Breast Lift

A mastopexy is a breast surgery done under general anesthesia and is usually an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home the same day of surgery.

There are several versions of the breast lift, but they all involve repositioning the breast tissue and tightening the overlying skin. To tighten the skin over the breast, some skin is removed using one of the following techniques:

• Periareolar Mastopexy – If the nipple only needs to be moved up slightly, a periareolar breast lift may be an option. This involves a scar around the edge of the areola only. However, this type of breast lift is rarely used by Dr. Rodriguez due to the tendency of the scar to widen over time, causing the areola to widen as well.
• Vertical Mastopexy – This breast lift involves a scar around the edge of the areola and from the lower part of the areola down to the crease under the breast. This is commonly referred to as a “lollipop” incision and is used by Dr. Rodriguez for patients that have a mild amount of loose skin at the breasts.
• Wise Mastopexy – This type of breast lift leaves the same scar as a vertical lift but with the addition of a scar in the crease under the breast. A Wise mastopexy is also commonly called an “anchor” lift. This technique is often used if a moderate to significant amount of skin needs to be removed from the breast to create an improved position and shape. This is the most common type of mastopexy Dr. Rodriguez performs.

In almost every breast lift, the areola is made smaller to be more proportionate to the size and shape of the breast once it is lifted. Mastopexy incisions are closed with dissolvable stitches, and a soft bra placed on your chest.

Breast lift surgery takes two to three hours in most cases. After the operation, you will have a soft bra placed on chest. You should not wear an underwire bra until cleared by Dr. Rodriguez. Most patients can return to work one week after surgery and can start exercising again after four weeks of recovery.

Scar therapy using a silicone product, such as silicone sheets or silicone gel, is recommended to optimize the long-term appearance of the scars. Many women are nervous about the scars from a breast lift, but they usually fade quite nicely over time for most patients.

The most visible portion of the breast lift scar is the vertical incision. For this reason, Dr. Rodriguez uses extra measures to make that portion of the scar look as good as possible. Dr. Rodriguez uses Brijjit tension-reducing devices on this incision to create a thinner, softer scar. She usually applies these at the time of surgery and again 3-4 weeks after the procedure. Brijjits are pain-free to apply and wear since they gently lay on the skin and remain in place with the built-in adhesive.