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Breast Lift

A breast lift (mastopexy) is a cosmetic surgery procedure to reposition and reshape sagging breasts. While no surgery can be a permanent solution to the effects that time and gravity have on our bodies, a breast lift, or mastopexy, can help delay them. Many women seek mastopexy because pregnancy and nursing have left them with stretched skin and less volume in their breasts. Some women are born with breasts that tend to sag and/or are lacking in volume. The breast lift can remedy breast sagging, while also reducing the size of the areola (the darker skin around the nipple) so that it is more proportional to the breast size. Like most cosmetic procedures, a breast lift is often paired with other surgeries such as a breast augmentation or abdominoplasty. No matter what your reasons for considering a breast lift surgery, Poughkeepsie board-certified plastic surgeons Drs. Enisman and Sepulveda will give you the attention you deserve so you can get the results you want.

Good Candidates for Breast Lift Surgery

A breast lift is a good option for you if:

  • You are physically healthy and maintain a stable weight
  • Your breasts sag, have lost shape and volume
  • Your breasts have a flatter, elongated shape or are pendulous
  • When unsupported, your nipples fall below the breast crease
  • Your nipples and areolas point downward
  • You have stretched skin and enlarged areolas
  • One breast is lower than the other

The best candidates for mastopexy are healthy adult women who have realistic goals and expectations for the outcome of their surgery. Best results are usually achieved in women who have good skin tone. Breasts of any size can be lifted, but results may not last as long in large, heavy breasts. It is for this reason that we frequently perform a breast reduction during the lift. If you are seeking a lift because pregnancy and nursing have resulted in a loss of volume in your breasts, it is best to wait until you are finished building your family. Most women who have had breast lifts or implants do not experience difficulty in breastfeeding. However, it is best if you speak with your plastic surgeon about your desire to breastfeed during your private consultation at our Hudson Valley plastic surgery office.

How Breast Lift Surgery is Performed

The Plastic Surgeons of the Hudson Valley group perform surgeries, including breast lift procedures, in a fully accredited and licensed surgical outpatient facility and/or hospital. Facilities include St. Francis hospital, Vassar Brothers Medical Center, and the ambulatory surgical centers at the Atrium at St. Francis and Westage in Fishkill.

Cosmetic surgery performed in these facilities provides the privacy and personal attention that you both want and need. All centers are equipped with the latest state-of-the-art equipment and materials, allowing our surgeons and their team of experts to
provide the safest care for their patients and to achieve excellent surgical results.

After general anesthesia, excess skin is removed from the lower part of the breast, and the nipple and areola are moved with the entire breast mound to a higher position. Incisions can be made around the areola, vertically from the areola to the crease, or horizontally across the crease under the breast in the shape of an inverted T. The goal is to elevate the position of the nipples, tighten, and lift the breast tissue to create a more youthful appearing breast shape. Some patients, especially those with relatively small breasts and minimal sagging, may be candidates for modified procedures requiring less extensive incisions. It’s always our goal to make incisions as small and inconspicuous as possible while insuring an excellent result.

The breast lift procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis and requires approximately two hours to complete. After the procedure has been completed, your cosmetic surgeon will apply a supportive garment or bra that you will wear following your procedure to diminish swelling and provide support.

Recovery from Breast Lift

Your individual recovery will vary according to the size of your original breasts and whether or not you have had other surgeries performed simultaneously but, generally, you should feel back to normal in less than a week.

Your breasts will appear larger than they actually are due to swelling, but the swelling will dissipate over time. To aid in the decompression of swelling and to maintain the shape of your breasts, we will provide you with a surgical bra over gauze dressings. Your breasts will be bruised and uncomfortable for a day or two, but your symptoms should subside after a few days.  If sutures are placed on the skin surface, they will be removed in roughly 7 to 14 days after your procedure.

It is normal to experience some sensation loss in your nipples and the skin surrounding the surgical site. This numbness is caused by the swelling and usually fades as the swelling subsides. It may take several weeks for the numbness to disappear.

Do not plan to return to work for a week to ten days, depending on how you feel and the kinds of physical activities that are required of you at your job. Avoid lifting anything over your head for three to four weeks. Other restrictions placed on your activity levels will be discussed at your postoperative consultation at the Poughkeepsie office of the Plastic Surgeons of the Hudson Valley.

A breast lift is a relatively safe and simple procedure that can give your breasts an enhanced and shapely appearance. If you would like to learn more about breast lifts or other cosmetic procedures, please call Plastic Surgeons of the Hudson Valley at 845-471-0800 to schedule your initial consultation.

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