Breast Lift
Age, gravity, pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuation, and other factors can all take their toll on the breasts’ size, shape, and feel. As time passes, these influences can cause breasts to sag, soften, flatten, and sometimes shrink. A breast lift is designed to lift, firm, and reshape sagging breasts to provide a more youthful appearance. The procedure can also reduce the size of an enlarged or stretched areola, depending on patient desire.
“Choosing Dr. Miller for my breast lift was one of the best, most comfortable experiences of my life.”
- Procedure:
- Outpatient
- Length of Surgery:
- Two hours
- Anesthesia:
- General
- Recovery:
- About one to two weeks
Explore Topics On This Page
What is Mastopexy?
A breast lift, medically known as mastopexy, is performed to lift, tighten, and reshape the breasts. As skin laxity increases and breast volume diminishes over time, a breast lift can be an excellent way to improve the overall breast contour and restore a younger-looking aesthetic. This procedure is designed to remove the loose, excess skin while tightening the remaining tissue, ultimately rejuvenating the breasts’ shape. While capable of achieving beautiful results on its own, a breast lift with implants is also a popular treatment choice if additional volume, or a larger breast size, is desired.
What are the Benefits of a Breast Lift?
The primary goal of a breast lift is to elevate the breasts to a higher position on the chest wall to provide more projection and reduce sagging. This is accomplished by excising excess breast skin to allow for the realignment and reshaping of remaining breast tissue. Breast surgery can achieve benefits such as:
- Restored “youthfulness” in breasts
- Increased breast firmness
- Repositioning of the nipples to a more central location
- Decreased nipple and areola size
Whatever your unique cosmetic concerns may be, plastic surgeon Scott Miller, MD will customize your treatment plan to help you obtain your desired outcome.
“My results were better than anything I could have every hoped for. Thanks to Dr. Miller my confidence in myself and in my body is higher than ever.”
Who is a Good Candidate for Breast Lift Surgery?
Breast lift surgery can be beneficial for women with a substantial amount of breast sag, culminating from a loss of volume and/or increased skin laxity. The best candidates for surgery may include:
- Women whose nipples face downward, or exist at the lowest point in relation to the breast crease
- Patients who have no plans for pregnancy or nursing, as these factors can increase skin laxity and potentially create the need for further surgery
- Individuals near their ideal goal weight, as significant weight loss after surgery can lead to additional breast sag
- Women in good physical health to undergo surgery
While a breast lift can improve the look and feel of sagging breasts with results that appear natural, the procedure is not designed to add volume to the breasts or increase a patient’s cup size. However, if additional volume is desired, Dr. Miller can perform the breast lift and breast augmentation surgeries simultaneously with one procedure. A breast lift with implants is one of the most common combination surgeries performed and a large number of individuals seek enhancement for both breast volume and breast shape.
Types of Mastopexy
The type of incision used during your breast lift will depend on your breast size and the extent of breast sag to be corrected. Dr. Miller will walk you through each option before suggesting the most optimal technique to achieve your desired look.
Periareolar Breast Lift
A periareolar breast lift utilizes an incision that follows the natural borders of the areolas, allowing post-surgical scars to remain inconspicuous. This procedure works best for patients with mild to moderate breast sag. The technique can also be ideal for individuals with more moderate ptosis who also desire implants to restore fullness to the breasts.
Vertical or “Lollipop” Breast Lift
A moderate level of breast sag can be corrected with a “lollipop” lift, which places an incision around the perimeter of the areolas and vertically towards the breast crease. This is the most commonly used technique to address moderate to severe breast ptosis.
“Anchor” Breast Lift
An “anchor” breast lift utilizes the vertical mastopexy incision, plus a horizontal incision placed along the natural breast crease. This procedure can be advantageous for patients who have severe breast sag, or who are undergoing a combined breast reduction and breast lift surgery.
How is the Breast Lift Procedure Performed?
Breast lift surgery takes approximately two hours and is done under general anesthesia. The incisions are placed around the areola and, when necessary, along the natural contours of the breast. Once the incisions are made and excess skin is removed, the nipple and areola—which remain attached to the underlying tissue—and breast tissue are lifted to a more youthful and natural position. The remaining skin is then aligned and tightened in order to reshape the breasts to a more rejuvenated appearance.
Will I Have Breast Lift Scars?
Like all surgical procedures, scarring is inevitable after breast lift surgery; however, mastopexy scars are easily hidden underneath a bra or bikini top. There are a few different locations for breast lift incisions depending on a patient’s current shape and goals. Dr. Miller will let you know what type of scar to expect with regard to your unique treatment plan when he examines you in person.
In general, the periareolar technique leads to a scar around the borders of the areola, allowing it to blend into the natural change in pigmentation. If moderate skin laxity is present, an additional incision extending from the areola down towards the breast crease may be made to lift and reshape the breasts. Patients with moderate to severe breast sag may require an additional horizontal incision along the natural contour of the breast fold for an anchor-shaped scar. The shape and size of your scar will fade over time. Dr. Miller will provide detailed instructions about how he minimizes scarring as much as possible.
