Breast Lift (Mastopexy)
Breast lift, or mastopexy, can lift and tighten breast tissue which has stretched or dropped as a result of pregnancy, weight loss, or age. Unlike breast augmentation which adds volume to the breasts, mastopexy reshapes the breasts and is sometimes performed along with augmentation at the same time. Dr Platis is recognized as a leader and innovator in breast lift surgery for Chicago and Northwest Indiana. He uses a variety of techniques based upon the needs of each individual patient.
Ideal Candidates for Breast Lift
Breast lift is definitely not necessary for all women who wish to enhance the appearance of their breasts. If you like the shape of your breasts and you wish only to make them fuller then breast augmentation alone will give you the result you want. This also applies to women whose breasts have lost volume due to weight loss or pregnancy. However, if your breasts have dropped lower, or your nipples appear to be low or pointed downward, then mastopexy will more likely be the procedure you need. If you wish to add volume as well as lift and tighten the breast then a breast implant can be placed along with the lift. If you are in the process of having children it is often best to wait until you are done before you have breast lift surgery as future pregnancies can cause further changes to the shape of your breasts.
How It’s Done
The type of breast lift performed depends entirely on what your breasts look like to start, how much lift you desire, and how comfortable you are with the idea of mastopexy incision scars. Dr. Platis is careful to minimize incisions as much as possible and when they have healed they are as faint as possible. Having said that, Dr. Platis feels that a well shaped breast with faint incision scars is far more attractive than a poorly shaped breast with fewer incision scars. The key is to get the most lift with the least amount of incision scar and Dr. Platis will discuss this with you at length during your consultation.
If you have decided to use a breast implant, surgery begins with placement of the implant. Then, with the breast implant in place, Dr. Platis lifts and tightens the breast tissue to restore a more youthful, attractive shape to your breasts. If no breast implant is being used, then the lift is performed first. If you think of the skin as a brassiere that gives shape to the breast tissue, then the mastopexy procedure tailors the skin to provide a tighter, better shaped bra, and therefore a perkier breast. At no time is the nipple separated from the breast tissue although this is a common misperception. After surgery you are placed in a surgical bra with fluffy dressings and these stay in place until you see Dr Platis again several days later.
Recovery from Breast Lift Surgery
Patients report to Dr. Platis that they experience very little discomfort with breast lift surgery. If a breast implant is placed as well this usually causes more soreness than the lift. You return home on the same day as your procedure and can return to normal daily activities within one week. Dr. Platis recommends that you avoid strenuous exertion for two weeks. After all bandages are removed you may start using scar fading gels that minimize the visibility of your incision scars and accelerate the healing time. Although there is an immediate improvement in shape, your final result will not be apparent for several months.
