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| Breast Lift: About the Procedure |
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Most often the breast lift procedure takes place in an outpatient surgical clinic or hospital under general anesthesia. In some cases, the surgery is done using a local anesthesia combined with sedation so you are awake but drowsy and relaxed. Depending upon complexity and technique used, the surgery can take anywhere from two to five hours. If your surgery is performed in the hospital, you may be kept overnight. In the outpatient type of surgical facility, you will be allowed to go home several hours after surgery. Plan to have someone with you; you will not be able to drive home alone. Pain medication will be prescribed which you’ll probably want to take the first and second day.
To lift and reshape your breasts, the surgeon will make an incision around your areola (the dark area which surrounds the nipple) so it can be repositioned higher. Another incision is made in the crease under the breast (inframammary crease). A third incision is made which extends vertically from the areola to the crease. Through this inverted T-shaped incision, excess skin is removed and the breast is reshaped and lifted to a more youthful position. Small stitches are made under the skin to close the incisions, and bandages are applied.
In some cases the surgeon can perform a modified lift (also called a Benelli, “doughnut” or concentric mastopexy) which is less extensive. A circular incision is made around the areola and the excess skin and tissue is removed from that opening. The modified lift is an option when the breast is fairly small and sag is minimal.
Sometimes breast augmentation is done with the breast lift when it is desirable to have a fuller breast. A soft, pliable implant is placed in a pocket the surgeon has formed in your tissue either behind the pectoral muscle or in front of the muscle wall. Your own anatomy helps determine what placement position is right for you. Women with very droopy breasts may have better results when the implant is placed in front of the muscle because that can give the bust a rounder and firmer appearance where the chest was once flattened out.
After surgery, you may wear a surgical bra over the gauze bandages. After a few days, you may change to a soft support bra which will be worn 24 hours a day for about four weeks. Your doctor will remove your stitches after a week or so.
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