Breast
lift surgery, or mastopexy, restores a more youthful
appearance to a woman’s breasts. Over the years breasts
can lose their shape and firmness due to pregnancy,
nursing and loss of skin elasticity due to weight loss,
causing them to sag. Mastopexy will raise and reshape
breasts—slowing the effects of aging and gravity. The
size of the areola can be reduced by this procedure.
Mastopexy
is commonly performed in conjunction with breast augmentation
(implants) to increase breast firmness and size. This
may appeal to women who have lost breast volume after
pregnancy. Pregnancy and nursing often result in stretched
skin and therefore decreased volume. If you are planning
a future pregnancy, it is advisable to postpone your
breast lift as pregnancy will likely cause further stretching.
The
Procedure
Mastopexy
is occasionally performed in a hospital, but more often
is done in an outpatient facility. Breast lifts are
usually performed under general anesthesia.
The
surgery may take between 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. A more
common approach involves an incision along the natural
contour of the breast where excess skin will be removed.
The nipple and areola are then repositioned. The skin
surrounding the areola is brought together to reshape
the breast, with stitches around the areola and the
lower breast area.
Possible
Complications
As
with any surgery, there are possible complications.
A patient may suffer an adverse reaction to the anesthesia
(rare), or experience bleeding and infection following
a breast lift, causing scars to widen. Poor healing
and wider scars are more common with patients who smoke.
Because milk ducts are left intact, mastopexy will not
affect your ability to breast-feed.
For
best results, follow your physician’s advice both before
and after surgery.
After
Surgery: What to Expect
After
surgery, your stitches will be covered with gauze and
an elastic bandage or a surgical bra will hold the breasts
in place. Your breasts will be bruised, swollen, and
you may experience some mild discomfort for a couple
of days. We will prescribe pain medication and antibiotics.
A soft support bra replaces the bandages or surgical
bra after a few days. In the recovery stage, it is important
to wear the bra at all times.
After
a week or two, the stitches will be removed. Some noticeable,
permanent scarring is normal, but easily covered by
your bra or bathing suit. The scars may be red and lumpy
for a few months, eventually fading and becoming less
obvious.
To ensure proper healing, plan to stay at home for at
least a week before returning to work. You will need
to avoid lifting anything over your head for 3-4 weeks
and avoid strenuous sports for a month.
