Many women are quite satisfied with their breast volume in a bra, but are a little less comfortable with the shape of the breast when the bra comes off. Whether your breast is just too droopy or your nipples are pointing at the floor, Dr. Albright, plastic surgeon in San Antonio, has a solution! With a breast lift (mastopexy), he can reposition the droopy breast tissue back up on the chest while also centering the nipple on the mound. Need the areola (pigmented skin around the nipple) to be smaller? He can do that too during the same breast lift surgery.
For patients who may want slightly more fullness but not enough to warrant a breast implant or who don’t want to worry about future issues with breast implants, Dr. Albright can frequently add your own fat (removed with liposuction from another location on your body) to the breast to add some volume and improve overall contour. Fat Transfer Surgery is a more natural filler for your breasts than silicone. The one limitation for this technique is that it does not maintain a full round upper pole of the breast out of clothes like an implant can. Dr. Albright will be able to discuss this with you during your consultation. Check out Breast Lift 101 Blog for a full summary of the procedure and what to expect.
Patients are often worried and confused by the incisions and resulting scars needed to perform a breast lift. Dr. Albright will help clarify what options are best to create a more youthful and perkier breast while minimizing the amount of scars placed on the breast.
Dr. Albright wants all of his patients to get the best result possible. What we do after breast lift surgery is just as important as the surgery itself. Most patients will have 2 weeks with minimal reaching/pulling with the arms, and less than 20 pounds lifting of weight. This is followed by 2 more weeks of less than 45 pounds lifting, but you may reach and pull with the arms. In total, there will be 4 weeks of no intense exercise and you will be in a bra 24/7 except for showering. After these 4 weeks, most patients may begin to advance exercise as tolerated. In general the breast volume will be stable around 2 months after surgery, and the breast shape out-of-clothes will settle by 4 months after surgery. The scars will take about 8-12 months to be considered mature.
Many women are reasonably concerned about changes in nipple function after a breast lift. The most common concerns are nipple sensation, and ability to breast feed. Fewer than one-third of patients will develop decreased sensation of one nipple after breast lift surgery, and, only extremely rarely, both nipples. Additionally, although Dr. Albright can not guarantee one’s ability to breast-feed after breast lift surgery, most of his patients are able to breast-feed after breast lift surgery if they desire, as the nipple still remains attached to milk ducts and milk-producing glandular tissue. Patients are also concerned about the scars placed around the areola (the pigmented skin around the areola). However, for most patients this is far outweighed by the improved appearance of the nipple and areola. Dr. Albright is able to make a stretched areola smaller and more proportionate to the breast mound. The incision also helps to more clearly define the outline of the areola, and, in many cases, highlight the nipple creating a more pleasing overall breast.
Schedule a consultation with Alamo Plastic Surgery to have all your questions answered.
