Breast Lift
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A breast lift, or mastopexy, is a procedure where the breast is lifted up higher onto the chest, the nipple–areolar complex is elevated onto the center of the breast and the size of the nipple–areolar complex is reduced if needed. With a breast lift, St. Louis patients can enjoy perkier breast without sag.
Essentially, the breast gland tissue is preserved and the skin envelope of the breast is reduced in order to lift the breast. This causes more breast tissue to be in a smaller area, thereby lifting the breast and creating a fuller breast.Scars on the breast are required to perform this procedure.
Over time, the effects of gravity can cause the breasts to descend, lowering them on the chest and lowering the nipple–areolar complex. This is exacerbated in women who have had children, particularly if the children were breast–fed. Also weight changes cause the breast skin to expand and deflate.
A breast lift is generally considered a cosmetic procedure; reducing the breasts to a significant degree is usually a reconstructive procedure called breast reduction and may be covered by some insurance companies. Nipple sensation and the ability to lactate are usually preserved.
Dr. Samer Cabbabe is regarded as one of the best plastic surgeons in St. Louis & the U.S. He performs several types of breast lift surgeries and believes in performing a breast lift that is long-lasting.
Some surgeons will simply remove skin from the breast without re-shaping the breast. This ultimately fails because the stretched-out breast skin must support the weight of the breast and in a short of amount of time “bottoms out,” resulting in “sunny-side-up” nipples.
Dr. Cabbabe, on the other hand, usually incorporates some type of removal of the droopy tissue with re-shaping of the breast which does not rely on the skin to hold the breast up, resulting in a long-lasting, natural appearance.
Additional Augmentation
If you desire fuller breast volume, Dr. Cabbabe may recommend fat grafting or a breast augmentation–mastopexy procedure, also called a breast lift with implants.
In these techniques, your own fat may be used to fill out your cleavage during the lift procedure or an implant may be used. A breast lift and augmentation can often be done safely in one procedure. These procedures do not interfere with the ability of a woman to lactate or have future mammograms, even if done in conjunction with breast augmentation.
While a breast augmentation with lift offers a number of benefits, in cases where a patient is only looking for a reduction in sagging, a breast lift without implants is often the ideal choice.
Peri-Areolar Breast Lift
If you have mild droopiness or ptosis of the breast, most of the gland of the breast above the lower breast fold or a low nipple–areola complex, Dr. Cabbabe may recommend a peri-areolar breast lift. A circular incision is placed only around the areola or pigmented area of the breast in order to lift the nipple–areola complex onto the center of the breast. The areola is reduced in size if needed. This procedure is often combined with breast augmentation.
Circumvertical Breast Lift
If you have moderate to severe breast droopiness or ptosis, most of the breast gland below the lower breast fold and a low nipple–areola complex, Dr. Cabbabe may recommend this procedure.
An incision is made around the areola, reducing the size if needed. The nipple-areola is lifted and centered on the breast. The incision is extended down vertically below the nipple–areola complex to the lower breast fold in order to lift the rest of the breast and remove the droopy tissue. Droopy breast tissue is removed and the breast is narrowed and re-shaped.
If a significant amount of lifting is needed, this incision may need to be extended horizontally to be hidden in the lower breast fold. Essentially, this produces an upside–down “T”, or anchor scar, which heals well on the breast. This procedure is often combined with breast augmentation to produce a fuller breast.
Preparing for Surgery
Dr. Cabbabe will ask that you refrain from taking any aspirin, plavix, Coumadin, ibuprofen or any other type of blood thinner. If you are older than 40, a mammogram within one year prior to the procedure is recommended as part of normal health screening. Dr. Cabbabe strives to meet and exceed his patient’s expectations.
If you decide to combine breast lift with breast augmentation, you will have an opportunity to try implants of various sizes inside a bra, which will help you determine which size implant is best for you. Dr. Cabbabe will also measure your chest width to help you determine the best fit for you.
Before & After Gallery
View before-and-after pictures of real patients of Cabbabe Plastic Surgery
Surgery
Breast lift surgery takes around 2 hours to perform, usually under general anesthesia. Antibiotics are given before the procedure and drains are rarely used. Patients are able to shower the next day and go home in a bra. Early range of motion is done with the arms. Patients will generally follow-up within 1 week and then approximately 3-4 weeks later and then in several months.
Nipple sensation and the ability to lactate are usually preserved in these procedures. Women are able to get mammograms after surgery and this does not interfere with breast cancer detection.
Recovery
Recovery is approximately 1 week from a breast lift procedure. Most women who have this procedure done will be up and about the next day, moving around although they may need pain medication occasionally, but most women state it was much easier than they anticipated and most of them, if they’ve had it done on a Thursday or Friday, can usually return to work the following Monday.
Dr. Cabbabe strives to make the procedure as easy and comfortable as possible for his patients. Before surgery, patients may receive anti-inflammatory pain medications that do not cause bleeding. At the time of surgery, local anesthesia numbing medicine is used that is long-lasting into the breast. After surgery, early range of motion is begun and pain medications are given.
Complications are rare. Bleeding may occur after surgery and necessitate a return to the OR. Most women have asymmetry before surgery and minimal asymmetry may be present after surgery. Some of the skin may lose sensation, including potentially the nipple-areola complex although this is not common. There may be areas of skin that are slow to heal, including the nipple-areola complex. Finally, scars may become thick and irritated and require revision surgery.
h2>Breast Lift Cost
The price of a mastopexy procedure is based on a number of factors. Breast lift cost is impacted by anesthesia fees, the exact techniques used, total surgical time, and more.
Get Started Today
Interested in learning more about getting a breast lift in St. Louis? Contact the office of Dr. Samer Cabbabe to set up your informative consultation.