Gravity and child bearing are no friends of women’s breasts. Any woman who has naturally full breast can attest to the fact that after child birth, your breast become flat and saggy, and for those women that don’t have children, their breast will eventually get that way too, due to aging and gravity. This unfortunate fact is why so many women are opting to undergo surgical breast lifts, a procedure that repositions the nipple to a more youthful position and regains upper breast fullness and cleavage.
Most women can tell if they have sagging breast by looking in the mirror. However, another good way to tell is by putting a pen underneath the breast, and if the pen is held in place by the breast tissue, you could likely benefit from a breast lift. The benefits are cosmetic, but also practical, as breasts lift allows for better fitting clothes and less strain on the upper back and better posture.
All breast procedures are not the same, as women with different shapes want different things for their bodies. A breast lift can reshape the breast tissue that you have, reduce the size of the breasts, or enhance the breast tissue with implants. The one commonality being perkier breasts that look and feel more youthful after the procedure.
The breast lift surgery takes about 3 hours and is done under general anesthesia. The surgeon will determine an incision pattern depending on the level of sagging, amount of breast tissue and excess skin. The four types of incisions are the anchor incision, lollipop lift, donut lift and crescent lift. The larger incisions are needed for women with the highest degree of sagging and breast tissue.
After the incision, excess breast tissue and skin are removed and the nipple is repositioned. If an implant is used, it will be inserted, then the skin will be brought down around the repositioned nipple and the incisions are sewn closed with sutures. The surgeon will place the sutures so scarring will be least noticeable.
After your surgery your breasts will be wrapped in gauze and bandage. This compression garment may or may not hold drainage tubes to your breasts for a short period of time. If a more extensive lift is required (in which the lower portion of breast tissue requires rearrangement or removal to help lift the breast) a drain may be required. The purpose of a drain is to help prevent the accumulation of fluid within the breast which may cause a seroma or hematoma. After care procedures and possible side effects or complications will be discussed with you before you’re released to go home.
In the days following a breast lift procedure, you will have to sleep on your back and may require the aid of pain medication. Your breasts will be red, swollen and bruised after the surgery, but should diminish within a few weeks. Bending, straining, reaching and lifting should be avoided during the first few weeks post procedure to avoid more bleeding and extended recovery, but you should be able to return to work after one week. After your stitches are removed, a support bra should be worn for a minimum of three weeks to further aid recovery and diminish swelling.
Like any surgery, a breast lift takes some time to fully recover, but based on reviews written by women that have undergone the procedure, it’s well worth the sacrifice. In over 2,300 reviews on RealSelf.com, 96% of women say it was worth it. It lessens back, neck and shoulder pain, improves posture, but the major side effect women noticed was their greatly improved self-confidence.
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- The Breast Lift Procedure – January 11, 2016
