Breast Lift Surgery, Mastopexy

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Breast Lift Surgery, Mastopexy

Plastic surgical procedures have to be done by plastic surgeons !
Breast lift is a common plastic surgical procedure. It is mostly suggested after the full development of the breasts. Weight loss, after pregnancy and with aging the woman’s breasts often change, losing their youthful shape and firmness. During breast-feeding the breasts become bigger, the skin will sag. After breast-feeding the swelling will cease, which is sometimes accompanied by the atrophy of the glandular tissue, thus the breasts will sag. With aging the skin will become thinner, thus it is more difficult to resist the gravity. The sagging of the breasts is caused by the extension of the skin and the fastening filaments of the glandula. As a result of this the filaments will loose their flexibility and will be elongated, thus the glandular tissue, the connective tissue and the fat tissue will drop according to the rules of the gravity. Principally the reason of the sagging breasts is the size if the breasts.
Every women’s breasts are asymmetric. It is a natural expectation that the women want to have feminine-shape breasts. If You are satisfied with Your breast size, and only have problems with the sagging of Your breasts, You are a good candidate for breast lift surgery. The breast lift only changes the placement of the breasts, but does not change the size of the breasts. The mastopexy raises and firms the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast contour. In the case of small and sagging breasts the breast lift could be necessary to be performed with breast enlargement to get a more beautiful result. This can be performed in the same time. Sometimes the implantation in itself is already the solution for the sagging, and by inserting a well-choosen implant the breast lift can be skipped.
With less scars we can reach a fuller and more beautiful shape. The operational scars will pale by the time and fade into their environment. But You have to notice that they will never be invisible. Before the operation we can not predict the quality of the scars. The final result of the breast lift will be seen after the total cessation of swelling. Regular wearing of bras can ensure a long-lasting result in the shape of the breasts.
The breast lift surgery makes the women more assertive and gives them back their self-confidence. The mastopexy does not influence the further pregnancy. In the case of small and medium size breasts it does not have effect on the breast-feeding capability.

WHO IS CANDIDATE FOR BREAST LIFT SURGERY ?

  • Sometimes the breasts are not developed enough in size as the women want. They are not enough tight and full. The breasts sag.
  • The development of the two breasts is not the same, thus one of the breasts will be in a lower placement than the other. This asymmetry can be so much, that even with clothing it is not possible to hide. In the case of asymmetric breasts it can be considered to insert implants for the correction of the asymmetry.
  • In the case of tubular breasts sometimes the breast lift in itself is not enough to resolve the problem. Often can be necessary to perform breast enlargement surgery as well.
  • After pregnancy, breast-feeding or weight loss the breasts will lose volume and shape.
  • The nipples and areolas point downward and sometimes they are lower in location than the breast crease.

The breast enlargement can not correct all the expectations -sometimes unreal-, which were dreamt by the patients. We can not resolve everything with the operation. On the one hand it has limits by the technics of the operation, on the other hand just only those corrections can be performed which are fit to the harmony of the chest and the breasts.

THE FIRST CONSULTATION

At the consultation we will discuss Your problems, expectations and desired outcome. We will talk about everything which is in connection with the mastopexy and important in the aspect of the breast lift procedure. We will examine the chest and the breasts and their proportion to each other. We will draw attention to the asymmetry of the breasts, which can be manifested in the difference of the breasts in size and/or shape. The placement, the size and the shape of the nipples can be different as well. We will check the quality of the skin and the connective tissue as well. There is asymmetry which even can not be corrected by breast lift. Only those striae of pregnancy or growing striae can be disappeared by the mastopexy which are in the area of the removed skin.
We will take some photographs –from different directions- about the present condition. The photographs allow the patients to examine and evaluate their breasts from different directions. If the breasts are strongly sagged and simply the breast lift surgery is not enough, breast enlargement may be required in conjunction with the breast lift. We will decide the necessity of this together with the patient.
You will be asked about Your medical conditions, medical treatment, drug allergies, use of current medications and previous surgeries, procedures. It is very important to get accurate information about every medical conditions to plan the procedure with the best thoughtfulness. After the proper information the well-planned breast lift procedure will  ensure You the biggest satisfaction.
Weight loss, pregnancy and breast-feeding after the breast lift can influence the further result of the mastopexy.

REVIEW ABOUT THE BREAST LIFT SURGERY

THINGS TO DO BEFORE THE OPERATION

Before the mastopexy some examinations are necessary to be performed: blood test, ECG, chest X-ray and baseline mammogram. With these data the operation will be performed in the best security. If You smoke, take aspirin or other blood thinner medications, or any anti-inflammatory drugs or other medications, please let us know! This drugs can increase bleeding or can cause other interactions during the general anaesthesia.

