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Breast lift, also called mastopexy, is a surgical procedure which is used to lift sagging breasts (ptosis) that have lost their firmness. The word “mastopexy” means fixation of a pendulous breast, but in mastopexy tissues are only repositioned.
Breast lift can be performed in healthy women of any age.
This procedure is not advisable for women who are pregnant, girls that have not yet completed their growth or women who are in the post-partum period. It is important to understand that a fertile woman who has had a mastopexy and after some time gets pregnant, she might require a new surgery to reshape breasts. If you have considered losing weight, it is better to do it before having the breast lift.
Mammary ptosis
Ptosis is a condition characterized by the progressive drooping of breasts.
Also, ptosis is a natural part of the aging process in women, which may be the consequence of hormonal changes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, gravity and obesity. Ptosis occurs when the tissue support structures in the breast become stretched and weakened.
Breasts, which contain the mammary glands, do not have muscular structure for exercising response. That´s the reason why efforts for improving breast tone and firmness are unsuccessful.
Preventing saggy breasts:
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Wearing a bra all the time may delay the effects of gravity on breasts.
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Select the correct size and style of bra that gives you the comfort and support your breasts need. |
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Breast ptosis will occur any time, with or without implants. |
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Although many women with implants go without bra, it is advisable to wear a support bra to help preventing saggy.
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Try to maintain your weight. Avoid rapid or frequent changes in weight, as they may affect the support structures of breasts. |
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Breastfeeding is a beautiful experience for the mother and the baby. Do not refrain of breastfeeding because of fear to ruin the shape of your breasts. |
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The candidate to mastopexy
Breast lift is recommended for women with pendulous breasts and adequate breast tissue, in other words when breasts present ptosis and excessive stretched skin. If the patient has enough breast tissue, the surgeon may sculpt a conical breast without using implants. While if patient´s breast are sagging but small, the surgeon may recommend implants.
Preoperative breast evaluation and nipple position
The distance from the collar bone to the nipples defines the breast height in each woman. For Latin women this distance may be from 18 to 29 cm. This distance increases in taller women from 21-22 cm, and for small stature women there is an average distance of 16, 5-17 cm. Since the body is not perfectly symmetric, the preoperative evaluation confirms the natural differences in the size and shape of the breasts. Most women surprisingly find that one breast is slightly different than the other.
Another important measurement is the space between the breasts. This distance may vary according to the shape of the women´s thorax.
This measurement should be taken with the patient lying down with the face up. Breasts´ position describes the exact distance between them. In this position, breasts should not move more than 2-3 cm.
In the preoperative evaluation for mastopexy, the nipple position in relation to the inframammary crease should be evaluated. If the nipple is under the inframammary crease, with the patient in erect position, breast implants along with mastopexy should be considered.
In the same way, determining the correct volume of breasts and the appropriate level of the nipple-areola complex should be evaluated. Also, the position and shape of the breasts in relation to the height and weight of the patient are critical when planning a mastopexy.
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