mastopexy (or breast lift) is a procedure chosen by women who wish to enhance the shape of their breasts. The procedure is frequently combined with a breast augmentation to restore breast size as well as shape, and the combined procedure is called an augmentation mastopexy. Mastopexy is intended to restore the youthful, uplifted appearance to breasts which have sagged and lost their shape due to time, weight changes or pregnancy. In these cases there is a disproportion between the breast tissue volume and the skin envelope, causing a flattened, sagged and aged appearance.
There is not just one type of mastopexy. A variety of surgical procedures are available for breast enhancement, and surgical time is usually 1-3 hours. Careful evaluation is necessary to determine which mastopexy technique is best suited for each patient. In general, the greater the degree of breast sagging (or ptosis), the more skin removal is necessary to correct the shape of the breast. This results in additional scars. In the earliest cases, where the nipple still sits higher than the crease under the breast, minimal skin removal is necessary, and the scars can be hidden around the areola (the colored skin around the nipple). In more severe cases, more skin excision is necessary, and a trade-off between breast shape and scarring is necessary. In all cases, careful consideration must be given to these decisions. Frequently women wish to restore the youthful fullness of the upper part of the breast, above the nipple. In these cases it is often necessary to place a breast implant at the time of the mastopexy to more completely restore youthful upper breast fullness.
Side effects are few and may include soreness and swelling, bruising, temporary changes in sensation and sensitivity. Risks include scarring, skin loss, bleeding, infection and asymmetry. Serious problems are very rare. We recommend waiting at least 6 months before or after pregnancy to have cosmetic breast surgery.
Recovery is usually smooth with less discomfort than expected. Patients are asked to avoid strenuous exercise for about 4 weeks. Most patents can return to work within about a week and resume strenuous exercise within 4 weeks.