Considered top Charleston plastic surgeons, Craig Rowin, MD and Ram Kalus, MD have earned such distinction by making women feel confident about their breasts and their bodies through high-quality cosmetic enhancement. After undergoing breast lift surgery, a procedure designed to rejuvenate the breast shape and overall aesthetic, our patients are able to enjoy the benefits of more youthful breasts with improved contours, enhanced upper pole fullness, and less drooping or sagging, often resulting in greater self-confidence.
Breast lift surgery, also called a mastopexy, is performed by removing excess skin and tightening the underlying breast tissue to raise and reshape the breasts. As patients age, certain factors—including gravity, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and/or weight fluctuation—can cause the appearance of the breasts to change. Many women consider breast lift surgery when their breasts begin to droop below the breast crease or lose shape and/or firmness. For some patients, a breast lift with implants may be the most comprehensive solution to replace volume that may have been lost with aging or after nursing children.
If your desires include enhancing volume as well as the breast shape, a breast lift can be performed alongside breast augmentation. During a procedure that combines a breast lift and breast augmentation, breast implants will simply be added for a fuller and more enhanced appearance. Alternatively, women seeking to decrease the size of their breasts can often benefit from a breast reduction.
When breast surgeries, body enhancement procedures (e.g. tummy tuck surgery and liposuction), and other treatments are combined, they become part of what is known as a mommy makeover. This innovative, comprehensive option can allow moms to restore their pre-pregnancy figure by addressing a range of concerns. Because pregnancy and nursing can cause the breasts to sag, decrease in volume, or become flatter and softer, a breast lift is typically a great addition to a mommy makeover treatment plan. During your evaluation, our plastic surgeons will review the benefits, limitations, and risks of these joint surgeries with you so you can learn the most ideal treatment options for your needs.
After a thorough examination and discussion, if you are a good candidate, we can recommend a lift type or combination procedure that is best suited for you. The various types of breast lift include:
If you have minimal breast sag or wide areolas that you would like to improve, the periareolar technique may be the most ideal approach for your needs. This involves an incision being placed along the borders of the areola, often allowing any post-surgical scarring to blend into the natural change in pigmentation. The breasts are then tightened using this discreet incision, and the areolas are reduced if desired. A periareolar mastopexy can be highly effective for patients with little to no breast sag.
For patients who would like to correct moderate breast droop, the short-scar or “lollipop” mastopexy procedure can be well-suited to more extensively rejuvenate the breasts. This technique involves a lollipop- or keyhole-shaped incision that encircles the areolas and extends downward towards the breast crease. In some cases, a small horizontal incision is also made along the natural contour of the breast fold.
A full breast lift utilizes an anchor-shaped incision made within the edges of the areolas and horizontally along the breast crease. In general, this incision pattern resembles an inverted “T” over the breasts. The full mastopexy technique is typically reserved for women who have naturally large breasts and experience severe sagging and/or significant excess skin.
Typically an outpatient procedure, basic breast lift surgery takes about one to three hours. If you are combining a breast lift with another treatment, the operation can take longer. This surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia. During the procedure, the underlying breast tissue will be lifted and tightened; any excess skin will be removed to rejuvenate the breast shape; and the nipples and areolas will be repositioned/resized, if necessary. Expert levels of care will be taken to provide a result that looks natural with as little post-surgical scarring as possible.
In general, many patients can expect to enjoy the results from a breast lift for at least 10 to 15 years. With that in mind, the exact nature of the benefits and results from breast lift surgery will vary between individual patients. Although the natural aging process will continue to have an effect on the breast tissue, patients can help maintain the results of breast lift surgery for as long as possible by sticking to a healthy diet and lifestyle while minimizing weight fluctuations over time.
After your surgery, you will wear a surgical-type sports bra to reduce swelling and support your breasts as you heal. It is common to experience temporary bruising, swelling, or tenderness after the procedure, but this typically subsides as your recovery progresses. Any discomfort can generally be managed with oral pain medication. Our doctor makes every effort to avoid the use of narcotics altogether while still ensuring your maximum comfort and safety.
Following the operation, patients should rest for the remainder of the day, but begin light ambulation as soon as they feel up to it. Non-strenuous activities can usually be resumed within a few days. Exercise and aerobic activities will need to be avoided for four weeks. Many patients plan for approximately one week of downtime to ensure an adequate amount of time for the healing process, but specific post-operative instructions depend on the complexity of your procedure. We will provide detailed recovery information at the time of operation. Depending on your line of work, one to two weeks out of work may be recommended in most cases.
