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After a breast lift


Ideal breast lift candidate:

In general, the best candidates for breast lift are:

  • Women 18 years of age or older
  • With stretched skin
  • With less breast volume than previous years
  • Not intending to lose a great deal of weight, get pregnant, or breastfeed
  • Not currently pregnant or breastfeeding
  • In good health
  • Wanting to improve their appearance
  • Realistic in their expectations

breast lift before & after photo 1The above is only a partial list of the criteria that your surgeon will consider in determining whether or not this procedure is appropriate for you. Be sure to ask your surgeon if he / she considers you an ideal candidate for breast lift surgery.

A breast lift can enhance your appearance and your self-confidence. The best candidates for mastopexy are healthy, emotionally stable women who are realistic about what the surgery can accomplish. Some women initially think that the breasts can be somehow tightened without scars and this is, of course, not possible. However, in cases in which the breasts are relatively small and the sagging limited, a lift may be achieved by performing a breast augmentation, limiting the scar to the small incision through which the breast implant is inserted.

The best results are usually achieved in women with small, sagging breasts. The results may not last as long in heavy breasts. Like some face lifts the procedure may need to be repeated in a relatively short period of time because of stretching of the thin skin and supporting tissue (which is the reason for needing a breast lift in the first place). The revisions of mastopexies on the other hand tend to last a long period of time because the tissues have already been previously stretched.

The Breast Lift Procedure

breast lift before & after photo 1Breast Lifts usually take between one to two-and-a-half hours. The number andlength of the scars vary with the technique, which depends on the degree of sagging and other physical features of the breast.

The most common procedure involves an anchor-shaped incision following the natural contour of the breast with three conjoined scars-one around the nippleareolar complex, one from the nipple to the crease, and a third along the crease. In some cases the scar may be limited to the circular incision around the nipple-areola complex, sometimes referred to as the doughnut mastopexy. The incision(s) outlines the area from which breast skin will be removed and defines the new location for the nipple. When the excess skin has been removed, the nipple and areola are moved to the higher position. The skin surrounding the areola is then brought together to reshape the breast.

After your Breast Lift Surgery

After surgery, you''ll wear a soft surgical bra over gauze dressings and sometimes an elastic wrap. Drains may or may not be required. Your breasts will be bruised, swollen and uncomfortable for a few days, but most patients do not complain of much pain with this procedure. You will be given adequate pain medication to make you as comfortable as possible. Any skin sutures will be removed in a couple of days. Brassieres with metal under-wires can be worn after six weeks at which time there are no limitations on your activities. Patients are routinely followed for at least one year.

article provided by Dr. Curran Smith

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