A breast lift is a surgical procedure that enhances the appearance of the breasts. Unlike augmentation, which increases breast size, a lift actually changes the positioning of the breasts on the chest. This procedure may be performed alone or in combination with breast augmentation to further enhance your results. There are a number of reasons why a breast lift might be the right procedure for you.
YOUR BREASTS HAVE STARTED TO SAG
Sagging breasts are one of the primary reasons women seek breast lift surgery. Sagging can occur from pregnancy and nursing, weight gain or the simple aging process. To determine whether you have sufficient sagging for a lift, place a pen in your breast crease. If the pen remains in place without you holding it there, you likely have enough sag to warrant lift surgery. The lift procedure restores breasts to their youthful position on the breast, giving you a perkier, more youthful body contour once again.
YOUR BREASTS LOOK DEFLATED
Breasts can also begin to look deflated over time, often as a result of changes that occur during pregnancy and breastfeeding. You may think you need breast augmentation to restore volume to the breasts, but sometimes a lift procedure is sufficient for reversing the deflated appearance. If both volume and sagging are contributing to the deflated look, you can also combine the lift procedure with implants to completely restore the appearance of your body contour.
YOUR BODY CONTOUR LOOKS OLDER THAN YOU FEEL
Sagging breasts can give you a matronly look that makes you feel self-conscious in certain types of clothing. If you are seeing “frumpy” when you look in the mirror, your drooping breasts may be to blame. Women are often surprised at the dramatic effect a breast lift can have on their entire body contour, making them look more youthful and giving them the confidence to wear their favorite necklines once again.
YOUR BREASTS ARE UNEVEN
No two breasts are perfectly symmetrical, but differences in size and shape can be more pronounced in some women than others. If your breasts appear to be in different positions or one sags more than the other, a breast lift can restore symmetry in addition to creating a more pleasing body contour. Different sizes of breasts can also be addressed through implants and combined with the lift procedure to produce completely symmetrical results.
YOUR NIPPLES REQUIRE REPOSITIONING
When breasts begin to sag, nipples can start to point downward and further exacerbate the drooping look. In addition to changing the position of the breasts, the nipples can be repositioned during the breast lift to give you a more natural look overall. In some cases, your surgeon may also remove a portion of the areola if it is enlarged to bring full proportion and balance to the look of your breasts.
A breast lift is generally performed on an outpatient basis, using general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation. Most patients are able to return to regular activities within 1-2 weeks. Incisions are carefully placed during the procedure to ensure visible scarring after surgery is minimal.