Over the next few months, your breasts’ shape and position should gradually settle into place and scars should fade and improve. Following the procedure, women generally report a more rejuvenated look with restored firmness, shape, and projection of the breasts.
Our team works diligently to make your scars from breast surgery as inconspicuous as possible. At any rate, the shape and size of a mastopexy scar will either blend into the borders of the areola; resemble a lollipop-shaped mark that encircles the areola and descends toward the breast fold; or appear like an anchor combined with a well-concealed scar around the areola and along the breast crease. This will depend on the extent of lift required to achieve your desired look. During your consultation, your plastic surgeon will inform you of which incision will likely be necessary during your mastopexy.
With that said, the majority of patients report that scars flatten and fade to a large degree over time after the recovery process is complete. Proper wound care can typically optimize the healing of your scars and, therefore, decrease their visibility after surgery.
The expenses associated with a breast lift vary widely, as the procedure is customized to address the needs and aesthetic concerns of each patient. Factors that typically influence the price of a breast lift include:
After your consultation, our office will be able to provide you with a more accurate quote of your breast lift costs, including the surgical fee, anesthesia costs, and facility fees. Our practice accepts all major payments, as well as plastic surgery financing. Offering a number of flexible payment plans that can be chosen to suit your personal budget, our reputable healthcare lending companyies allow qualified candidates to pay for their treatment over time once they are approved through the easy application process. For more information on how to apply, or to learn more about the price of a breast lift, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our practice.
A breast lift should not affect the ability to breastfeed. If a patient has lactating function before surgery, this shouldn’t change after the procedure as long as the desire for future breastfeeding is communicated prior to the operation. Although the milk ducts and nipples can remain intact after a breast lift, be sure to discuss any plans for breastfeeding when consulting with your surgeon about breast lift surgery.
Volume changes in the breasts associated with pregnancy, nursing, and substantial weight loss can often cause additional breast sag and compromise the results of a lift. If these factors are applicable, it is generally advisable to undergo breast lift surgery after weight loss, childbearing, and breastfeeding are finished to achieve an optimal, long-lasting result. A discussion of your needs with your surgeon can help determine whether breast lift surgery will benefit you.
Patients frequently opt to combine breast lift surgery with breast augmentation to comprehensively fulfill their breast enhancement goals. If you are interested in this popular option (known as a “breast lift with implants,”) this method may be able to be incorporated into your treatment plan.
Because general anesthesia is almost always used, patients typically do not consider breast lift surgery to be painful; however, some experience tenderness in the weeks following the procedure. With that in mind, post-operative soreness can usually be mitigated by oral medications, and narcotics are not necessary in most cases.
While the effects of breast lift surgery can be very long-lasting (often lasting between 10 and 15 years), they are not considered permanent. Various factors—such as aging, gravity, weight fluctuations, pregnancy, and breastfeeding—can affect the longevity of the results. Thankfully, maintaining a stable weight and a healthy lifestyle can help prolong the effects.
Surgery is the only treatment method that can effectively remove excess breast tissue and lift the breasts to a higher, more youthful position. Alternative, non-surgical methods such as breast exercises will not produce the same type of results that can be achieved with a breast lift.
During recovery from breast lift surgery, resting and avoiding strenuous activities or exercises can play a major role in controlling swelling. Any forms of pushing, stretching, lifting, or pulling can cause or increase levels of swelling and pose other significant risks to the healing process. Wearing any prescribed surgical garments as directed and limiting intake of foods/beverages that are high in salt can also help manage swelling. While post-surgical swelling is a normal side effect of surgery, our office will provide you with detailed instructions to help you control these effects and achieve the smoothest recovery possible.
Breast lift surgery and breast reduction surgery can sometimes offer similar benefits, but they are quite different in terms of what they are designed to accomplish. Breast lift surgery focuses on treating breast ptosis (sagging) by raising the breasts to a more youthful and vibrant position. Breast reduction surgery focuses on reducing the size of breasts that are too large or heavy for one’s body frame. While, for some patients, there can be a lifting effect that results from breast reduction surgery, the procedure is primarily designed to reduce breast size for a more proportionate aesthetic balance and to alleviate physical discomforts caused by overly large breasts.
If you are interested in a breast lift or combination surgery, contact Plastic Surgery of the Carolinas to schedule a consultation.
Our Mt. Pleasant plastic surgery practice is looking for an experienced CMA to join our team in a full time position. If you are a self starter who take initiative and enjoys working with patients, we’d love to hear from you.
Please send your resume to jacque@plasticsurgerycarolina.com
