Breast lift surgery

Breast lift surgery, or Mastopexy, raises, firms and reshapes sagging breasts. In this procedure, excess breast skin is removed, and the areola may be reduced and repositioned. This procedure lasts 3 - 4 hours, and is performed under general anesthesia.

Complications from breast lift are as follows: bleeding, infection and reactions to anesthesia In addition, sometimes the breasts are not perfectly symmetrical, and minor adjustments can be made at a later date. Permanent hypertrophy of scars can also be an issue. Partial or complete loss of sensation of the nipples or skin of the breasts is possible. If you elect to have this surgery prior to bearing/nursing children, your ability to breastfeed may be affected.

Returning to normal activity varies for all patients. Many patients are back at work in 3 - 6 weeks. The incisions from your surgery will fade over time, but the incision lines will be permanently visible, and in some patients more than in others. Gravity and aging will eventually alter the size and shape of every woman's breasts, but unless you gain or lose a significant amount of weight, your breast size should remain fairly constant.

This surgery may be combined with breast augmentation, when volume enhancement is necessary. In this case, you should consider the all of the related issues with breast implant surgery. Please refer to the section on ‘breast augmentation’ for more details. 

The information provided here is a general overview of plastic surgery procedures. Detailed information about the particular procedure that you wish to undergo will be provided during your initial visit with the surgeon.