shape of your breasts before mastopexy with influence both the procedure and the outcome. In fact, while breasts of any size can be lifted, you may not achieve long-lasting results if you have heavier breasts.

How is a breast lift surgery done?

The procedure begins with anesthesia. A specialist anesthetist administers a general anesthetic to keep you completely asleep as the surgery is performed. This helps to make the breast lift surgery painless.

Your plastic surgery will then make the appropriate incisions into your breasts to allow for resizing and reshaping. Incisions can be made around the areola, then vertically down to the breast crease, and further vertically down from the breast crease and horizontally along the breast.

Through the incisions, your plastic surgeon outlines the areas from which to remove excess breast skin and defines a new location for the nipple. The surgeon then uses the incisions to remove excess skin and to move the areola and nipple to a higher position.

Also, the skin around the areola is brought down. Then the breasts are reshaped. Usually, stitches are located around the areola, vertically extending downwards from the nipple area, and along the breast’s lower crease.

When a breast implant is to be inserted, together with the breast lift, it is placed in a pocket directly below the breast tissue, or much deeper under the chest wall muscle.

Finally, your surgeon closes the incisions. Some incision lines are buried in the natural breast contours while others are visible on the breast surface. Though incision lines are permanent, they fade and significantly improve with time. 

Your surgeon will layer out sutures deep within the breast tissue to create and support the newly contoured breasts. The skin is closed using skin adhesives, surgical tape, or sutures.

Remarkable, delightful results

Though the results of a mastopexy are not immediately visible due to bruising and swelling, the size, shape, position, and firmness of the breasts will change right away. Then, the overall results will improve as healing occurs, with lasting, pleasant results taking up to 6 months to be realized.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer a breast lift surgery to women, who are unhappy with their drooping, soft breasts. Our procedure is preceded with an open, candid consultation session that helps to explain the benefits, risks and alternatives to the procedure, define the goals of the treatment, and outline how to prepare for the surgery.

If you are looking for breast lift surgery in Tampa, FL, call us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Effie Politis. For more information on breast lift, breast augmentation, breast reduction, and other plastic surgery procedures, visit the site “Politis Plastic Surgery.”

What is breast augmentation with fat grafting or fat transfer?

Breast augmentation is the surgical procedure to increase breast size. It is a great option for women who don’t like their breast size and would like to improve the shape of their bust line. While increased breast size can be achieved through implants, some women don’t like foreign substances being placed in their bodies.

If you are such a woman with concerns about the use of implants, then breast augmentation with fat grafting or fat transfer is a viable option for you. Plus, it is a safe procedure that achieves great results.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we provide a combination of high quality implants and safe fat transfer surgery to help women achieve their desired breast shape and volume. And we proudly offer the fat transfer approach as an effective alternative to implants in enhancing breast appearance.

What is fat grafting?

Also called autologous breast augmentation, fat grafting is the removal of fat through liposuction from one area of the body and transferring it to another part where it helps to enhance volume. 

The fat is usually harvested from the stomach, flanks or thighs and then separated from blood and other liposuction fluids. It is also cleaned with antibiotic solution to ensure that only healthy, non-infectious tissue is used for breast augmentation. 

Processed fat is then slowly injected into the breasts to the desired shape and volume, completing the augmentation procedure. Once injected, the fat fills in the hollowing that has occurred due to weight loss, trauma, surgery or ageing, and immediately helps to increase volume and enhance shape. 

After the injection of fat, the plastic surgeon gently massages the breasts to make sure the fat deposits are distributed evenly for a smooth, uniform appearance. Since the fat comes from the body, there are typically no adverse reactions to it.

Is the procedure ideal for you?

Breast augmentation by fat transfer is a perfect option for you if your breasts are naturally smaller in size or asymmetrically shaped. The procedure may equally help if you have loss of shape or volume after pregnancy, dramatic weight loss or aging.

More specifically, fat grafting is a great option if you desire a more natural alternative to breast implants.  Of course, you’ll need to have an adequate amount of fat on your body so that your plastic surgeon can harvest enough of it for the grafting. If you are a very thin woman or lack excess fat in your body, then you’re unfit for the procedure.

Increasing breast size by fat transfer is also perfect for you if you don’t like the dramatic results produced by breast implants. Fat grafting typically results in a more subtle enhancement. Plus, you won’t need to remove or replace the fat like is done with breast implants.

Besides, fat transfer is great if you want to fix minor issues. You can undergo breast augmentation by fat grafting to achieve a smaller increase in breast size, fix minor breast asymmetry, enhance breasts without scarring, or fine-tune the results of a breast implant procedure. 

During your initial consultation, Dr. Effie Politis will assess your body to determine if you have enough fat for liposuction. The surgeon will also establish whether you are in good health for the procedure. Likewise, you will be instructed to refrain from tobacco products or to quit smoking before the surgery as smoking directly affects the healing of cells and tissues.

What results should you expect?

You should expect your breast to increase by one full cup size after fat grafting. The breasts will feel soft and natural, and you will see the full effects of the procedure within a few months.

Dr. Effie Politis uses safe, cutting-edge liposuction technology to efficiently harvest fat without damaging the surrounding tissue. So by following your post-operative care instructions carefully, you should expect quick recovery and should be back on your feet within a few days.

It is normal for the body areas that underwent liposuction to feel sore. Also, you’ll have some bruising and swelling in the treated areas. But you’ll have prescribed pain relief medication to help minimize the discomfort as you recover.

