Skip to main content

Breast Lift Procedure

Breast Enhancement Procedure

Mastopexy surgery is known as a breast or boob lift. The procedure raises and firms the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the breast tissue to reshape and support a youthful breast contour.

Enhancing Your Breasts

A woman’s breasts may change in shape and size with time. Breasts may appear to become saggy and deflated. These changes may occur due to a number of contributing factors, such a pregnancy, breastfeeding, changes in weigh, changes in skin elasticity, gravity, heredity.

Changes in areolar diameter and skin elasticity may lead to an unfavorable breast contour. In the appropriate candidate, mastopexy surgery can restore the youthful areolar diameter and uplifted breast.

Breast lift surgery does not significantly change the breast size. In fact, a mastopexy alone generally requires reduction of excess skin and may create a modest reduction in breast size. Some women desire a fuller breast size or an increase in cleavage. When these outcomes are sought, an augmentation mastopexy may be appropriate.

When a smaller, uplifted breast is desired, a breast reduction surgery may be the best choice. The decision for surgery can be guided by breast measurements a woman’s goals. Deciding to undergo a sugical procdure surgery is a big deal. Take your time to decise what is best for you. Women have often considered breast surgery for years prior to making the decision to proceed with an operation. It is not unusual to visit a few board certified plastic surgeons to seek out information for surgery. Well informed patients have the greatest chance of achieving the outcome they desire. Thus, it is important to do as much research and preoperative planning as possible.

Refining Natural Beauty

View Our Photo Gallery

Dr. Jason Hess is committed to the highest standards of excellence in patient care.

View Breast Lift Gallery

Is a breast lift surgery right for me?

Breast lift surgery is a highly individualized procedure and should be tailored to each person. Breast size, shape, symmetry and age are all factors in surgical planning. In general, mastopexy surgery is best for patients who are weight stable non-smokers.

How is a Breast Lift Performed?

Mastopexy surgery can be achieved through various incision patterns and techniques. The appropriate technique for a woman will be determined based upon breast size and shape, the size and position of one’s areolas, the degree of breast sagging, and the skin quality and elasticity.

Anesthesia

Medications are administered for the patient’s comfort during breast lift surgery. The choices include intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. The plastic surgeon will recommend the best choice for each individual.

The Incision

*Model

There are three common incision patterns:

Circumareolar Mastopexy: An incision is created around the areola allowing excess skin reduction

Vertical Mastopexy: An incision is created around the areola and vertically down from the areola on the front of the breast. This surgery facilitates more skin removal than a circumareolar lift, and is thus more effective for women with moderately saggy breasts.

Wise pattern mastopexy: Named after Dr. Wise, this skin resection pattern resembles and anchor. That is, an incision is created around the areola, down on the front of the breast, and in the inframammary fold (the crease beneath the breast). This surgery leads to the most scarring, thus it is reserved only for the most droopy of breasts.

Reshaping One’s Breasts

After Dr. Hess creates incisions, the underlying breast tissue is lifted and reshaped to improve breast contour and firmness. To create a more natural, youthful shape, the nipple and areola are repositioned. If necessary, enlarged areolas are reduced by excising skin at the areolar perimeter. Excess breast skin is removed to compensate for a loss of elasticity.

Closing the Incisions of a Breast Lift Surgery

After one’s breasts are reshaped and excess skin is removed, the remaining skin is tightened as the incisions are closed. Some incision lines are concealed in the natural breast contours. However, others are visible on the breast surface. Incision lines are permanent, but in most cases, over time, they will fade and significantly improve.

Sutures are layered deep within the breast tissue to create and support the newly shaped breasts. Sutures, skin adhesives, or surgical tape may be used to close the skin.

Scarring is of utmost concern in cosmetic plastic surgery. The nature of scar formation is dependent upon several factors, such as the patient age, tension created across surgical incisions, overall patient health, meticulous surgical technique, and postoperative care.

In general, plastic surgeons are trained in intraoperative and post operative methods to reduce scar formation. An optimal outcome is achieved when patients and physicians work together to optimize results. This may include the use of topical gels or lotions in the weeks following surgery. When attention is devoted to all contributing factors, scars become imperceptible with time. However, final scar maturation does not occur for several months following surgery.