Breast
Lift
Reclaim a perky, youthful look
Over time, factors such as aging, pregnancy and fluctuations in weight can affect the appearance of your breasts, leading to sagging and a loss of firmness. A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, offers a solution to these common concerns by raising and reshaping the breasts to create a perkier and more youthful appearance. If you’re looking to improve the contours of your bust, the experienced surgeons at PURE Plastic Surgery can make your goals a reality.
What is a Breast Lift?
In addition to glandular tissue, the breasts comprise fat, skin and ligaments that can stretch and sag over time. This can lead to ptosis, the medical term that describes when the nipple droops below the breast crease. Every woman will experience some degree of sagging as the breasts yield to gravity, but giving birth, breastfeeding and weight loss can exacerbate this process, creating an uneven, deflated or otherwise unsatisfactory breast appearance.
A breast lift is a surgical procedure that elevates and reshapes sagging breasts to restore more youthful contours. It works by removing excess skin and tightening the underlying tissues to give the breasts a firmer, perkier look. Breast lifts have a long track record of safety and success and are continuing to grow in popularity as weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro cause dramatic changes in body composition that can affect the aesthetics of the breasts.
Ideal Breast Lift candidates
All women experience natural changes to their breasts over time. However, if your breasts seem flatter or droopier than you’d like and you’re unhappy with how they look, a breast lift can restore a more youthful appearance and help you feel more confident about your body proportions. This procedure might be suitable if your breasts have begun sagging in response to the following:
- Aging, genetics and skin laxity
- The effects of gravity
- Breast size — large breasts are more likely to sag
- Changes after pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Weight fluctuations
Regardless of the cause, breast sagging can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. One way to tell if you could benefit from a breast lift is by performing the pencil test. Although not a conclusive indicator, the pencil test involves placing a pencil or sheet of paper beneath the breasts. If it stays in place and the nipple falls below the pencil or paper line, enough sagging is present to warrant a breast lift. Following an at-home pencil test, a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon can then determine if a breast lift is right for you.
Breast Lift: With or Without Implants?
It is important to mention that breast lift surgery on its own does not increase the size, volume or fullness of the breasts. If your goals also include increasing your breast size or correcting volume loss, our surgeons may recommend combining your breast lift with breast augmentation for more comprehensive results. In many cases, this can be done without the need for additional incisions and won’t drastically impact the amount of downtime after your procedure. We also offer areola adjustments to complete your transformation.
Breast Lift options
There are a number of breast lift techniques available for creating a perkier bust. During your consultation, your surgeon will go over the options and recommend the right one for you, depending on your needs, treatment goals and the amount of correction needed. The most commonly used methods include the lollipop lift, anchor lift, donut lift and crescent lift.
Lollipop Lift
The lollipop or vertical lift is suitable for patients with moderate to severe sagging. It involves making an incision that encircles the areola and travels down to the breast crease, resembling that of a lollipop (hence its nickname). With this technique, a donut-shaped piece of tissue is also removed from around the areola so the nipple can be repositioned for a natural look. If implants are desired, this type of breast lift can be performed without additional incisions.
Anchor Lift
Named after its tell-tale incision pattern that resembles an anchor, this technique requires three incisions, known as an inverted T cut. The anchor lift is more invasive than other methods but allows for the most correction. It works very well for women with larger breasts, especially when the distance between the breast crease and the nipple is more pronounced. Much like a lollipop lift, implants can be added to an anchor lift without the need for additional incisions.
Donut Lift
Also known as the circumareolar lift, this technique is nicknamed for the donut-shaped incision that is made around the circumference of the areola. The incision blends in with the darker, pigmented areola skin and results in little to no visible scarring. The donut lift is ideal for women with mild to moderate breast sagging and provides a medium amount of correction.
Crescent Lift
Also known as a nipple lift, this technique utilizes a small, crescent-shaped incision along the top outer edge of the areola. The crescent lift results in the least amount of scarring but provides minimal lift compared to other methods. It is often recommended for patients with mild sagging who desire more subtle results.