Unmatched breast augmentation results

Would you like to enhance your breasts naturally? Through breast augmentation by fat transfer, you can achieve your desired breast size without the risks associated with breast implants.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer a safe, effective fat grafting procedure that produces remarkable results. When you contact us for the procedure, Dr. Effie Politis will schedule your consultation session immediately. 

Then, during your visit, she will review your medical history, do a physical examination, and discuss your aesthetic goals and options. She will not only answer your questions and make valuable suggestions, but will also design for you a personalized fat grafting procedure to achieve your desired results.

For more information on how to enhance your breasts through breast augmentation, visit us at Politis Plastic Surgery in Tampa, FL for your plastic surgery.

What is Breast Explantation Surgery

Hi everyone, this is Dr. Effie Politis and I’d like to talk about a great article on the April edition of the PRS called contemporary strategies in breast explantation surgery.

So, what is explantation surgery? It is a surgery in which someone proceeds with removing their implants and not replacing them. I’m seeing quite a few patients that are interested in this surgery for various reasons. We all know that implants are man-made devices.

The first reason that women would opt to undergo the surgery is because of implant rupture. I tell women that breast implants are not a “one and done” device, they are a prosthetic that is placed in your body so you need surveillance and you likely will need one or several surgeries in the future if you opt for breast implants. There is a small chance of them rupturing. We can discuss more the difference between saline and silicone ruptures in the future.

Number two is Breast Implant-Associated ALCL (anaplastic large cell lymphoma), this is a rare lymphoma associated with textured implants which I do not use. So it’s not really an issue with my practice but I do see some patients with prior history of textured implants.

Number three is breast implant illness. This is a large topic that’s often discussed on social media. It’s a name given to patients for a wide range of symptoms. The current data shows that there is no cause and effect relationship between implants and these symptoms, however, we certainly are proponents of what women want to do with their bodies. So if they want their implants removed they certainly have the right to have that done. However, the data based on long term studies does not show whether explantation surgery reliably reduces these symptoms.

The last reason women want their implants removed is for non-medical reasons like effects of aging, weight changes, pregnancy, and shifting perspective in aesthetic beauty, as we know there is a movement towards smaller breasts. So women seeking explantation surgery just need to be aware of the risks and benefits in any adjunct surgeries that can be done to enhance their breasts. We look at each woman on an individual basis. It’s a woman’s choice to have their implants removed and we consider the patient’s risk profile, patient preference as well as safety when guiding them on whether explantation surgery is the right surgery for them. I would advise you all to always consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon with a specialty in breast surgery when considering these types of procedures. You can always DM me or look at my website as I’ll have more information. Thank you so much.

Subfascial Breast Augmentation with GalaSHAPE 3D Scaffold

This patient is 5’7″ and 166lbs. She is a massive weight loss patient and had a mastopexy when she was younger. After having 5 children, she wanted to correct the deflation in her breast and restore upper pole fullness. She underwent bilateral breast augmentation with Sientra smooth round HSC+ silicone implants, 355cc, moderate profile. This was a quick turn-over, 24-hour recovery breast augmentation procedure. A massive weight loss patient who had a mastopexy or breast lift in the past likely has week tissues and ligaments that require internal support or scaffold for stable and optimal long-term results. I had Galaflex placed to support her lower breast pole, so the implants do not bottom out. Each patient is evaluated whether there is a need for the Galaflex “internal bra”. Post-op photo is 5 days after. [Tap to view in full on IGTV!] Are you a candidate for this procedure? Your best bet is to come in for a consultation to determine whether you are an ideal candidate, but typically, the ideal candidate is relatively healthy and maintains a healthy weight. If you are a candidate for traditional breast augmentation, you are likely a candidate for this procedure too. For more info on our 24-hour breast augmentation procedure, check the link in our bio.

What to consider before you get a breast augmentation

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Effie Politis, MD, FACS (@dreffiepolitis)

Considering breast augmentation?

Whether your reasons are for the enhancement of your appearance, correction of uneven breasts, or following a mastectomy procedure, there are several things you have to keep in mind.

When considering breast augmentation, it is important to speak with a plastic surgeon who will help you decide whether the procedure is right for you. At Politis Plastic Surgery, we will conduct a physical exam, get your medical history, listen to your concerns, consider your aesthetic goals, and offer options for how to proceed. We only recommend this surgical procedure to patients in good health who have realistic expectations. This is why the consultation is critical.

While your surgeon may use implants, fat transfer, or both to augment your breasts, the decision primarily depends on your existing breast tissue, body mass, and frame, as well as your desired body shape. The surgeon will create a personalized plan and provide you with pre-operative instructions to ensure the experience is as easy, safe, and comfortable as possible.

There’s more info on breast augmentation in our website. You can check the link in our bio.

Here is a sneak peek of our recent breast augmentation patient. Will share a full before & after soon, along with the behind-the-scenes of the procedure! Stay tuned!

What defines the perfect breasts?

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Effie Politis, MD, FACS (@dreffiepolitis)

According to Dr. Malluci of the Royal Free and University College London Hospitals, it is the relative size of the upper and lower halves of breasts that holds the secret of the perfect bust.

He believes the most-appealing female breasts should be only slightly smaller above the nipple than below.

To support his hypothesis, he asked more than 1,300 people to rank four breast types with different proportions. Board-certified plastic surgeons have championed the adoption of this aesthetic principal.

This golden ratio for breasts is not just a modern phenomenon.

Throughout history, from the earliest representations of women to the statues of antiquity, from Renaissance masters to modern photographers, artists have chosen the same proportions.

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View the Before/After Gallery