Breast Lift
Conveniently located to serve the areas of Pittsburgh, PA
A breast lift (mastopexy) is a procedure that improves the shape of the breasts and lifts them for a more youthful, curvy appearance. The procedure is designed for women who want “perkier” breasts, but not an increase in overall size. Aging, nursing, and weight fluctuation can all result in volume loss that affects body proportions. In 2023, specialists performed more than 153,000 breast lifts to help patients enhance their figures. (1)
At Beleza Plastic Surgery, Dr. Anna Wooten has helped many women transform their bodies for a curvier look with customizable breast lifts. The way you feel about your body can affect your quality of life– do not wait to prioritize yourself.
Contact our office or call 724-759-7777 to schedule your breast lift consultation.
Contents
Before and After Photos
About Breast Lifts
Over time, a woman’s breasts change shape and lose their firmness. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, aging, gravity, and weight changes. With a breast lift, Dr. Wooten repositions the breast mound by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape it. She can also reduce the size of the areolas for a proportional, balanced look. There are several types of breast lifts we can perform depending on your needs.
Breast Lift With Auto-Augmentation (Brazilian Breast Lift)
If you would like to increase the volume of your breasts without implants, we can use the excess tissue that we remove during a breast lift to add volume and enhance your breast shape. The subtle procedure is ideal for patients who would like a curvier figure without synthetic implants or a fat transfer– harvesting fat from one area of your body and injecting it into another to improve your body proportions. However, it is important to remember that a breast lift does not significantly change the size of your breasts. Rather, it is designed to change the contour and position of your breasts.
This “Brazilian breast lift” method provides long-lasting fullness to the upper breast pole. The procedure is similar to a traditional breast lift, except that the breast is augmented with the patient’s tissue. The discreet incision extends around the areola with a vertical scar extending down to the crease of the breast. Dr. Wooten performs the Brazilian breast lift for Beleza’s cosmetic surgery patients who desire long-lasting volume in the upper pole of the breast without an actual implant.
Breast Lift With Implants
It’s common for patients to also want to increase cup size. In these cases, we can place breast implants to increase the volume of your breasts. The combination of the two procedures can help women achieve a firmer, more youthful bust. There are obvious advantages to lifting and enlarging the breasts at the same time, as opposed to having two separate procedures. The patient will only have to undergo one recovery period as opposed to two.
Benefits
After a breast lift, you can enjoy several benefits, including:
- Smoother skin: After removing excess skin from the breasts and reducing wrinkles, you can enjoy smoother skin and a curvier, more youthful appearance.
- Balanced body proportions: Improving the shape of your breasts and lifting them can improve your body proportions.
- Improved self-confidence: Many women feel better about their bodies after the procedure and can enjoy feeling beautiful in different types of clothing.
- Better fitting bras: After a breast lift, many women find that their bras fit better and they feel more comfortable in their clothing.
- Lasting results: If you take good care of your body and maintain a stable weight, you can enjoy results for many years.
Candidates
Suitable candidates for a breast lift would like to reposition and raise their breasts for a curvier, more youthful body shape. If you would like to reduce the size of the areolas as well, Dr. Wooten can customize the procedure, making it an attractive option for many patients. You are likely a good candidate for the procedure if you are experiencing:
- Droopy skin that makes fitting into bras difficult
- Changes to the shape of your breasts after weight loss or pregnancy
- Asymmetry that affects the way your clothing fits
- Droopy areolas that point downward
Candidates for a breast lift should have reasonable expectations about what they can achieve with the procedure. They will also need to take good care of their bodies and maintain a stable weight. If you are planning to have children, we recommend that you wait to have a breast lift because pregnancy can affect your results.
Personal Consultation
During your consultation, please come prepared to discuss your goals, current medications, previous surgery, any family history of breast cancer, and past mammogram results. We will evaluate your general health status, perform a physical examination of your breasts, and take measurements and photographs. Dr. Wooten will also discuss your options and recommend a course of treatment.
