Breast Lift

There is no such thing as “perfect” breasts. However, certain features, such as roundness and a lifted position on the chest, are associated with a youthful appearance. Women often feel frustrated when the natural effects of age or breastfeeding cause their breasts to droop.

A mastopexy or breast lift procedure addresses breast sagging, asymmetry, loss of shape or volume, and stretched or drooping areolae to give breasts an overall more attractive and youthful appearance. While aging and heredity are perhaps the most common causes of sagging breasts, other factors such as pregnancy, nursing, and weight fluctuations can also contribute.

*Individual results may vary.

Learn More About Breast Lift

Many patients elect to have a breast lift with breast augmentation. A combined augmentation and breast lift may be suitable for patients who desire to correct breast asymmetry, restore volume loss due to age or nursing, or enhance breast shape and size.

One common component of breast sagging is a lack of fullness in the upper portion of the breast. This lack of “upper pole” fullness frequently recurs or remains a problem following the breast lift. Therefore, even if the patient is not seeking an actual breast enlargement, sometimes a small implant may be recommended to help maintain fullness in the breast. Alternatively, when a patient only requires a mild breast lift and has little excess breast tissue, it is occasionally possible to achieve a lifted appearance with breast implants alone and no mastopexy. While this is an option for some patients, the vast majority will require a full breast lift to reduce sagging.

Candidates for a breast lift with or without augmentation should be overall healthy non-smokers. Any procedure that requires the skin to be lifted and reshaped, such as a breast lift, poses a challenge to the blood supply of the skin. Smoking significantly reduces the quality of blood flow and leads to an increased risk of major complications, including skin loss or loss of the areola itself. For this reason, Dr. Rapaport will not perform this procedure on any patient who continues to smoke. Breast lift patients must quit all smoking for six weeks before the procedure and a minimum of two weeks following the procedure.

What is essential to understand about the breast lift procedure is that it will involve scars on the breast. This means there are tradeoffs. When a breast has minimal sagging, the scars related to a breast lift may not be worth it, but they may be in cases of significant sagging. Your surgeon will discuss all these considerations in detail during your consultation to help you determine the best option. Every individual scars differently, and our doctors review with each patient what they consider to be the likely type of scarring they can expect. This relates largely to skin color, age, and the exact type of breast lift being performed.

Even though there is a scar surrounding the areola, the areola rarely needs to be removed from the breast, except in cases of truly severe breast sagging. Usually, the areola is left attached to the underlying breast tissue so that there is no disruption in sensation or ability to breastfeed.

Breast lifts are one of the most technically demanding cosmetic surgery procedures. Therefore, you must be very careful in selecting an experienced and thorough plastic surgeon to perform a breast lift. Dr. David Rapaport is a board-certified surgeon with decades of experience, known for his minimally invasive techniques and detailed approach to each patient’s unique needs.

Dr. Rapaport performs most breast lift procedures with or without simultaneous augmentation at his fully accredited on-site surgical facility in Manhattan. A breast lift typically takes between one and four hours, depending on the case’s complexity. Our board-certified anesthesiologist will administer general anesthesia and monitor the patient throughout the procedure.

Once anesthesia is administered, your surgeon will make small incisions to reposition the breast tissue. Not all breast lifts are the same. If a relatively small amount of lifting is needed, there may only be an incision around the areola. When breasts are significantly saggy, a vertical incision may also be needed running from the bottom of the areola to the fold under the breast (also known as a “lollipop” incision). In other cases, there will also be a horizontal incision at or near the fold under the breast, commonly called an anchor incision.

Since the procedure is performed with general anesthesia, you will need a friend or family member to drive you home. All breast lift patients wear a surgical bra following surgery and have dressings over the incisions for about two weeks. Patients can expect some bruising, swelling, and discomfort. Your surgeon may prescribe pain medication, but many patients need only over-the-counter medication to alleviate soreness.

Most breast lift surgery patients resume their daily routines within one week; however, patients are advised to take it very easy for two weeks following their mastopexy. You must wait at least three weeks before resuming exercise or other strenuous activities. Patients should also be extremely gentle with their breasts for six weeks following surgery.

The effects of a breast lift are immediate, though they become more apparent in a few months when swelling subsides. Breast lift results are typically permanent, but the surgery does not prevent continued aging. Gravity will eventually cause further sagging over time. Weight fluctuations can also undo the effects of mastopexy. Patients may choose to have a secondary or revision breast lift several years later. If you have breast augmentation included in your breast lift, the implants should last a decade or more.

Take the Next Step

Every patient’s transformation journey at Rapaport Plastic Surgery begins with a detailed consultation with Dr. Rapaport. To learn more about mastopexy and determine if it’s the right choice for you, fill out the form below or call us at (212) 249-9955 to schedule an appointment. Our team is dedicated to providing the best plastic surgery NYC has to offer.

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