Breast Lift / Mastopexy Information Resource for Southern California, including Orange County, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, San Diego, and Beverly Hills.
Breast Lift
Breast Lift Procedures
The type of breast lift procedure that you need depends on how much your breast tissue sags. The single most important measurement that determines which procedure is necessary is the relationship of the nipple to the inframammary fold (IMF) as outlined below. The measurements are not absolute, but they give you a very good idea of what is necessary for correction. Keep in mind that a concurrent breast augmentation will fill extra volume and, therefore, will decrease the need to remove a lot of the skin envelope. This may make it possible to perform the least invasive lift.
There are four common breast lifts:
- Augmentation alone.
- Augmentation with Donut Lift.
- Augmentation with Lollipop Lift.
- Augmentation with Anchor Lift.
Augmentation alone
Depending on the size of the implant used, breast sag can be corrected by augmentation alone when the nipple is at least at the level of the IMF or above. If it is lower, some form of lift will most likely be necessary. It is considered somewhat controversial since you must weigh the advantages of a properly positioned nipple versus a scar that goes completely around the areola. This is a decision that you and your plastic surgeon must make together, after an informed discussion. If you are then still on the fence about whether you want to have a lift, you can take some solace in knowing that it can be done as a secondary procedure after the augmentation, usually under local anesthesia.
If your nipples are at the level of or above the breast fold, you are an excellent candidate for a breast augmentation. This will elevate the nipples, fill the upper breast, and increase cleavage, all without a visible scar.
Peri-areolar breast lift
The Peri-areolar breast lift is also know as a Donut Mastopexy or a Benelli Mastopexy. This type of breast lift is best when the nipples are no lower than 2 cm below the breast fold. This procedure involves excising the appropriate amount of breast tissue around the areola so that the nipple/areola are positioned on top of the breast mound. This procedure creates a small amount of rippling at the incision but this usually goes away within a year or less.
The Donut breast lift is most useful for women whose nipples are no more than 2 cm below the breast fold and in conjunction with an implant.
Of note, women with a significant amount of natural breast tissue usually require a more aggressive lift than women who have little breast tissue, even if the nipples are at the same level. This is part of the art that goes into breast lifting, and this is why it is imperative to have an experienced board certified plastic surgeon performing the surgery.
Peri-areolar with vertical incision breast lift
When the nipple descends greater than 2 cm below the IMF, it is often necessary to incorporate a vertical incision because of the additional skin that must be removed. This creates a much more attractive, round, full shape within the lower breast.
The Lollipop breast lift is best when the nipple is greater than 2 cm
but less than 4cm below the IMF.
As breasts sag, they tend to flatten at the top, lose cleavage, and take on a rectangular shape at the bottom. In these patients, a Peri-areolar breast lift may lift the nipple to the right location, but it will not address this saggy, rectangular appearance. The vertical incision breast lift will remove the excess tissue and create a much more rounded, youthful appearance.
A "lollipop" breast lift is best when the nipple needs to be raised a moderate amount; i.e., when it is approximately 2 to 4 cm below the breast fold. Goals of this procedure are fuller upper breast, more cleavage, better nipple positioning, and transition from a hanging rectangular appearance to a projected round appearance.
Peri-areolar with vertical and horizontal incision breast lift
Many variables determine when this horizontal incision becomes necessary. It is easy to see in the following text just how the procedure must be individually matched to each patient.
When the skin excess is greater than even the vertical incision can take up, it is necessary to remove the rest via a transverse incision. Sometimes even the plastic surgeon is not sure whether it is necessary until the operation begins. The length of the horizontal incision is, once again, determined by the amount of redundant skin.
An Anchor breast lift is usually necessary when nipples have
descended
4 cm or more.
With Dr. Cruise's technique of breast lifting, the horizontal scars are minimized so that they are hidden completely underneath the breast. This allows his patients to wear bikinis or low-cut dresses without concern that the scar will be seen.
Breast Lift / Mastopexy Information Resource for Orange County, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego, Beverly Hills, and Southern California