Breast Lift - What to Expect Before and After

Breast lift or mastopexy is a surgical procedure that helps to lift and shape sagging breasts, restoring a youthful contour. Before undergoing the procedure you must have a clear idea regarding why you want the surgery and what your expectations are. Before Breast Lift Surgery During your initial consultation with the plastic surgeon, you will be asked about your general health, medical conditions you have that may interfere with the surgery, and your aesthetic goals. The surgeon would perform a detailed physical exam and explain the details of the surgery. You will also be told about the factors that can affect the procedure, the type of surgical technique that will be used, the type of anesthesia that will be given and the recovery period. The surgeon may ask you to have a breast x-ray or mammogram before the surgery. You will have to stop smoking several weeks before the surgery because smoking may have a negative impact on healing. You can get the breast surgery done either at an outpatient surgical facility or at a hospital. Typically, it is a two to four hour procedure, but the time may differ with individual patients. Sometimes, local anesthesia is used in the procedure while at times the surgeon may use local anesthesia. With local anesthesia, only a part of the body is numbed. In other cases, general anesthesia may be administered which renders a person unconscious. What to Expect During Breast Lift Procedure? There may be a variation in the techniques used for removing breast skin and reshaping breast tissue. The location of the incisions would be determined by the technique chosen by the plastic surgeon. The incisions may be made either: • Around the areola - This is the dark area that surrounds the nipplesrn• Extending downwards to the breast creasesrn• Horizontally along the creases If necessary, the size of the areola may also be reduced. Excess breast skin will also be removed and the nipple would be shifted to a higher position. After the Procedure After the breast lift, the breasts would be covered with a surgical support bra and gauze. The surgeon may place small tubes at the site of the incision for draining excess fluid or blood. The breasts may appear bruised or swollen for around 2 weeks. Soreness and pain may be felt around the incisions. Numbness in the breast skin, areola and nipples will last for around 6 weeks. The first few days after the breast lift, pain medication should be taken as per the recommendations by the doctor. Lifting, bending and straining should be avoided. You should sleep on your side or back to keep the pressure off the breasts. Sexual activity should be avoided for at least 2 weeks after the procedure. Ask the doctor about resuming daily activities such as bathing, showering or washing your hair. Drainage tubes that are placed near the incisions would be removed within a few days. When the tubes are removed by the doctor, the bandages also would be removed or changed. The surgical support bra should be worn round the clock for around 4 days. The surgeon may recommend using silicone gel on the incisions to promote healing.