Breast Lift

When you meet with us for your breast lift consultation, we will have an honest discussion about your desires, expectations, and concerns, as well as the limits and risks of the surgery. We will review your medical history and recommend options that can best help you achieve your goals. We will give you thorough written instructions to prepare for your surgery and will answer any questions you have.

At Summit Health's Plastic Surgery Center, the patient experience is of primary importance to us. We customize every single surgery we do so that it is tailored to what is best for you and you alone. With a breast lift, the primary considerations have to do with the type of incisions that will be used.

We will take several measurements, which help us advise you on which technique is best for your body type. While other surgeons may have a “favorite” incision type that they encourage all of their patients to choose, we have training and experience with all breast lift techniques. So, we recommend the incision that will provide you with the best possible result while keeping your scars to a minimum. We will, of course, explain why we recommend one surgical plan over another. Read about the incision types under “What are the different types of Breast Lift techniques?”

Mastopexy takes 1½ to 3 hours, depending on the amount of work that is required. It is an outpatient procedure performed in our on-site operating suite or at the hospital’s outpatient surgery center. While some patients with a small lift may be a candidate for local anesthesia with intravenous sedation, general anesthesia is most often necessary for medium and large breast lifts.

The surgical technique and location of the incisions depends on your anatomy and the amount of lift needed to achieve your desired look. Any excess, stretched skin will need to be removed, and your nipples and breasts will be lifted higher on your chest. If the areolas (the darker skin surrounding the nipple) have stretched and become misshapen, they will also be reduced. The incisions are usually closed with dissolvable sutures. When necessary, this is also a good time to address problems with enlarged nipples or inverted nipples.

The traditional breast lift involves an anchor-shaped pattern with three incisions – one around the areola, a horizontal incision along the breast crease, and a vertical incision from the bottom edge of the areola to the breast crease. This is also sometimes called an inverted T incision pattern since it looks like an upside-down “T.” It is usually necessary if the degree of sagging is significant, such as with pendulous or tuberous breasts.

The lollipop incision or vertical breast lift technique involves two incisions – one around the areola and a vertical incision down to the crease, but no horizontal incision under the crease. This technique is usually possible for women who require a moderate degree of lift.

The short-scar (periareolar) technique (sometimes called a donut lift) involves one incision around the edge of the areola and is usually only possible for women who have mild breast sagging. This incision type is also often used in cases of mild sagging in women who are also receiving breast implants.

If you have had a prior surgery such as plastic surgery, a lumpectomy, or biopsy, the incisions from that surgery could eliminate some of the options available to you. It may not be safe to do a particular type of breast lift if there are existing incision sites that interfere. Due to our vast experience with breast reconstruction, we are well-versed in the complications that can result from particular types of incisions and will advise you accordingly.

Some scarring is inevitable with a breast lift, but most women find that the scars fade considerably over time. Women with darker or thicker skin may always see the scars to some degree, however.

Most patients go home a few hours after surgery.

Breast lift recovery takes 1 to 2 weeks depending on the number of incisions required. Please limit strenuous activities for several weeks, however, and sleep only on your back for a couple of weeks. If you are accustomed to sleeping on your stomach, pillows can help to keep you from turning over during the night. You must also avoid lifting heavy objects for a few weeks.

Gauze dressings will be placed on your incisions, and you will see our specialist nurses within a day or two of the operation to check the breasts and change the bandages. On this first post-op visit, you will be given a surgical bra to wear over your recovering breasts for a few weeks. You will be given thorough written instructions to recover from your procedure. The instructions will include how to change your dressings and ways to prevent infection. Follow-up examinations will be scheduled with your surgeon to ensure that you are healing properly.

Bruising and soreness is usually minimal for a few days, but swelling may last for a few weeks to several months. Bear in mind that this will delay your ability to see the final results of your surgery. You will be able to see a significant change immediately, however.

Although we prescribe a tailored pain medication regimen after the procedure, discomfort can be managed once a few days have passed with over-the-counter or prescription medications. Most patients do not take pain medications for more than a week. Time to return to work depends on the nature of the work, but is usually about 1-2 weeks for most patients.

Even after a breast lift, gravity, pregnancy, aging, and weight fluctuations can affect the firmness and location of your breasts. The best way to maintain your result is to stay at a steady weight. In our experience, women who have implants with their breast lift enjoy longer-lasting results. See the Breast Lift & Implants page.