Between aging, childbirth, and breastfeeding, a woman’s breasts can begin to sag and lose volume. But a breast lift can rejuvenate the breasts and bring them to a higher position, making you look years younger.
Below is critical information to know if you’re thinking about a breast lift.
Why Get A Breast Lift?
Aging, nursing, and childbirth can make the breasts sag and lose volume, which makes you look older than you are.
According to Top Chicago Plastic Surgeon Dr. Otto Placik, “Many women feel ashamed of their breasts and want a breast lift to make them look younger and more feminine. This procedure can turn the clock back and give you a big boost of self-confidence.”
The plastic surgeon will make incisions and then remove extra skin and breast tissue. In many procedures, the lift repositions the nipple and areola to enhance the new look.
You may want to have this procedure if:
- You notice that your breasts droop, have lost volume and shape, or have gotten longer and flatter
- The nipples fall below the creases of the breasts
- The nipples and areolae point south
- The areolae have stretched so they’re out of proportion with the breasts
- One of the breasts is lower than the other
But a breast lift isn’t ideal for every woman. If you are thinking about pregnancy, you should probably wait. When you are pregnant, your breasts will stretch again and undo your results.
Also, breastfeeding could be more difficult after a breast lift and augmentation.
Breast lifts can be done on any breast size, but women with smaller breasts may have better long-term results.
Breast Lift Procedure
Your surgeon will perform your procedure in an outpatient facility or hospital. The breast lift will be done with IV or general sedation, or even local anesthesia. Talk to your doctor about your preferences; if you’re concerned about the risks of general anesthesia, you may want to consider a local anesthetic.
The surgeon’s methods used to remove skin and reshape the breasts vary; the technique your surgeon uses will determine where the incisions and scars are.
Some of the popular methods are:
- Around the areola, which allows the surgeon to hide the incisions,, so the scars are almost invisible
- Extending down from the areola to the breast crease, which is required for a moderate to heavy breast lift
- Horizontally along the breast crease
The surgeon may put stitches deep in the breast tissue and shape it. If needed, they also will reduce the size of the areola. Next, the surgeon will remove extra breast skin and tissue and move the nipples higher. Last, they’ll suture the skin and incisions or use adhesives and tape.
The breast lift usually takes two or three hours, and you can have someone drive you home the same day.
Breast Lift Recovery
After the procedure, your breasts will be covered with bandages and a support bra. Your surgeon may insert drains to remove extra blood and fluid.
The breasts will be bruised and swollen for about 14 days, and you will be sore, especially around the incisions. Numbness in the nipples, areolae, and breast skin can persist for about six weeks.
You should take your prescribed pain medication for the first few days, and don’t lift, strain, or bend. It’s also essential to sleep on your back for about two weeks.
Don’t have sex for at least one or two weeks after the procedure, and ask your surgeon when you can shower or wash your hair.
Wear your support bra all the time, except for bathing, for three or four days. Then, you’ll change to a softer support bra for about a month.
Your breast lift results should last for years, but they may not be permanent. As you get older, your skin will continue to stretch, and there may be more sagging.
Maximize your results by keeping a stable weight.
Breast Lift With Mommy Makeover
If you have more than one problem area, you might consider a breast lift as part of a mommy makeover. This term refers to several procedures that address a woman’s body issues after pregnancy and childbirth.
It’s often beneficial to have several procedures simultaneously because it’s more cost-effective. Also, you can have all of your recoveries done at once, so it saves time, too.
Some of the procedures you may want in a mommy makeover include:
- Breast augmentation
- Breast lift
- Tummy tuck
- Liposuction
- Thigh lift
- Arm lift
Breast Augmentation And Breast Lift
If your breasts have lost volume, you may want silicone or saline implants to make them larger and fuller.
However, if your breasts are sagging, making them larger will only aggravate the problem. That’s why it’s recommended to have a lift and augmentation simultaneously.
If you think you want larger breasts, too, your surgeon may be able to show you with 3D photography. This is a great way to get an idea of how you may look with various breast sizes.
Women who have sagging breasts can enjoy impressive results with a breast lift. So, talk to your surgeon soon to determine if this procedure is a good fit.