Women who are generally satisfied with the volume of their breasts can have a breast lift to raise them, resulting in a more youthful breast contour. Breasts lose shape and firmness over time – usually the result of pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations or loss of the skin's natural elasticity due to aging– and a breast lift rectifies this problem. A breast lift, or mastopexy, is performed primarily to restore shapeliness and to lift sagging breasts, but can also be used to correct congenital breast asymmetries. Women who want to substitute lost fullness in the breast gland or who want to further enhance the shape of their breast, may also decide to have a breast augmentation in conjunction with a breast lift.
The overall size and shape also varies over time. The loss of glandular volume, the effects of gravity, stretching of connective tissues and reduction of skin elasticity will all weaken the biomechanical properties of the breast - thus diminishing the perkiness associated with youth and leaving the breasts increasingly pendulous. Ptosis is the medical term that refers to drooping or sagging of the breast. Breast ptosis is a natural process, though the rate at which a woman develops ptosis, and the severity, will vary and depend on many factors. Breast size is one such factor, with large and heavy breasts becoming ptotic faster than smaller breasts.
Several Possibilities For Breast Lift
The goal of the mastopexy is to provide long-lasting correction of breast ptosis by elevating the nipple-areola complex, restoring breast projection and shape, and tightening of loose skin. To this end a number of incisions are placed on the breast, to allow for redistribution of breast tissues and the removal of skin.
As breast shape, anatomy and ptosis vary considerably, a personalized approach is always required. As aesthetic outcome is of great importance, the ‘short scar’ and the ‘minimal scar’ breast lifts have evolved out of the necessity to reduce the length of incisions, to leave the shortest scars possible in relation to the degree of ptosis presented. As a rule of thumb, lighter degrees of ptosis (grade l - ll) resulting from age, breastfeeding and loss of breast fullness - can often be treated with either a short-scar technique that leaves reduced scarring on the front of the breast, or a minimal scarring lift- the most gentle of all techniques - that only leaves a circular scar around the areola. For pronounced or severe degrees of breast ptosis (grade lll), for example following excessive weight loss - conventional techniques with the inverted T-scar are the only ones that will provide a restoration of breast shape.
Traditional Breast Lift - Inverted T Incision Technique
A traditional breast lifting consists of three incisions, a periareolar component (around the areola), a horizontal component (underneath the breast), and a vertical component (in-front of breast) to link the two. This is known as the ‘inverted T’ configuration. This technique is common in breast reductions, and also efficient in treatment of grade ll-III ptosis, where long lasting and predictable results can be achieved.
Short-Scar Breast Lift - Vertical Incision Technique
Vertical breast lift is a technique that is designed to produce a scar shorter than the inverted T-scar utilizing two incisions: a periareolar incision (around the areola) and a vertical incision (in front of the breast). For women requiring a moderate breast lift, this technique represents a solution in between traditional techniques and the minimal scarring techniques.
Minimal-Scar Breast Lift - Periareolar Incision Technique
The periareolar approach results in the shortest possible scar pattern of any breast lift technique, placing only one incision around the areola. By placing the scar at the border of unpigmented breast skin and the pigmented areolar skin, significant scar camouflage is obtained.
Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation
Many woman find it desirable to have breast augmentation at the same time as the lift to restore both shape and volume.
In addition, the combined procedure of breast augmentation and breast lift is especially efficient in adjusting breast asymmetries.
Am I a Good Candidate?
The best candidates for breast procedures are those with relatively healthy lifestyles that refrain from smoking and are motivated to change the appearance of their breasts. If you’re tired of lacking confidence in your figure and want the best care and results, visit top board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lugo.