All About the Breast Lift
A breast lift, also known as a mastopexy, is an operation that can improve the shape and appearance of sagging or uneven breasts. It’s also useful after a woman has completed her family and has maybe found that her breasts have decreased in volume and have drooping nipples or enlarges areolae (the darker skin around the nipples). A mastopexy can help to restore a youthful look to the breasts and increase body confidence.
If there is little internal breast tissue, or indeed if the breasts are large and heavy, an enlargement or reduction might be performed at the same time. Mastopexy is a safe procedure, with thousands of UK women undergoing it every year and being very satisfied with the results.
When do you need to think about a breast lift
If you’ve had children and your breast skin is stretched, if you have lost or gained a lot of weight, or if sagging breasts run in your family, then you might want to consider mastopexy. If you’re planning an enlargement or reduction and your surgeon thinks these procedures alone won’t give you the results you want.
The advantages of mastopexy
- You’ll have a better breast shape, silhouette and symmetry;
- your breasts will look younger and perkier, and
- you’ll be more confident in your clothes – and out of them.
The downsides
- The uplifting effects of mastopexy will diminish over time – gravity and aging wait for no (wo)man;
- mastopexy leaves scars – they’ll be hidden by a bra or a bikini, but they’ll be there, and
- pregnancy after mastopexy will affect the results.
You can talk through these considerations with your surgeon. If you choose to have a breast mastopexy by Gary Ross, a Manchester-based plastic surgeon, he will be more than happy to go into detail about potential scarring.
Is a breast lift the right thing for you?
If you’ve become increasingly unhappy about the sagging of your breasts, you may wonder what surgery can do. Don’t be surprised if your surgeon suggests combining breast augmentation or breast reduction with your lift; adjunct procedures may be necessary to achieve your goals.
No-one likes to have sagging breasts, especially if it affects your choice of clothes or swimwear, or destroys your confidence. Surgery can work really well, but your surgeon may also suggest an additional procedure, like a reduction or implant, to really give you your shape and confidence back.
The most common reasons for wanting a breast lift
- Your breasts are fine in terms of size but they’re pendulous;
- they’ve lost volume or firmness;
- your nipples and areolae point down – this is a particular problem if they are also lying below the breast crease;
- your breasts are noticeably different in size or shape. Everyone is slightly asymmetric, but it’s usually not noticeable, and
- your breasts are small, but you’re more interested in improving shape rather than size.
If your breasts are heavy and large, you can still benefit from a mastopexy, but you may find that their weight affects your long-term results and a reduction will help.
If you have completed your family you’re in the best position to consider breast surgery – if you plan to start or add to your family, you are best advised to wait as pregnancy and breastfeeding can compromise surgery results.
Last, but by no means least, you should have good health, realistic expectations, a good support network for your recovery and a positive attitude towards the surgery and recovery.
Helen x
*collaboration