SURGICAL PROCEDURE

The mastopexy is almost always performed in general anaesthesia ( in some assorted cases it can be performed  in intravenous sedation and local anaesthesia ) with hospital background. For Your security during the surgical procedure which is performed with general anaesthesia we check Your heart rate, heart beat, blood pressure and blood oxygen level with monitors. In the case of small breasts local anaesthesia can be possible, but in this situation we have to consider to perform a breast enlargement parallel to the breast lift to achieve a beautiful breast shape. For Your bigger security antibiotics are administerd during the breast lift.
The most common method is when we perform incisions around the areolas and vertically down from the areolas to the breast crease. This is called vertical mastopexy. This can be used in medium-degree sagging. If the breasts are bigger, the vertical incision can be completed with a horizontal incision to one direction. This is called short scar technique. If the breasts are significantly big, or the degree of sagging is excessive – the skin is seriously unstretched – this has to be completed with a horizontal incision along the breast crease. In the case of slight sagging, the excess skin can be removed by concentrical incisions around the areola. This method can be used just in a few cases, because we have only a little chance for lifting the breasts and reshape them. Its disadvantage is that the shape of the breasts will be a little bit flatter. This can be recommended in the case of tubular breasts, because the disadvantage of this incision will become advantage.
The incision of the mastopexy is always chosen individually. To chose the most appropriate method is influenced by several factors, like the size and shape of the breasts, the size of the areola, the degree of sagging and the patient’s expectations. Not everybody is candidate for all types of the incisions. We aim to minimize visible scarring and to achieve the most beautiful shape. After the breast lift the natural shape of the breast will partly hide the scar.
By breast lifting we remove the excess skin and fix the underlying breast tissue in the appropriate height. After the fixation we reshape the glandula, and reconstruct the right shape and position of the breast tissue. After the modellation the nipple and the areola will be repositioned to a natural height according to the new shape of the breast. If necessary, enlarged areolas are reduced by excising skin. If there is asymmetry which is necessary to correct the bigger breast will be reduced to the smaller one.
After the mastyopexy there are always a little amount of leaking blood and swelling, which are eliminated by a drain from the cavity. With this the recovery will be faster and saftier and the post-operational pain will decrease. The drain will be removed the following day of the operation.
At the end of the mastopexy we cover the wounds by bandages and help the patient to take on a special bra.

THINGS TO DO AFTER THE OPERATION

In the case of the operation, which was performed with general anaesthesia, it is practical to spend one night in the hospital. If the operation was performed in intravenous sedation or local anaesthesia, after the surgical procedure it is allowed to go home. After the breast lift operation it is suggested to relax and spare Your breasts with due foresight. Sleep on Your back and avoid pushing the breasts! Between the first and the third days after the operation You can feel more discomfort, but this is just a temporary problem, which is caused by the stretching effect of the operation. The initial decoloration and swelling are just temporary symptoms and disappaer fast. These are natural consequences of the operation. The stitches will be removed after 2 weeks, when the tension is significantly decreased.
It is recommended to wear a special bra in the first 6 weeks. Two weeks after the breast lift do not drive car and for six weeks avoid any stiff sports and physical activity! During this period You have to avoid sunbathing and going to the solarium! After the sparing period You have to cover the scar with sun protection cream for a long time!
After the mastopexy self-examination of the breasts is as important as it was before the operation. If You are recommended to go for baseline mammogram because of Your age You have to do it independently the breast lift!
After every plastic surgical procedures You have to return for follow-up care regularly, thus after the breast lift as well. The regularity of this depends on the type of the procedure and other personal feautures of the patient. At the previously discussed follow-up cares we will examine the operational area and discuss about the things to do in the future. Please remember that if You have any questions or problems, please do not hesitate to contact us independently the appointment!

BREAST LIFT SURGERY RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS

If the operation is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon, the operation and the post-surgical recovery period will be without any unexpected episodes. The breast lift as all other surgical procedures can have complications, even ideally. Besides the generally presented complications ( bleeding, infection, poor healing of incisions and thrombosis ) – which are very rare -, can occur some special complications because of the breast lift.
Sometimes there can be some minimal differences between the breasts in size or the location of the nipples. These little malformations can be corrected later with a small procedure perfectly.
Changes in nipple or breast sensation can occur temporary. This will cease in a few days and become normal again.
The incision around the areola and the vertical incision usually almost unvisible, cure with  beautiful scars. The incision along the breast crease can be problematic, although it is hiden in standing position by the natural shape of the breast. The different capabilty of the scars for recovering is originated from the different skin quality. The thin, pure skin around the areola is recovering with a purer scar, than the thicker skin along the breast crease.
With the most modern devices, materials and stitches which were inserted by the most friendliest techniques it can happen that the colour of the scar will be brisk and red, thick in touch and a little bit widened. This depends on mostly personal liability, thus it can have significant differences. This malformation decreases by the time, thus the scar will be thinner and its colour will fade. If this does not occur, we remove the scar and treat the new scar with other special scar-treating methods.
The complications can be vanquished or revised with the appropriate treatments and procedures, thus they do not effect the final result of the operation or slightly influence it.

RESULT

The breast lift helps to fulfill Your desire for fuller, tighter breasts and make them more favourable shape. The breast lift surgery makes the women more assertive and gives them back their self-confidence. The result of the mastopexy is long-lasting but does not take forever. The gravitation and the change in the flexibility and water-content of the tissues, the other alterations with aging have effect on the size and shape of the breast. In the case of big and heavy breasts the final result is not as long-lasting as in the case of smaller breast. Regular wearing of bras can ensure a long-lasting result in the shape of the breasts. If the breasts change with aging, it can be necessary to perform a re-breast lift or breast enlargement surgery.