The breast lift also called mastopexy is the cosmetic plastic surgery, which raises and firms the breast. In this procedure, the excess skin is removed and the surrounding tissue is tightened to give shape and support to the breast. There are several incision patterns and techniques that could be adopted for the breast lift surgery, the choice of which is made on the degree of sagging, size and shape of breast, size, position of areolas and skin quality and elasticity.
A medical evaluation is done prior to the surgery. Your surgeon may prescribe certain medications or adjust the current ones. A baseline mammogram is taken before surgery and also after surgery. This helps to detect the changes that occur in the breast tissue as a result of surgery. The intake of aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided as it increases the risk of bleeding. The patient should stop smoking well in advance of the surgery.
The breast lift can be done either by making incisions on the breast and lifting the breast tissue and reshaping it (both nipples and areola is repositioned) or by using implants. Less skin needs to be removed when implants are used. The implants used can be either saline or silicon implants. The saline implants are during the surgery and silicon implants are pre-filled.
The final result of breast lift surgery is a slightly flattened breast though the gland and nipple is repositioned. The entire procedure is done under giving intravenous sedation or general anaesthesia. The implants are used in cases with sagging breasts and loss of fullness in the top portion of the breast to address the issue of loss of volume. The sagging of the breast may be due to ageing, childbirth, hereditary factors, weight gain or weight loss. The breast lift helps women to regain full, pert and projecting breasts. The implant used in the breast lift fills up the extra skin of the breast and improves projection.
The position of the implants can be sub glandular or sub muscular. In most cases the implants are placed below the pectoral muscle. This is because if placed above the muscle it adds up to the weight on the chest (average weight of the implant is 350g) and thereby accelerates the rate of the ongoing ptosis. An implant alone can give the desired result in cases with slight sagging. In cases with high degree of sagging first an implant is placed beneath the pectoral muscle followed by breast lift.
The result of the procedure is visible immediately after surgery. The swelling and redness of the scar disappears over time. The more youthful and cosmetic appearance of the breast gives satisfaction to the patient.
Risks
The potential risks include unfavourable scarring, hematoma, anaesthesia risks; poor wound healing, breast asymmetry, excessive firmness to the breasts, total or partial loss of nipple and areola.
The cost of breast lift surgery includes surgeon’s fee, anaesthesia fee, hospital facility costs, medication, post surgery garments, etc. the total cost depends greatly on how experienced your surgeon is.
The patient should avoid strenuous activities for two to three weeks. After a month, the patient can be back to a normal routine.