What to expect during Breast Lift Surgery
Finding a plastic surgeon you trust wholeheartedly is crucial for ensuring optimal results. Before surgery, you’ll meet with our team virtually or in-person to review your concerns and determine whether a breast lift is right for you. If you’d benefit from surgery, we’ll discuss what you can expect from the procedure, choose the right technique for your breasts and answer any questions you may have. You’ll also have an opportunity to explore our before and afters.
In the days, weeks and months leading up to your breast lift, our team will provide you with specific pre-op instructions that may include completing lab work with your primary care physician in a timely manner and avoiding certain medications before surgery. It’s important to follow your surgeon's instructions to avoid needing to delay or reschedule your procedure.
Your breast lift will be performed inside our state-of-the-art surgical facility in Miami. You can expect to be given general anesthesia to keep you comfortable during surgery. A breast lift typically takes between one to two hours to complete, but this can vary depending on your treatment plan and the amount of adjustment needed to achieve your desired results. If breast augmentation is also being performed, your procedure may last for up to three hours.
A breast lift involves removing extra skin and tissue from the breasts. Tightening and reshaping the breasts will also occur, and your areolae will be moved to a higher position for natural-looking results. The size and shape of your areola can also be changed to match the new shape of your breasts. Once a more youthful contour has been achieved, your incisions will be closed and you’ll be brought to a recovery room as you wake up from anesthesia.
Breast Lift recovery
Breast lifts are performed as an outpatient procedure, so you’ll be able to return home the same day as your surgery. However, you'll need to have someone drive you home and stay with you for the first 24 hours. At the beginning of your recovery, it’s common to experience some chest tightness, bruising, swelling and general discomfort in the treated area. After surgery, your breasts will be wrapped in bandages and a compression bra to support your new contours and promote healing.
You’ll need to avoid demanding activities, heavy lifting and strenuous exercise while your breasts heal, but will be able to resume your normal routine as it feels comfortable to do so. Most patients can expect to take at least one to two weeks off from work to recover. Our team will send you home with post-op instructions and activity guidelines to ensure that everything is going smoothly, and follow-up appointments will be scheduled to check your progress. We’ll also be able to address any concerns, so don’t hesitate to call our office if something comes up!
Breast Lift results
You’ll notice a difference in the appearance of your breasts immediately after surgery, and these improvements will continue developing over the following weeks as swelling and bruising subside. Final results can be seen after about three months. Your breasts will feel firmer than before and look perkier sitting higher on your chest. Your new, youthful contours will develop further as your breasts adapt to their new placement and settle into their final position.
You can expect your results to last at least a decade, but keep in mind the effects of aging, weight fluctuations and future pregnancies can impact the outcome of your procedure. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and undergoing a breast lift after you’ve finished having children will help ensure that you’ll be able to enjoy your new breast contours for many years.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Will a Breast Lift change the size of my breasts?
Are the scars from a Breast Lift noticeable?
Can I breastfeed after a Breast Lift?
Will a Breast Lift affect the sensation in my nipples?
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My overall experience with Dr. Earle and his staff has been beyond amazing. From my initial consultation, thru the surgery and post op, they have been caring, attentive and responsive. Dr. Earle is truly a master of his work. I am so happy that I chose him for my procedures and I would recommend him 1000% over. He and his staff care for their patients. They don’t make you feel like you’re just a dollar sign. I felt very comfortable and relaxed. The saying You get what you pay for is evident with Pure Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Garret is a highly professional plastic surgeon. His staff are warm and very friendly. I did a breast and lift augmentation; He did an excellent job! I love my results. I would recommend him with closed eyes.
Dr. Earle and his staff were very accommodating and really made you feel at ease. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Best customer service. Everyone from the office was so welcoming and friendly. From the first initial phone call with Rose up until the procedure she was so helpful and caring. Yeni performed Aveli on me and she was the best. She was very caring and very informative. She always made sure I was comfortable and feeling no pain. You can’t go wrong with choosing Pure Plastic Surgery!