Breast Lift

Perhaps you are happy with the size of your breasts, but not the shape. Maybe age or breastfeeding has caused your breasts to lose their youthful firmness. If you are interested in learning how to regain the taut look you once had and enhance your appearance, a breast lift may be your choice.

A breast lift or mastopexy is intended primarily to counter the effects of gravity and improve breast shape and fullness. Women seeking a breast lift have loss of shape and sagging of the gland. A breast lift will raise and reshape breasts by removing excess skin and repositioning the remaining gland and nipple areola complex. The breast is composed of a mixture of milk producing glandular tissue and fat blended together. There are some very weak ligaments that assist in support of the breast to the chest wall. Breasts change throughout life in response to hormonal changes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations and changes in skin elasticity.

There are three basic types of breast lifts. Each lift is used for a different purpose and each has a different pattern of scar placement. The right choice of procedure depends upon how much extra skin needs to be removed to achieve the desired change.

A mini lift (also known as a doughnut lift or periareolar mastopexy) confines the scar to the area of color change at the edge of the areola (pigmented area surrounding the nipple.) This gives the least scarring, but may only raise the nipple position a few centimeters. It is best used when a small repositioning is desired.

A vertical or “lollipop” lift places a scar around the areola and a line vertically down from the bottom of the areola.

A full mastopexy or “anchor” pattern has a scar around the areola and in an inverted “T” at the base of the breast. Women with extreme sagging do best with a full mastopexy.

A mastopexy can be combined with breast implants when an increase in size is desired or if more cleavage is desired.