Breast Lift Surgery

Weight loss, child bearing, and aging can all contribute to sagging breasts. A breast lift is a surgical procedure that enhances the shape and appearance of the breasts. Some women opt to have a breast lift with implants while other women have surgery without the implants. This procedure improves the contour of the bust and gives it a more youthful appearance.

Gravity works against women as they age, causing breasts to sag over time, especially after breastfeeding. Women who are interested in a breast lift can determine whether or not they would be a good candidate for the procedure by doing the “pencil test”. If you can take a pencil and put it under the crease in the breast and it stays there without holding it, then you are probably a good candidate for the surgery.

If you have smaller breasts, breast lift surgery probably won’t require as many incisions as if your breasts are larger. How your surgeon goes about supporting the breast tissue will depend on the shape and size of your breasts as well as the health of your breast tissue.

Breast Lift Basics

The surgery is an outpatient procedure. The technique used to correct sagging breasts varies depending on your particular situation. Women can consult with their doctor prior to surgery to learn more about the surgical procedure that would be best for them. Breast lift recovery is usually easy to deal with. Women typically have minimal breast lift scars from the procedure.

A variety of medical procedures fall into the breast lift category and techniques vary based on individual patient needs. Size, shape and degree of sagging in the breasts all affect which procedure is best suited to each patient.

Breast size and shape has the greatest effect on which procedures are available and right for each patient. During a breast lift surgery, the surgeon must make incisions to reposition and re-anchor the breast. Smaller breasts have an advantage in requiring fewer and smaller incisions as there is less weight to support.

Your surgeon may recommend doing a breast lift in conjunction with another procedure. A breast reduction and lift, for example can help by reducing the weight of the breasts before doing a lift to give them additional support. In contrast, a breast lift and augmentation can add fullness to sagging breasts through the insertion of implants before doing the lift. Breast augmentation may involve saline or silicone implants, depending on your personal preference. Your surgeon will be able to recommend the procedure or procedures that will provide the best results in your situation.

Preparing for Surgery

After the initial consultation and decision is made about surgery, a breast lift patient will usually meet with her surgeon about two weeks before the surgery date. On this visit, the doctor will take more pictures of the breasts and prepare for the approach to be used. This is the best time to ask any more questions or share any other concerns with the surgeon as proper expectations for a breast lift and the outcome are important to being satisfied with the procedure.

The doctor will also offer a list of prohibitions before breast lift surgery to the patient. These include any blood-thinning medications or supplements. Aspirin, some prescription drugs and even some supplements can cause bleeding complications and interfere with surgery and healing. For this reason, a doctor will have a patient discontinue the use of all of these for two weeks prior to surgery and usually for a time after.

A smoker who is interested in a breast lift should discontinue smoking two to three months before undergoing surgery. Smoking during the two weeks prior to surgery is strictly prohibited and smoking after surgery is highly related to following complications.

The Day of the Surgery

On the day of surgery, the breast lift surgeon will meet with the patient to mark the places of incision.The surgeon will have the patient sit up while using a marker to draw out guidelines for surgery on the patient's breasts. This must be done while the patient is sitting up as the surgery is done based on the shape of the breasts while standing. The shape of the breasts while lying down would not offer the surgeon the same perspective. After this, the surgeon will prepare the patient for breast lift surgery.

Breast lift surgery usually lasts one to three and a half hours, depending on the degree of modification and number of procedures being performed. The patient will be taken to the operating room and anesthesia will be administered. The vast majority of breast lift surgeries are performed with general anesthesia, therefore requiring the attention of an anesthesiologist to prevent complications. Local anesthesia for breast lifts is less common, but sometimes used. In this situation, just the site of surgery is numbed and the breast lift patient may be given a drug to induce drowsiness, but not fully render the patient unconscious.

Laser Breast Lift

New laser technologies have emerged that allow plastic surgeons to remove stretched skin and excess breast tissues so that a woman’s breasts can be repositioned into a more flattering shape. In a laser breast lift, women can get a boost of support through the use of a handheld device that enhances collagen production for added support in the breast tissue. In a laser bra breast lift a flap of skin is prepared that can be used to create a sort of “internal brassiere” that protects the breast and provides support to the breast tissues. The procedure involves a similar amount of recovery time required for a traditional lift.

Exercises for a Natural Breast Lift

Breast lift exercises can help to firm and tone up the pectoral muscles underlying the breasts. Toning up the pectoral muscles can help to improve support for the bust and even make breast look fuller in some instances. Your plastic surgeon may recommend breast exercises if you have not finished having children yet or if your breasts are not sagging enough to make you a good candidate for breast lift surgery.