There are many types of breast lifts ranging from a minor elevation of the nipple and areola to complete modification of the breast with a full breast lift. Breast implants, breast lift surgery, or mastopexy can restore a more youthful appearance to a woman’s breasts and reverse the effects of aging and gravity. This procedure can also reduce the size of the areola, which is the dark skin around the nipple. Occasionally, we will see patients who think they need a lift but are able to get the results they desire with a breast implant alone. There are many different types of breast lift procedures and we realize it is often difficult for a patient to know just what they need.
While Dr. Boyd currently has limited capacity to schedule surgery for new patients who require a full breast lift, he does offer consultation to patients seeking a professional opinion regarding their specific needs. If we can meet your needs in our center we will be happy to offer you a surgical solution. If your requirements are outside Dr. Boyd’s current scope of practice, he will provide you information, options, and alternatives for your next steps should you wish to pursue breast lift surgery.
A crescent lift (mastopexy) is a relatively minor procedure that can elevate a nipple an inch or two. It is sometimes utilized at the same time as a breast augmentation to help even up the nipple line in patients who have one nipple significantly lower than the other.
A so called lollypop lift leaves a scar that goes around the areola and then down the breast making the shape of a lollypop. This technique can be used to correct moderate droop and can be performed with or without a breast implant to help restore upper pole breast fullness.
A full breast lift is sometimes called a “Wise” breast lift. It is used to treat significant droop and sag. The procedure creates a scar that goes around the areola, vertically down the lower part of the breast and then horizontally underneath the breast. The scar generally approximates the shape of a ship’s anchor.
A breast lift by itself will not increase the size of your breast and usually does not give you long lasting upper pole fullness. Only a implant will maintain upper pole fullness and in some instances a lift and an implant can be done at the same time. A lift is generally tightening up tissues and an implant stretches tissues so there is sometimes a limit regarding how much volume can be added at the same time as a lift.
There are many types of breast lift procedures and your needs can vary depending on your breast anatomy and the amount of droop or sag you have. It is difficult to know for sure what you might need without a consultation to perform a proper exam and discuss your goals.
There are many types of breast lift (mastopexy) procedures that are utilized depending on a patient’s needs. These can range from crescent mastopexies that can elevate the nipple slights all the way up to full mastopexies that allow for complete reconstruction of the breast anatomy and reversal of severe droop and sag.
Yes, breast lifting involves cutting and sewing to revise the breast anatomy and reverse the effects of gravity and time. Scar size and location varies greatly depending on the type of lift needed. A crescent lift leaves a half moon scar just above the nipple and can elevate the nipple slightly. By comparison, a full lift leaves scars around the areola, down, and underneath the breast like a ship’s anchor and can completely revise the breast anatomy and treat severe droop.
Some patients are good candidates for a lift with the addition of an implant at the same time to provide upper pole fullness and volume. There are limits to what can be done safely based on your anatomy and desires and Dr. Boyd will review the risks, benefits, and options with you during your consultation.
Patients are generally sore and swollen for the first several days with gradual improvement over the first one to two weeks. Recovery and restrictions after surgery are variable depending on the nature of the procedure you may need.
