Breast Lift (Mastopexy)
A woman’s body goes through many changes in life, some of which are more desirable than others. One of these less-desirable changes is breast sagging, and it can affect women of all ages. If you feel self-conscious about your sagging breasts, you may want to consider a breast lift (mastopexy). Breast lift surgery reverses breast sagging and restores firmer, perkier breasts.
Breast lift surgery can correct sagging breast tissue caused by aging, weight fluctuations, pregnancy, and/or nursing. It can also improve nipple position, enhance breast shape and feel, and provide a more youthful and symmetrical breast profile.
Correct Breast Sagging
Women with mild, moderate, or severe breast sagging can get a breast lift to reclaim youthful breasts. Dr. Aycock will remove the excess skin and sagging tissue and reposition the breasts higher on the chest wall. Afterward, the breasts will appear more youthful, full, and lifted.
Enhance Breast Shape and Feel
For many women, a breast lift is the best way to improve breast shape and feel. By getting rid of the excess tissue and repositioning the breasts, Dr. Aycock can eliminate pendulous, flattened, or elongated breasts and reshape the breast tissue into a more attractive contour. This will also correct flabby, shapeless breasts and restore a firmer feel.
Provide A Symmetrical Profile
It is not uncommon for a woman’s breasts to be naturally asymmetrical or to develop asymmetry over time due to nursing, pregnancy, and age-related sagging. Dr. Aycock can perform breast lift surgery to redefine an asymmetrical bust line and create a more balanced profile.
Improve Nipple Position and Appearance
In addition to breast sagging, many women experience changes to their nipple-areolar complexes. The nipples may turn and point downward or fall below the breast crease, and the areola (the darker area surrounding the nipple) may become overstretched and enlarged. Dr. Aycock can correct the nipple position and resize the nipple-areolar complex to recreate a more pleasing and natural appearance.
Breast Lift Frequently Asked Questions
Most women are good candidates for a breast lift. This procedure is specifically designed to help women who would like to correct breast sagging, breast shape, and the appearance of the nipple-areolar complex. It is often recommended to women whose breasts have lost their shape and position due to pregnancy, nursing, weight fluctuations, or aging. If you are at a stable body weight, in good physical health, and do not smoke, breast lift surgery could be right for you.
The purpose of breast lift surgery is not to alter breast size, but to enhance breast position and shape. Because some tissue removal is necessary, the procedure may result in a slight decrease in overall breast size; however, this is usually insignificant. If you would like to significantly alter your breast size as well, a breast lift can easily be combined with either a breast augmentation or breast reduction. A breast lift with augmentation will reposition the breasts and enhance their size using implants, while a breast lift with reduction will reposition the breasts and reduce their size by removing more tissue.
Breast lift surgery will always leave scars. The scars will have either a circular shape (encircling the nipple-areolar complex, blending into the natural edges), a lollipop shape (encircling the nipple-areolar complex and extending vertically down to the breast crease), or an anchor shape (encircling the nipple-areolar complex, extending vertically down to the breast crease, and horizontally along the breast crease underneath the breast). The top priority is establishing the best lift, shape, and position of the breasts while making every effort to minimize the appearance of the scars. Most often, scars initially appear red or dark but gradually fade over time.
The recovery after breast lift surgery is approximately one week before you can return to work and your typical daily activities. Dr. Aycock will carefully monitor your condition and let you know when you are safe to resume full exercise and other activities.
The risk of complications, while present with any surgery, is low in the hands of a board-certified plastic surgeon. To minimize your risk of dissatisfaction with the resulting appearance, Dr. Aycock will carefully consider all related factors and procedural options with you before your surgery. Other risks that exist with all surgeries may include reaction to anesthesia, bleeding, infection, and poor scarring. Most risks are uncommon and can be corrected with additional procedures. Dr. Aycock will discuss the risks and benefits of breast lift surgery with you to help you make an educated decision about your surgery.
"Each woman has a different ideal and her own individual anatomy. I listen to you and your body to find options for beautiful and natural results. "
- Joyce Aycock, MD