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.”