There is a tendency to sag in breast tissue of women in years. This situation is known as ptosis and is affected from pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss, weight gain and hormonal changes. Additionally, nipple moves down and causes the breast to look saggier. Breast lift (mastopexy) is a procedure operated by plastic surgeons to provide breasts with more youthful shape and position by fixing saggy breasts. In some cases, in addition to breast lift, it may be required to do breast augmentation with prosthesis in order to increase the breast size.
Who Are Eligible Candidates For Breast Lift?
People who are with saggy breasts and breasts with decreasing fullness, physically healthy and stable weight are good candidates for this operation. What is more, the patients should have realistic expectations from the surgery. It would be appropriate to operate it at the same time with procedure of breast augmentation with prosthesis for the patients who want to have fixed breasts with bigger sizes.
What Are The Purposes Of Breast Lifting?
The purposes of breast lift are improving the position of nipple and areola (the colorful area around nipple) and shape of breast. Additionally, for the patients who want to increase the breast size, it would be appropriate to operate it together with breast augmentation with prosthesis. The purposes of breast augmentation are to increase breast size and fullness in line with the preferences of the patient. In order to fulfill these purposes, it should be noted that there will be an acceptable number of surgical scars in both procedures.
What Is Done During The Surgery?
There a couple of breast lift surgery methods and your doctor will determine the most suitable method for you.
Before the surgery, markings are done for planning on the breast region. Breast lift is an operation with general anesthesia and takes around 1 or 3 hours. Generally, as much as the level of sagginess increases, a longer cut is needed. To reposition nipple and aerola, skin is needed to be removed in variable amounts. At the same time, in order for nipples to stay in a higher fullness position, reshaping breast tissue by removing little amount of breast tissue is needed. When it is combined with breast augmentation operation, prosthesis can be placed under breast tissue or under pectoral muscle.
How Is The Recovery Period? How Long Resting Is Needed? When Can You Continue Exercising?
After anesthesia effect disappears, it will be possible for you to go home. For a comfortable post-surgery period and good results, it would be better to rest after the procedure. There can be ache and swelling responding to medicine during first couple of days after the surgery. During the recovery period a supportive bra would need to be worn. Many patients can go back to work within 1 week. During the recovery period, tiring physical activities such as heavy lifting and pulling should be avoided for 4-6 weeks after the surgery.
What Are The Scars?
As surgeons, we know the importance of cosmetic results. We make all efforts to optimize the scar size and hide it under the less seen part of breast. Length of cut and its position highly depends on amount of tissue to be removed. Breast lift marks changes depending on the method used. The most common methods are:
- Periareolar – There is circular scar around areola (colorful area around nipple).
- Vertical – There is circular scar around areola (colorful area around nipple) and vertical line shaped scar under breast fold. This, at the same time, is called as “lollipop.”
- –Reverse T – There is circular scar around areola (colorful area around nipple) and scar towards vertical line under breast fold and on fold.
Emergence of scars varies between individuals and is strongly related to person’s genetic susceptibility. Scars generally fade away slowly in time, but it is hard to guess its final size and color.
What Are The Complications Of The Surgery?
Breast lift surgery is usually a safe procedure. The complications are rare as in other cosmetic procedures, and there can be scars, asymmetry, bleeding, infection, swelling and numbness. Complications specific to breast lift surgery are repetition of sagginess, nipple sense loss and skin loss despite being rare. Your plastic surgeon will give you detailed information about the expected results including possible complications.
When Will We See The Absolute Results Of The Surgery?
The results of the surgery will be seen right after the procedure. As the swellings are reduced, recovery will continue. Small amount of swelling in unnoticeable amounts may continue for 3-6 months after the surgery. Final contour and scar results continues at least 6 months after the surgery.
