Breast lift surgery can sometimes make the breasts appear smaller, although no significant amount of breast tissue is removed. Breast lift surgery, also known as mastopexy, is a procedure in which the breasts are reshaped and repositioned to improve their overall appearance.
Breast lift typically reduces bra size by one full cup. However, in a study featured in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, it was suggested that this has less to do with a loss of volume than with a restoration of comfort.
After breast lift alone, the breasts typically retain a natural teardrop shape, with more fullness on the bottom. If a patient desires to add fullness to the top of the breast or to create a rounder shape, implants are required.
As with any procedure, the details of a breast lift recovery can vary from patient to patient. In general, most women can expect to feel well enough to return to work after 1 – 2 weeks, with the majority of their swelling resolving in about 3 – 6 weeks.
Generally speaking, implants begin to drop and fluff after a few days, approach their final position after six weeks, and settle entirely after three months. At Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery, we want you to know exactly what to expect after breast enhancement.
Remember that a breast lift does not slow the aging process. Eventually, the breasts will drop years after a breast lift simply because the aging process has continued.
Don't lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk (including your children), as you could strain your healing breasts and cause swelling. Along the same lines, don't push anything heavy, like a stroller or a large grocery cart. Don't smoke after surgery, as it can interfere with your body's ability to heal.
In most cases, patients continue sleeping on their back for at least 2 – 4 weeks after breast lift surgery to minimize discomfort. Some patients are able to resume side-sleeping comfortably after 1 – 2 weeks, though stomach-sleeping may remain uncomfortable or painful for much longer.
After sleeping in an elevated position on your back for at least four to six weeks, you can usually transition to just sleeping on your back, flat on your bed, for a few weeks.
At about three weeks you will notice almost all the bruising is gone and a lot of the swelling has subsided. Your incisions may look pink or brown and they might still feel tender and firm to touch. With your doctor's okay, you can start doing more activities at this point.
Yes! The entire goal of a breast lift is to create results that look natural. The basic principle behind a lift procedure is to use the existing breast tissue to reshape and elevate the breasts.
While a breast lift does not increase breast volume (that's what implants do), it does make them look fuller by removing excess skin and repositioning the inner tissue to make your breasts rounder and firmer.
As tight muscles relax and acclimate to your new implants, you can expect your implants to "drop" to a lower, more natural-looking position on your chest, as well as "fluff," or fill out the lower area of your breasts.
Breast lifts are most beneficial to women who are only seeking to restore some of the natural youthfulness of their breasts. Because this procedure does not add volume, it gives a very natural look and feel, which is a nice option for women who already have a good amount of natural breast tissue.
While discomfort or pain after surgery is to be expected, women usually mention that breast reduction or breast lift surgery is a lot less painful than what they expected. Generally people comment that it's more 'discomfort or pain limited to the incisions', rather than pain within the breasts or over the chest.
When will breast lift incisions be fully healed? Your breast lift incisions should begin to close and heal within the first 1 – 2 weeks after surgery, during which time it is important to keep the area clean and not submerge the incisions.
Most swelling will accumulate over the first three days. As time goes on, you'll notice a steady decline in the amount of swelling you have. By weeks two and three, you'll notice a marked difference. By week six, the majority of your swelling should be gone.
During your operation, you will receive intravenous fluids to replenish your body's fluids and balance your sodium levels. This IV fluid is often the culprit for bloating as your body attempts to regulates its fluid levels postoperatively.
What will my breast lift scars look like? As your incisions heal after surgery, your scars will initially appear as raised, red lines. They will eventually fade, flatten, and lighten to become even less visible.
The compression bras should be comfortable yet be able to exert adequate pressure to support your breasts and implants in position. It should not be too tight. Wearing too-tight compression garments cause more harm than good.
Breast lifts are safer than breast implants. There has been increasing awareness among women about the advantages of breast lifts. There has been an increase in the number of combination procedures that involve both breast lifts and breast implants.
You will be awake but unable to feel pain. The surgeon will make 1 to 3 surgical cuts (incision) in your breast. Extra skin, and sometimes some breast tissue, will be removed and your nipple and areola may be moved. Sometimes, women have breast augmentation (enlargement with implants) when they have a breast lift.
Breast lifts are considered minor surgeries, not major ones, but they still require downtime. After your surgery, your breasts will feel tender and sore, and you will need bed rest to recover. Discomfort is to be expected, but your doctor will prescribe medication and ice packs to help alleviate any pain.
Your weight should be stable. If you plan on losing weight it is better to do so before surgery. Your BMI is 35 (based on your height and weight) it is considered best practice to operate on a patient that has a BMI of less than 30. A weight of 190 or less would be a BMI of less than 30.