Breast Lift (With and Without Implants)


Introduction

If you find that your breast are sagging, either due to age, genetics, childbearing or weight loss, a breast lift may be just the thing to make your breasts perkier. Depending upon the amount of breast tissue present, you may wish to have an implant inserted during your breast lift procedure to give you your desired volume. Conversely, some women who initially desire a breast implant find that a lift will also be necessary to get the best result.

Dr. Soto will examine you thoroughly and discuss the best option to create the look you desire.


Ideal Candidates

A healthy adult woman of any age and with realistic goals for her breast appearance is an ideal candidate. If you are 35 or older, we will ask you to get a mammogram prior to your procedure, so that you will have an “original mapping” of how the breasts appeared prior to the breast lift. If abnormalities are found in the mammogram, these must be treated before your procedure. If you plan to have children, we suggest that you delay any breast lift surgery until you have completed your family, because your breasts will be affected by pregnancy, and the benefits of the breast lift may be lost with subsequent childbearing and nursing.

As a rule, the majority of women who have had either a breast lift or breast implants have no problems breastfeeding, but if you do plan to breastfeed at any time following either an implant procedure or a breast lift (with or without implants), be sure to discuss this with Dr. Soto at your consultation.


How It's Done

Your procedure will take approximately 2-3 hours and will be performed either under sedation with local anesthesia or general anesthesia, in Dr. Soto’s accredited on-site surgical suite. Dr. Soto will make an incision around the areola and vertically between the areola and the fold of the breast, and in some cases in the fold as well. When the breast has been lifted to its final position, the areola is replaced at a higher position. Excess skin is removed and incisions closed to minimize scarring as much as possible.

If you and Dr. Soto have agreed to perform a breast augmentation with your breast lift, the implant will be placed under the muscle or breast tissue.

A drain may be used to help clear the surgery site. If so, they are generally removed in about 48 hours.


Recovery

You will need to wear a supportive bra 24 hours a day for up to a month. Most of our patients feel up to their usual routine in about a week, though you will not be fully healed for about a month. We recommend that you avoid raising your arms over your head or performing any exercises that use the chest muscles for about a month (8 weeks if implants have been placed). Although results are immediate, some swelling and bruising will be apparent, and settling will occur. The final results will take about three months to appear.

If your breast lift includes an implant, it’s important to remember that breast implants are not permanent. If you receive silicone breast implants, we recommend an MRI about every two to three years, as any damage to a silicone implant will not be evident to you. We suggest that you visit us every year after implant surgery, so we can confirm that your implants are still functioning as they should. If they need to be replaced, it’s generally a simple procedure to do so.









All photos on this site are models or stock photos, not patients.