Maintaining shapely, proportionate, healthy breasts is important to most women. That’s why breast surgery is one of the most commonly performed plastic surgeries in the United States.
At Rios Center for Plastic Surgery, we perform several types of breast surgeries to help patients achieve their aesthetic goals. One of these procedures is breast lift surgery.
What Is a Breast Lift?
Breast lift surgery, also referred to as mastopexy, is a procedure that consists of raising the breasts by removing excess skin. During a breast lift, the surgeon also tightens the surrounding tissue, which helps create a more youthful contour for the breasts.
What to Expect During Mastopexy
If you’re wondering what to expect during your mastopexy procedure, see the steps of the surgery below.
Anesthesia for Comfort
The first step in a mastopexy procedure is anesthesia, which is medication to enhance your comfort. You may receive your anesthetic either intravenously or in the form of general anesthesia, depending on what works better for you.
The Incision
Next, our surgeon makes an incision to begin the procedure.
We have three common patterns we use depending on the following factors:
- The size and shape of your breasts
- The position and size of your areolas
- The degree of severity to which your breasts sag
- Quality and quantity of your skin and how much elasticity it has
Based on the qualifiers above, we will make one of three incisions:
- Around your areola
- Around your areola and then vertically down toward the crease of the breast
- Around your areola, vertically down toward the crease of the breast, and horizontally along the same breast crease
The type of incision we use to begin the procedure helps dictate the end result based on your aesthetic goals.
Reshaping and Contouring the Breasts
After we make the incisions, we follow a series of steps in order to reshape and contour your breasts according to what we mapped out together prior to your procedure.
These steps include lifting your underlying breast tissue in order to reshape it, which improves not only the general contour of the breast but also its firmness. We also reposition the areola and nipple to a natural and more youthful-looking height.
In some cases, we may reduce the size of enlarged areolas. We may also remove excess skin around the breast in order to compensate for reduced or eliminated elasticity.
Closing Mastopexy Incisions
The final step of the procedure is to close your incisions. We perform this step after we have reshaped and contoured the breasts, removed excess skin, and tightened the remaining tissue.
In most cases, your incision lines are concealed by the natural contours of the breasts. Any visible incision lines will fade over time.
Results of Breast Lift Surgery
One of the best things about breast lift surgery is that the results are immediately visible. You do not have to wait for a lengthy period of time to gradually see results — your newly lifted breasts are shaped and contoured before the last suture is in place.
Breast Lift Recovery
As with any surgical procedure, your recovery process is important. After your mastopexy, we apply bandages or dressings over the incision sites immediately to help protect them.
In some cases, we may place a thin, small tube under the skin to help drain any excess fluid or blood that may collect at the site.
We instruct our patients on which support bras or elastic bandages they should wear to reduce swelling and help support the breasts during the healing stage of the procedure.
We provide each of our patients with explicit recovery instructions that include:
- Medications to take orally or apply directly to the breasts to support healing
- Information on caring for your breasts after breast lift surgery
- Any potential concerns to watch for in your general health
- When to follow up with us
Your overall downtime depends in large part on your body and how it responds to the procedure. Recovery varies from patient to patient, but most individuals return to their routines after around two weeks.
How Long Does a Breast Lift Last?
Most breast lifts last around 15 years before needing maintenance or revisions. Breast lifts do not have the same stationary results as artificial implants. Instead, your breasts will change gradually due to the natural aging process, gravity, and other lifestyle factors.
However, there are some steps you can take to preserve your results for as long as possible. Some examples include:
- Not smoking
- Wearing supportive bras
- Avoiding major weight fluctuations
- Maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle
- Not having your breast lift surgery until you are done having children and nursing
Some women go much longer than 15 years before they need a revision, and following these steps helps.
Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation
Sometimes, depending on the individual patient and their goals, we may perform a breast lift in tandem with a breast augmentation.
A large number of patients express concerns over the position and volume of their breasts. For these patients, breast augmentation and breast lift surgery can go hand in hand to help achieve the desired result: a supple, lifted, feminine, and more youthful contour overall.
Breast Lift Surgery in Edinburg, TX
If you are interested in learning more about cosmetic breast procedures like breast lift surgery, contact us at Rios Center for Plastic Surgery in Edinburg, TX. Our highly skilled and professional team will answer your questions and provide more information on how you can get started on your cosmetic journey to your ideal aesthetic.
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