A woman’s breasts evolve throughout adulthood. Pregnancies, weight fluctuations, and the tug of gravity over time can all cause the breasts to lose their shape and firmness. But a breast lift performed at eSSe Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, FL, can lift the breasts, restoring their youthful, perky appearance and giving you your confidence back.
What Is the Best Age for Getting a Breast Lift?
There is no magic age at which a breast lift, which is referred to in medical terms as mastopexy, should be performed. The only true requirement is that the patient’s breasts be fully developed, which usually happens by the late teens or early twenties.
Many women seek out mastopexy when they have finished having pregnancies and are looking to get their pre-baby figure back. And some younger women undergo this treatment if they are unhappy with the shape and firmness of their breasts.
Are Patients Ever Considered Too Old for Mastopexy?
Because of a variety of factors, women over the age of 50 may not be ideal candidates. But if you are over 50 and interested in improving your bosom, we’d be happy to talk with you and determine if you are a potential patient.
What Is a Breast Lift?
A lift involves reshaping the breast tissue and removing any extra skin that may be leading to sagging. If necessary, the breasts can also be lifted to a more natural position on the chest. Although this treatment doesn’t enlarge the breasts, the reshaping and repositioning of them can sometimes make the bosom appear larger, and certainly more attractive.
How Does This Treatment Work?
During treatment, incisions are usually made around the areola and possibly vertically down to the bottom of the breast. The areolas may also be repositioned if they have started to stretch and sag. We work with each patient to map out an approach that will meet her cosmetic goals.
The treatment is performed on an outpatient basis in our state-of-the-art surgical suites using general anesthesia. Mastopexy usually takes about three hours to perform, and patients go home the same day to recover.
What Type of Recovery Is Involved?
Patients can return to work within seven days, depending on how physical their work is. Other normal activities, including mild exercise, can be resumed within a few weeks.
How Soon Will I See Improvement?
You’ll notice a change in your bosom almost immediately after treatment. Over the next couple of months, your results will improve as the new position and shape of the breast settles.
How Long Will My Results Last?
Mastopexy represents a permanent reshaping of your existing breast tissue, so the results should last you a lifetime. Your body will continue to age and gravity will continue to tug at you, so your results could subtly shift over time, but most patients enjoy their new silhouette for years to come.
How Does This Differ From Breast Implants?
Breast augmentation, which is also performed by our practice, involves the placement of implants behind the patient’s existing breast tissue. Breast augmentation results in an increase in cup size, whereas a breast lift does not.
Why Have My Breasts Lost Their Shape?
There are several reasons why the appearance of your bosom may shift over time. Genetics play a role, and pregnancies and nursing can cause changes in the shape of the breasts and leave them feeling deflated. Significant weight fluctuations can also lead to drooping and sagging. And the aging process, combined with the ongoing pull of gravity, takes a toll.
Because many of these factors are beyond our control, patients often find mastopexy to be the ideal solution.
What Benefits Are Associated With This Treatment?
A More Youthful, Flattering Silhouette
This treatment can bring back youthfulness and perkiness to your bosom. It also improves the overall shape and balance of your silhouette. You’ll find that clothes fit better, and the proportion of your body will be more natural.
A Reduction in Discomfort
By eliminating sagging and restoring the shape and position of the bosom, mastopexy can reduce irritation along your bra line and under your breasts.
A Chance at a More Active Lifestyle
Sagging, deflated breasts can make exercise uncomfortable. Once you’ve undergone mastopexy, the supportive undergarments you wear during exercise will be more effective, and you’ll be able to lead a more active lifestyle.
A Long-Lasting Improvement
After a breast lift, you won’t have to worry about maintenance treatments or take any other special steps to maintain your reshaped bosom. The results will last you for years.
Am I a Good Candidate?
You’re Unhappy With the Look of Your Bosom
Patients who seek this treatment are unhappy with the shape, firmness, volume, or position of their breasts. Some patients also have concerns about areolas that have shifted or become misshapen as a result of drooping. Mastopexy can address these concerns and get you back to feeling great about your body.
You Want To Correct Asymmetric Breasts
It’s very common for women to have one breast that is slightly larger than the other, and this type of asymmetry is generally not a concern. But in severe cases, women may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable about having breasts that don’t match. Mastopexy can correct the imbalance. A breast reduction or breast augmentation, both of which are offered by our practice, may also be performed to correct asymmetry.
Your Nipple Falls Below the Inframammary Fold
One way of determining if a lift may be right for you is to look at how your bosom rests naturally on your chest. If the nipples sit below the inframammary fold, which is the natural crease below the breast, your sagging may be enough to consider a lift. The pencil test is another popular at-home test for those considering a lift. If a pencil placed beneath the breast stays in place when released, you may be a mastopexy candidate.
You’re at a Stable Weight
Notable shifts in your weight can take a toll on your bosom. Weight shifts can stretch skin and tissue, introducing sagging. The ideal mastopexy candidate is at a stable weight.
You’re in Good Overall Health
The best candidates are in good general health and are non-smokers. Patients with breast cancer or Cellulitis, a condition in which the breast tissue becomes infected, are not suitable candidates.
Treatment Q&A
Can I Do Anything on My Own To Prevent Drooping and Sagging?
Because many of the factors that cause breasts to sag are beyond our control, there aren’t many steps patients can take to completely ward off these types of changes. But wearing supportive undergarments, refraining from smoking, and adhering to a healthy and active lifestyle are all good steps to take. Maintaining a steady weight also helps.
Will Mastopexy Prevent Me From Breastfeeding?
Undergoing a lift won’t prevent you from breastfeeding in the future. However, many patients wait until after their pregnancies to undergo this treatment.
How Can I Tell if Augmentation or Mastopexy Is Right for Me?
Some patients come to us because they are unhappy with their bosom, but they’re not sure which treatment is right for them. Mastopexy is usually best for women who are happy with the size of their bosom but simply wish to improve the shape, volume, or position of the breasts. Breast augmentation is the better option for those who want to increase their cup size.
Even when understanding the difference between the two treatments, it can be difficult to determine which is best for you. We can help. If you are unhappy with the look of your bosom, schedule an initial consultation at our practice. We can work with you to determine which treatment is right for you.
What Other Breast Treatments Does Your Practice Offer?
In addition to mastopexy, we perform breast augmentation with implants and breast reduction. We also perform breast reconstruction for women who have lost one or both breasts as a result of trauma or cancer. And for women whose cosmetic goals have shifted, we perform breast revision treatments that involve removing or replacing implants.
It’s Time for a Whole New You
If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your bosom, we can help. We’ve worked with women of all ages to improve the look, shape, and feel of their breasts, and we can’t wait to help you tackle your cosmetic goals. What are you waiting for? Call eSSe Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and schedule your breast lift consultation today!