Breasts can change as people age. They can become less firm and elastic due to various reasons. Your breasts can also start sagging after a pregnancy as a results of stretching. Weight changes can stretch your breast skin and cause a loss of elasticity. Gravity can also cause them to sag. Fortunately, a breast lift can restore your breast firmness.
What Is a Breast Lift?
A breast lift is a surgery performed by a plastic surgeon to change the shape of the breast. Most people who choose to have the procedure have sagging breasts or nipples that point down. Breast lifts do not alter the size of breasts but instead help reposition and reshape the breasts.
What Happens During a Breast Lift Procedure?
The technique used during the procedure determines the incision locations and resulting scars. Your plastic surgeon can make incisions around your areola or from the areola extending to your breast creases. They can also cut horizontally along the creases.
Your plastic surgeon will stitch deep into your breasts. Doing so will help with reshaping your breast tissue. The stitches can also resize your areolae. They will shift your nipples higher by removing your excess breast skin and bringing together the remaining breast skin. They will then stitch the incision to close them up. They can also use skin adhesives or surgical tape.
A breast lift surgery may take around two to three hours.
What to Expect After the Breast Lift Procedure
Your plastic surgeon will cover your breasts with gauze after the procedure. You will also have a surgical support bra. Excess fluid or blood will get drained out of the surgical site through small tubes that your plastic surgeon may place at your incisions.
Expect to have bruised and swollen breasts for up to two weeks after the procedure. The soreness and pain will be mostly at the incision site. The incisions will also be pink and red for a few months after the surgery. You will experience numbness in your breast skin, areola, and nipples for up to six weeks.
Your plastic surgeon will advise you to take pain medication during the first days after the surgery. They will also tell you when you can resume your daily activities, such as bathing or washing your hair.
The drainage tubes near your incisions will get removed after a few days. Your plastic surgeon will change your bandage then. They will talk to you about when they will remove your stitches or if the stitches will dissolve.
You will have to wear your surgical support bra for up to four days. Then you will change into a soft support bra for three to four weeks. Your plastic surgeon may suggest that you use silicone gel or tape on the incisions to help promote healing. Ideally, avoid exposing your breasts to the sun as you heal.
Breast Lift Risks
Although uncommon, below are some of the risks posed by doing a breast lift:
Changes in breast or nipple sensation
Scarring
Total or partial loss of the areolae or nipple
Difficulty breastfeeding
Uneven breast size or shape
How Long It Takes to See Results
You will notice the breast lift results immediately after your surgery. However, the breast shape will keep changing and settling over the next couple of months. The scars may look lumpy and red at first.
Your bra size may become smaller as the surgery will cause your breasts to be rounder and firmer. However, your breasts can lose elasticity as you age, especially for people with heavier and bigger breasts. Eating a healthy diet can help retain your breast lift results.
For more about breast lift results, call Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa at our office in San Diego, California at 858-264-3800 with any questions or to book a breast lift consultation today.