How Much Does a Breast Lift Cost?
The cost of a breast lift depends on the extent of your concerns and the technique required to achieve your aesthetic goals. Each patient will have a different cost estimate depending on the details of their treatment plan, but a personalized quote will be provided once Dr. Miller sees you in a consultation. In addition to accepting major payment methods, we offer the option of paying for your treatment in installments through plastic surgery financing with CareCredit®. This highly reputable healthcare lending institution can help make your surgical expenses more manageable by presenting an array of low- to no-interest payment plans, which qualified applicants may choose from to find the option most conducive to their budgetary needs. If you have any questions about our accepted payment methods, please don’t hesitate to contact our practice to speak to a member of our team.
Do I Need a Breast Lift with Implants?
Some patients interested in a breast lift may also benefit from the addition of implants, which can be placed at the same time as a breast lift in a joint procedure. Commonly referred to as a breast lift with implants, this combination surgery is performed to achieve a more youthful breast appearance while also making the breasts larger and more symmetrical. Saline or silicone implants are placed to additionally enhance the volume and shape of the breasts. Many patients who opt for a breast lift with implants have lost fullness or firmness in their breasts due to pregnancy, age, weight fluctuation, or other factors. Regardless of the reason, a breast lift with implants can often provide the ultimate rejuvenation for women who experience a loss of shape in the breasts.
If you wish to increase your breast size in conjunction with improving the projection and positioning of the breasts, this procedure may be an effective solution to achieve all your cosmetic goals at once. Dr. Miller can discuss the details of a breast augmentation mastopexy with you during a consultation if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Will a breast lift affect my ability to breastfeed?
Depending on the type of incision utilized, breastfeeding may be more difficult. It is generally a good idea to pursue the procedure when you are finished with childbearing and do not plan to breastfeed. Pregnancy and nursing often increase an individual’s potential for breast sag and skin laxity, which are factors that usually accompany an additional loss of breast volume. Consequently, having children after breast lift surgery can reverse the aesthetic benefits that the procedure originally sought to achieve.
Is a breast lift without surgery possible?
While certain exercises may tone the pectoral muscle, there is no exercise that can correct the excess skin and breast tissue loss that results in breast sagging. In fact, substantial weight loss may contribute to existing breast droopiness, as exercise does not resolve a lack of skin elasticity. Currently, there is no non-surgical breast lift or natural remedy that can firm, elevate, and reshape the breasts for results comparable to breast lift surgery.
How much downtime should I anticipate for breast lift surgery?
Because plenty of rest is vital for the body’s healing period, patients should plan for at least one week of downtime before returning to work and normal activities. Light household activities can generally be resumed one or two days after surgery. Following Dr. Miller’s post-operative instructions and maintaining periodic check-ups as necessary after surgery can help accelerate the recovery process.
How do I know if I need a breast lift or breast reduction?
A consultation with Dr. Miller can confirm the best procedure to give you the results you desire. In general, a breast lift can benefit women whose concerns are primarily cosmetic, and who do not feel the need to decrease the size of their breasts. If you feel pain or other symptoms from the weight of overly large breasts, a breast reduction may be a more effective procedure to alleviate pain and achieve a more proportional breast size.
Does a breast lift remove the nipple?
No, the nipple remains attached to the underlying tissue during breast lift surgery. This is true even if stretched areolas are being resized and/or repositioned to be more proportional and balanced. Rest assured that Dr. Miller will go over every detail of your procedure during your consultation so you know what to expect on the day of surgery.
Will mastopexy make my breasts smaller?
Breast lift surgery does not significantly reduce your breast size, but excess skin, fat, and glandular tissue are removed during the procedure to give you a more proportional, rejuvenated look. Mastopexy primarily aims to lift and reshape the breasts rather than decreasing breast volume. Don’t hesitate to explore our before-and-after photos from breast lift surgery to gain a better understanding of typical mastopexy results.
What type of bra should I wear after a breast lift?
A post-surgery bra is worn after your procedure to minimize swelling and support your new breast contours. Dr. Miller will give you instructions on how long you must wear your post-surgical garments and go over other aftercare guidelines. He will also provide instructions on the best type of bra you should wear during the healing process. In general, a non-underwire bra with wide straps and front-facing clasps is ideal.
How should I sleep after my procedure?
Patients should avoid sleeping on their stomach to eliminate unnecessary pressure on the breasts during recovery and to protect your incisions. Dr. Miller advises sleeping on the back/sides and propping pillows up to avoid rolling over on your breasts while asleep.
To learn more about the breast lift procedure, or to schedule a consultation, please contact Miller Cosmetic Surgery today.