Breast Lift

With time, factors such as pregnancy, nursing, and the force of gravity take their toll on a woman's breasts. As the skin loses its elasticity, the breasts often lose their shape and firmness and begin to sag. A breast lift is a surgical procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts – at least, for a time. (No surgery can permanently delay the effects of gravity.) A breast lift can also reduce the size of the areola, the darker skin surrounding the nipple. If your breasts are small or have lost volume after pregnancy breast implants inserted in conjunction with a lift can increase both their firmness and their size.

 

Average Length

1-3 hours

 

Anesthesia

General or local with sedation

 

Inpatient/Outpatient

Usually outpatient, sometimes inpatient

 

Risks

Thick, wide scars, skin loss, infection, unevenly positioned nipples and or permanent loss of feeling in nipples or breast.

 

Recovery

Usually back to work in a week or more, avoid physical contact with breasts and strenuous activity for 1 month.

Fading of scars can take several months to a year or more.

 

                                Am I Good Candidate?

The best candidates for a breast lift are healthy, emotionally-stable women who are realistic about what the surgery can accomplish. The best results are usually achieved in women with small, sagging breasts. Breasts of any size can be lifted, but the results may not last as long in heavy breasts.

 

Many women seek a breast lift because pregnancy and nursing have left them with stretched skin and less volume in their breasts. However, if you're planning to have more children, it may be a good idea to postpone your breast lift. While there are no special risks that affect future pregnancies (for example, a breast lift usually doesn't interfere with breast-feeding), pregnancy is likely to stretch your breasts again and offset the results of the procedure.