What is a Breast Lift?
Breast lift surgery is a surgical procedure performed to give sagging or loose breasts a more youthful and aesthetic appearance. This surgery is preferred in response to the natural changes that occur over time in the lives of many women. Breast lift is medically referred to as “mastopexy”.
Causes of Breast Sagging
The main causes of breast sagging include aging, pregnancy and breastfeeding, weight loss and genetic factors. Breast lift surgery aims to correct these sagging and deformations and give the breasts a more youthful, lifted, and aesthetic form.
Who Can Have Breast Lift Surgery?
Sagging breast tissue: Breast tissue can lose elasticity over time, which is often associated with aging, pregnancy, breastfeeding or weight changes. Breast lift surgery is preferred to correct sagging breast tissue.
Changes after weight loss: Rapid weight loss can lead to sagging breast tissue and skin. If the breasts have a saggy appearance after weight loss, individuals may consider breast lift surgery.
Changes after breastfeeding:Changes during breastfeeding can cause breast tissue to sag and change shape. Women who want their breasts to return to their former form after breastfeeding may consider breast lift surgery.
Congenital physical factors:Due to genetic factors, some people may have naturally saggier breasts. In this case, individuals may consider breast lift surgery for aesthetic reasons.
Breast asymmetry: Asymmetry in breast size and shape can cause some people to consider breast lift surgery.
Breast Lift Surgery and Techniques Used
Breast lift surgery is a surgical intervention performed under general anesthesia. It aims to move sagging nipples to the correct level, remove excess breast skin, narrow the brown-colored area we call the areola, and give the breast a more aesthetic shape. This surgery is performed to correct the deformation of the breast tissue and restore the patient’s breasts to the desired appearance.
The surgical techniques used during surgery are determined according to the patient’s current condition and expectations. Depending on the complexity of the surgery, the duration can vary, usually between 2 and 4 hours. Depending on the degree of sagging and deformation of the breast tissue, different surgical techniques can be applied and the incision scars may vary depending on these techniques.
Common techniques used in breast lift surgery are as follows:
- Periareolar Technique:
- It includes a stitch around the brown-colored area around the nipple, which we call the areola.
- Scars are often tried to be hidden by the color of the areola.
- Inframammary Fold Technique:
- It involves an incision made in the natural fold under the breast.
- The incision can often be hidden under clothing.
- Vertical (Lollipop) Technique:
- It includes an incision around the areola as well as a vertical incision that goes down under the breast.
- It can be preferred in more pronounced sagging situations.
- Inverted T Technique:
- It includes a vertical incision as well as a horizontal incision in the fold under the breast.
- It can be used in cases that require more sagging correction.
These surgical techniques may leave scars only around the nipple, or may leave vertical, j-shaped or inverted-T-shaped scars under the breast. Which technique and incision to use is determined depending on the patient’s anatomical features, degree of sagging and personal preferences. Plastic surgeons choose the most appropriate method by conducting a detailed preliminary consultation with patients and focus on the goal of minimal scarring after surgery.
Are There Scars After Breast Lift Surgery?
There is a possibility of scarring after breast lift surgery, but plastic surgery techniques and the healing process usually focus on keeping scars to a minimum.
Scars can often fade over time and lose their visibility. Plastic surgeons work carefully to minimize scars in the postoperative period and advise patients on scar care. The scars may be red and prominent, especially in the first 4-6 months, but over time, they fade and become less visible as the healing process continues.
Scar formation can vary from person to person and everyone has a different healing process. Individual factors such as skin type, genetic factors and healing ability can also influence scarring. In the post-surgical period, you can increase the chances of minimizing scar formation by following your doctor’s recommendations and performing the recommended scar care.
Recovery Process After Breast Lift Surgery
After breast lift surgery, patients undergo a carefully managed recovery process. Immediately after surgery, patients usually start to feed orally after about 2 hours and can stand up after 4 hours. An overnight stay in hospital is recommended to observe the effects of the surgical intervention and to check for possible complications. Depending on the techniques used during surgery, if drains have been applied, these are usually removed the next day. Patients are discharged after the drain is removed.
In the postoperative period, a medical bra corset that keeps the breasts stable and does not put pressure on the suture lines should be used for at least 1 month. This aims to help the breast tissues to settle into the desired position and support the healing process. Patients can take a bath on the 3rd or 4th day after surgery. It is important to use special creams for the incision lines and pay attention to sun protection for at least 1 year until the scars are finalized.
After the bandages are removed, in the first weeks, the lower breast part may appear flatter and tighter, and the upper part may appear more swollen. In the following months, the breasts gain a more natural appearance due to gravity.
Each patient’s recovery process is different and can vary depending on the complexity of the surgical intervention, the patient’s general health and the surgical techniques. Following the doctor’s recommendations and regular check-ups are important steps to support a successful recovery.
Conditions to be Considered by Patients After Breast Lift Surgery
After breast lift surgery, it is important to avoid certain movements to support the healing process and minimize the risk of complications. Here are some movements that patients should not do in the postoperative period:
Avoid Heavy Lifting: Lifting heavy objects in the postoperative period may put too much pressure on the breast tissues and sutures. Therefore, heavy lifting should be avoided for the first 3 weeks after surgery.
Do not overload the arms: Overloading the arms can cause excessive strain, especially in the area where the surgery is performed. Lifting the arms in a high position or carrying heavy objects should be avoided.
Avoiding Excessive Physical Activities: Excessive physical activities, heavy exercises and excessive movements should be avoided in the postoperative period. This can negatively affect the healing process.
Care should be taken when getting up and sitting down: Sudden movements when getting up or sitting down can put too much pressure on the breast tissue. It is important to sit and stand up with slow and controlled movements.
Using Hard Bras or Corsets: Using hard and tight clothes other than the bra or corset recommended by your doctor after breast lift surgery can damage breast tissues.
Avoiding Excessive Stretching: Excessive stretching movements can damage the healing tissues after surgery. Therefore, excessive stretching movements should be avoided.
Hot Water and Steam Baths: Hot water and steam baths in the postoperative period may adversely affect wound healing. It is important to shower as prescribed by the doctor.
These recommendations will help to minimize the stress placed on the breast tissues and sutures in the postoperative period.
When Is Breast Lift Surgery Can Be Performed After Breastfeeding?
The relationship between breast lift surgery and breastfeeding can vary depending on many factors and there are no clear rules. However, in general, breast lift surgery can be performed 2-6 months after the completion of breastfeeding.
Breast lift surgery immediately after breastfeeding is generally not recommended. Since breastfeeding can affect the changing tissues in the breast and the size of the milk glands, it may be more appropriate to wait until this process is complete. The stabilization of breast tissue after breastfeeding makes the results of surgery more predictable.
Breast Lift or Breast Recovery Surgery Prices
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