Mastopexy or breast lift is a common method in order to improve and reshape saggy breasts to have an ideal body. This can be operated with breast implant or only by removing the extra skin and tissue of the breast.
There are different factors that can make breasts saggy, for example aging and breastfeeding are effective factors for saggy breasts.
Breast lift procedure is one of the world’s modern procedures for breast lifting and reshaping. During the surgery extra skin is removed and the breast tissue will be lifted in order to reshape the breasts.
Woman with small breasts will notice their breasts sagginess less than the others but here we will tell you a way to test your breasts and find out whether your breasts are saggy or not. Lift your breast and place a pencil horizontally at the underlying breast crease, then let the breast go. If the pencil stays in place (rather than falling down) it shows that your breast have sagged enough that a breast lift surgery might be needed for you.
Two techniques can be used for breast improvement:
Breast lift without a breast implant
In this technique excess skin will be removed and the breast will be lift without using any breast implant. Surgeon only uses natural breast tissue to improve breast’s volume and shape. This technique is suitable for those who their breast tissue is large enough for the breast improvement. Actually the patient does not need to use implant.
Breast lift using implants
This technique is usually a good choice for patients who their breasts are extremely saggy. In this technique, the extra skin is removed and the surgeon uses an implant to reshape and improve the breast.
Causes of saggy breasts
For woman who are going to get pregnant in future it would be better to postpone their breast lift surgery. Because during the pregnancy breasts get stretched and this will have an impact on the results of the surgery.
Indeed it is recommended for the patients to not to get pregnant after the breast lift and breast implant surgery, and also try not to get extra weight.
The anatomic particulars and the patient’s taste and wishes for new breast will be considered in choosing surgery’s type and technique. The doctor relying on his or her own experiences, patient’s medical history, the result of the examinations such as Mammography and sonography will suggest the most suitable technique for the surgery. Also any kind of medicine that the patient is taking like blood-thinning medications (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, herbal medicine and some of the vitamins) must be checked and discussed. The surgeon also needs to examine breast’s physical condition.
One of the other important factors in Mastopexy procedure is the breast’s skin. Some skin problems like Collagen deficiency or Estrogen deficiency can highly effect the result of the surgery.
Preparation for Masopexy
Here are some preparations for the breast lift surgery:
- Have Mammography
- Have Sonography
- Discuss blood-thinning medication that the you are taking, with the surgeon(because these can increase the possibility of bleeding)
- Stop drinking alcoholic drinks (drinking effects the healing process after the surgery)
- Have a healthy diet
- Do not smoke
The process of breast lift
Incisions in the breast lift surgery are made in the following areas:
- Around the areola
- From the areola down toward the underlying breast crease
- Horizontal incision in underlying breast crease
Sometimes there is a need to remove the extra skin and also to change the position of the nipple-areola. In cases like this breast sensitivity will change. But in the cases that the breast is not too saggy there is no need to change the position of the nipple-areola.
Different techniques for breast lift
- Crescent breast lift: it employs the smallest incision of all these techniques, a small crescent-shaped incision that is placed just above the patient’s areola. The surgeon removes a small amount of breast tissue from the area, then the bottom of the incision is lifted to meet the top half of the crescent, and the incision is sutured shut.
- Vertical breast lift: the doctor makes an incision around the areola, leaving it still attached to a pendulum of the skin, to ensure proper blood supply. He also makes an incision from the bottom of the areola to the underside. The doctor will secure the nipple, higher on the breast then reshapes the breast below the new nipple position by removing the excess breast tissue and skin.
- Donut breast lift: this is a minimally invasive procedure. A circular incision is made around the areola then the next incision is made around the first incision and excess breast tissue and skin is removed after that, the two incision sites together.
- Anchor breast lift: this technique involves three incisions. During this procedure an anchor-shaped incision is created. This consists of three separate but connected incisions: one circular incision is made around the areola and one vertical straight line going down from the nipple towards the breast crease and one short horizontal crescent following the crease of the breast. Then extra skin and extra breast tissue is removed and the remaining skin is sutured in a more tightened shape.
Combined breast lift and augmentation
It is possible to operate both breast implant and breast lift procedures at the same operation. But the doctor must determine whether the patient has the proper condition for this procedures or not. Now what are the requirements of this proper condition? Read the following to find out.
Patient’s physical health is way more important than her age. When a woman has a good health she may probably get a very better result for her breast procedure. Woman who have the following requirements are good candidates for having breast lift and breast implant procedures at the same operation.
Breast lift Post-operative instructions
- Do not let stress interfere with healing
- Eat healthy and stay hydrated
- Be alert for complications
- Care for your incisions
- Walk for circulation but avoid upper body movement
- Communicate with your surgeon
