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Breast lift surgery or mastopexy will improve the appearance of sagging breasts by tightening and reshaping loose skin and breast tissue. The size of the areola and the position of the nipples are also improved with surgery. Dr. Gregory Park will help you decide if this surgery would be a good option for you.
Time and gravity, pregnancy and breast feeding, and weight fluctuations may have negative effects on your breasts. Sagging and the loss of breast shape and firmness occurs as the skin around the breasts loses elasticity. Surgery known as a Breast Lift or Mastopexy can be performed to elevate and reshape the breasts. If the areolae are large, the width can also be reduced at the time of surgery. For breasts that have become atrophied or deflated from nursing or weight loss, breast augmentation can be performed at the time of the breast lift surgery to increase size and improve firmness.
Healthy women with realistic goals are the best candidates for breast lift surgery. Women with small, ptotic or sagging breasts generally have long lasting results after surgery. Any sized breast can undergo a mastopexy, but women with larger, heavier breasts may require revision surgery in the future as the breasts continue to sag.
Pregnancy and breast feeding may result in stretched skin and breast atrophy. Because of the changes in the shape and volume of the breasts, many women look for a surgical solution to improve the appearance of their breasts. However, breast lift surgery should be delayed if you plan to have additional children. Future pregnancies and nursing may cause breast sagging again necessitating the need for another breast lift surgery.
Your Breast Lift will be performed by Dr. Greg Park at his office in Oceanside, CA.
There are three common incision patterns for a breast lift. The first is around the areola.
Around the areola and vertically down from the areola to the breast crease
Around the areola, vertically down from the breast crease and horizontally along the breast crease
To view Before & After Breast Lift photos, click photos above. Individual results may vary.
Each patient, as well as every surgeon, has different opinions of what is a desirable size and shape for breasts. The goal of your consultation with Dr. Park is to express your desired outcome and goals with surgery, gather information, and feel confident and assured with your decision when you schedule your surgery with us. After learning about your specific concerns about your breast shape and expectations with surgery, and examining the condition of your breast skin, size, shape, and nipple position, Dr. Park will formulate a surgical plan that will provide the best options to achieve your desired results.
Before your surgery, Dr. Park and his nurses will see you at your preoperative appointment. During this appointment you will get another opportunity to ask any additional questions you may have with regard to surgery and review all the details of surgery again.
You will be provided with prescriptions for medications required after surgery. You will also be provided with instructions to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on drinking, eating, smoking, and avoiding certain medications or supplements.
If you are 40 years or older or have a strong family history of breast cancer, a preoperative mammogram will be required before surgery.
While preparing for surgery, make sure to make arrangements to have a family member or friend drive you home after surgery. You may also want to have someone help you for a couple of days while you recover.
In most cases breast lifts are performed while you are asleep under general anesthesia. In a few cases, a small breast lift can be performed with a local anesthetic, oral pain medications and a sedative.
Breast lift surgery can take 1 1/2 to 3 hours. Mastopexy usually takes one and a half to three and a half hours. The anchor or upside-down T incision is the most common approach to lift and reshape the breasts. During surgery excess breast skin is removed and the nipple and areola are relocated to a higher position. Sutures are placed under the skin and the incisions are covered with steristrips.
A circumareolar (donut) or circumvertical (lollipop) breast lifts can be performed in women who have small breasts with mild sagging. These techniques use less extensive incisions to accomplish their breast lifts.
When a breast augmentation is planned with your mastopexy, the implants are placed either above or below the pectoralis muscle. After the implants are in position, the breast lift incisions are closed.
After surgery, expect some discomfort, bruising, and swelling for several days. Postoperative pain will be relieved by prescription medications. You will be instructed to wear a sports bra for one month to support the breasts while healing. The steristrips will either fall off or be removed after three weeks.
You may experience some numbness in the nipples and breast skin after surgery. This numbness generally improves over several weeks as the swelling subsides. Sensation changes may last a year or more, and in some cases it may be permanent.
The cost of a breast lift varies, because it is a highly individualized surgery tailored for each patient. The overall price may include anesthesia, operating room facilities, new breast implants, and other related expenses. Additional tests and imaging may also add to your total. Contact us for additional information.
Plan for some down time after surgery. It is recommended that you take a week or two off from work. With regard to contact, lifting or exercise, it is important that you avoid direct sexual contact, heavy lifting, or strenuous sports for at least one month. If you happen to become pregnant, your breast lift should not affect the ability to nurse, since the nipples and most of the ducts remain intact.
The position of the nipples and the shape and feel of the breasts will be improved after your breast lift, but scars are unavoidable. The scars may remain red and slightly raised for months, then gradually fade and become barely visible. Fortunately, the scars are placed so that you will not be able to see them even when wearing low-cut tops.
Your breast lift improvements may or may not stand up to effects of time, gravity, future pregnancies, nursing and weight changes. Women who undergo breast augmentation along with their mastopexy may experience longer lasting results.
Your satisfaction with a breast lift is likely to be greater if you understand the procedure thoroughly and if your expectations are realistic.
“Dr. Park, Thank you for making me look beautiful! I feel great thanks to you.”Best wishes, D.
To find out if you are a good candidate for breast lift or mastopexy surgery, call us at 760.655.1414 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Gregory Park. We look forward to helping you in achieving your goals.
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Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in Oceanside, California, Dr. Gregory Park provides a full range of plastic and reconstructive services at North Coast Plastic Surgery including cosmetic surgery of the face, neck, eyes, and nose, breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast reconstruction, revision cosmetic breast surgery, arm lifts, liposuction, tummy tuck, Botox, Fillers, and more...
Dr. Park was the Plastic Surgeon at my hospital. I was lucky to have such a wonderful and caring doctor. You hear people say how one person changed their life. I now understand because Dr. Park did that for me. It's a wonderful feeling when you meet a doctor who truly cares.