Preparation
We will develop a personalized plan to meet your specific needs. To prepare for your procedure, you will need to complete preoperative lab tests and breast imaging. You may also need to discontinue certain medications.
Procedure
During your procedure, we will cleanse your skin and administer anesthesia. Dr. Wooten will make a thin incision to remove excess tissue and reposition your breasts:
- Crescent or Donut: The incision extends around the edge of the areola
- Lollipop: We can reposition the breasts with an incision around the areola that extends vertically to the breast crease
- Anchor: If you have a significant amount of excess skin, we can make a lollipop incision that also extends horizontally along the lower breast fold (2)
We will lift and reshape the underlying tissue, reposition the areola and nipple, reduce the size of enlarged areolas, and remove any excess skin to compensate for a loss of elasticity. The procedure takes 2-3 hours. We may recommend the use of a supportive tissue scaffolding, called mesh, for certain patients to reinforce the strength of the woman’s breast tissue.
For breast augmentation lifts, Dr. Wooten can make a pocket in the breast tissue to place the implant– either behind the chest muscle (submuscular) or in front of it (subfascial placement). (3)
Recovery
After surgery, you will remain in the recovery room for 1-2 hours before you go home. It may take about a week before you are able to return to work. One to two weeks after your breast lift surgery, you should be able to resume many aspects of your normal routine. You most likely will be wearing a compression bra in order to decrease postoperative discomfort and encourage proper healing for up to six weeks after surgery. Soreness and swelling will resolve within weeks. However, you will not be able to lift anything or engage in strenuous exercise for six weeks post-operatively.
The incisions from your surgery will heal and fade over time. Dr. Wooten minimizes her incisions and places them carefully along the natural folds of your skin to conceal them. After surgery, Beleza offers patients an in-office laser scar therapy protocol coupled with a take-home silicone scar gels and silicone sheeting protocol. This plan of care helps ensure optimal incision line healing.
Results
The results of your breast lift surgery are immediately visible. The final results will become more apparent over the next few months as the swelling resolves and your breasts fully heal. Unless you gain or lose a significant amount of weight or become pregnant, your new breast shape should remain fairly constant. However, gravity and the effects of aging will eventually alter the size and shape of any woman’s breasts. These results should be long-lasting, although your breasts will likely continue to change due to gravity and age. To retain your new look as long as possible, keep a healthy lifestyle and maintain your current weight.
The Cost of a Breast Lift in Pittsburg
The cost of a breast lift varies depending on whether or not you are incorporating implants into your procedure. During your consultation, we can explain all prices and how they contribute to your final quote. This quote is all-inclusive, covering pre-op appointments, post-op checkups, the actual breast lift surgery, and other necessary products or services provided by Beleza.
Contact our office or call 724-759-7777 to learn more about how a breast lift can help you achieve a more defined figure.
FAQ
Will a breast lift surgery leave scars?
We take care to make discreet incisions along the natural folds of your skin that are easy to conceal. We can also provide aftercare instructions to minimize scarring for the best results.
Is a breast lift a painful procedure and what can I expect during my recovery?
We administer anesthesia for a comfortable procedure. Swelling or discomfort afterward can be alleviated with over-the-counter medication and following your surgeon’s recovery instructions.
When can I resume normal activities?
We recommend that you move–gently–as much as possible during the first week. Most patients can return to work after 1-2 weeks. It is important to avoid any strenuous activity or lifting for longer.
References
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons ® Endorsed Partner. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/statistics/2023/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2023.pdf
- Qureshi, A. A., Myckatyn, T. M., & Tenenbaum, M. M. (2018). Mastopexy and Mastopexy-Augmentation. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 38(4), 374–384. https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjx181
- Pelc Z, Skórzewska M, Kurylcio A, et al. Current Challenges in Breast Implantation. Medicina. 2021;57(11):1214. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57111214