All About Breast Lifts | Cosmetic Town

As a female continues to age, she often begins to experience some sagging or drooping in the appearance of her breasts. This is a common problem and the solution for the issue is often as easy as undergoing a breast lift. Cosmetic Town TV recently spotlighted this common problem in order to give female patients a better idea of how they can address the issue.

What is a Breast Lift?

A breast lift, AKA mastopexy, is a surgical procedure that allows female patients to elevate their sagging breasts. The reasons that the breasts begin to sag can include aging as well as changes made in the body due to pregnancy. A breast lift is designed to give the breasts a more youthful appearance through the act of lifting them to a higher position on the chest that is also more flattering in its aesthetic appearance. Some women simply need to have the breasts lifted while others have some volume added to the breasts as well.

Ideal candidates include a person with breasts that have lost their aesthetic shape due to a pregnancy, breast feeding, weight loss or the aging process. Females that are unhappy with the look of their breasts or have a low position of the nipples or skin that is overhanging are also good candidates.

How is a Breast Lift Performed?

When it comes to performing a breast lift, patients have a number of options and the technique used by the surgeon depends on the condition of the breasts. These options include:

Crescent Lift – This is a small breast lift that is done in conjunction with breast augmentation. The surgeon takes a little crescent of skin above the areola in order to shift it upwards by a centimeter or so. A crescent lift is better suited for smaller adjustments in areolar positioning.
Circumareolar or Periareolar Mastopexy – The surgeon will make a circle either around, or within, the areola and will then make a bigger circle around that area. The doctor takes the doughnut of skin, located in-between the two, and tightens the larger circle down to the size of the smaller circle by use of a “purse-string” suture. The resulting scar is just a circle scar at the edge of the areola. This technique is best for patients who are limited in how much the breast can be tightened.
Lollipop Lift – A circle scar that runs at the edge of the areola is created as well as a line that runs down the lower breast. It serves to reshapes the breast 3-dimensionally and is effective for moderate to severe drooping.
Inverted T Lift – This technique is also called an anchor scar or Wise pattern. A scar goes around the areola, down the lower breast and then runs underneath the breast in the breast crease. It is a good technique as far as skin removal for patients that have a good amount of overhang and excess skin.

A common issue with patients who need a lift is they might not have a good amount of natural tissue or their natural breast tissue is very soft. In these instances, the breasts can be moved higher with the nipples centered on the breast after the lift. A breast implant can be used to augment the upper part of the breast. Fat grafting, which is taking fat from another part of the body and injecting it into the breasts, can be performed to lift the sagging breasts.

Cost, Recovery and Results of a Breast Lift

In general, the cost of a breast lift depends on the technique used by the doctor, the area of the country where it is performed and the fees charged by the surgeon or the facility. A crescent lift is $5500-$7500 while a circumareolar or periareolar mastopexy is $6000-$8000. A lollipop lift costs in the range of $5000-$7500 while an inverted T lift is $9000-$12,000.

The recovery process is easier than some people might realize since the breast tissue is all soft tissue. Most patients go back to light work after a week. Patients can usually start exercising again after four to six weeks. After six months to a year, most of the pinkness from any scars has faded but it can take a year, or longer, for scars to completely disappear.

It is hard to say how long the results will last. The breasts naturally lose their perkiness as a person ages after a breast lift. The length of the results can depend on genetics and if fat grafting or implants were used during the surgery. To maintain the results, patients can wear a bra for support in order to preserve the results and avoid more damage to the skin from sun exposure. Breast surgery is not a one-time deal. At some point in the future, patients may need another surgery to maintain the youthful appearance of the breasts.