In many cases, a breast lift has the ability to not only correct the appearance of the breasts, but may also greatly improve a woman’s health and help her feel better. Because of this, a breast lift is one of the most satisfying procedures available for a woman.

What can a breast lift do?

For many women, the desire for a breast lift comes as the breasts begin to sag. This can be a result of pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss, or simple aging. A breast lift, or mastopexy, can improve sagging breasts and provide a perkier, firmer, more attractive appearance. A breast lift isn’t about making breasts larger; rather, the procedure focuses on lifting and shaping the breasts and/or areolae to be more proportional and balanced, which can also help with back and neck pain. A breast lift can:

Restore shape after pregnancy and nursing
Restore shape after weight loss
Achieve perkiness for sagging breasts

Surgical details

By removing stretched-out skin, re-shaping the breast tissue, and lifting the areola and nipple, Dr. Linville will can achieve a more sculpted and attractive contour. The procedure uses general anesthesia, and typically takes two to three hours (unless it is being performed along with a breast augmentation or breast reduction).

Dr. Linville will make incisions, remove expendable skin, and lift the breast tissue to a higher chest position. The natural breast tissue is then re-shaped to achieve a perkier and firmer appearance. The areola and nipple are also re-positioned to an area that is balanced with the breasts. Often, enlarged areolas are reduced in size and excess breast skin is removed to achieve a more toned look. After this, the remaining skin is tightened as the incisions are closed.

Breast Lift with BodyTite

Many breast lift patients who want the benefits of the surgery without the actual surgery choose the BodyTite™ method, a non-surgical option for a breast lift procedure.

How does it work?

This procedure uses radiofrequency assisted lipolysis to tighten and raise sagging breast tissue at the same time, and is minimally invasive (no scars, and little downtime).

A breast lift with BodyTite is a great alternative to surgery, as there is only minor swelling, bruising, tenderness, and soreness. Results from a BodyTite breast lift are immediately visible; however, the results will peak about six to twelve months later.

Treatment details

The treatments are done under general or local anesthesia, and take about an hour to two hours, depending on your specific needs. Your surgeon will make tiny incisions in the breasts, and will then insert the BodyTite wand into the breast tissue to tighten and lift the tissue using radiofrequency heat energy. The wand also includes an electrode that passes over the external skin as the interior part of the wand does its work within the skin.

Signs you may need a breast lift

There are many indicators that a breast lift may be very beneficial to you. You may look and feel much better after a breast lift if:

You’re embarrassed by your breasts
You always have indentions in your skin from bra straps
Your breasts limit certain activities for you
You have irregularly-shaped or stretched areolas
Your nipples hang below the bottom crease of your breasts
You have chronic back pain
Your breasts changed due to significant weight loss
Your breasts changed due to pregnancy/nursing

Breast Lift Before & After

Your initial consultation

During your consultation, Dr. Linville will discuss your medical history, lifestyle, body type, and personal aesthetic goals to determine the ideal procedure technique and incision placement for you.

Other factors that will be taken into consideration include your breast size and shape, your skin quality and elasticity, how much breast sagging you have, how much excess skin you have, and the size and position of your areolas. If you have concerns about scars, Dr. Linville will discuss this with you during your consultation as well.

Recovery

After your breast lift procedure, you will be given a surgical bra to help support your breasts. The majority of patients take a week off from work (three if the job is physically demanding). During that week, patients commonly experience soreness, tenderness, bleeding, and swelling. A small percentage of patients also experience tightness or skin numbness around the incision site(s). Avoid any added pressure on your chest, as well as sleeping on your stomach. Heavy lifting and strenuous exercise should be avoided for two to three weeks post-surgery.

Breast augmentation with a lift

Many of our Austin patients choose to add a breast augmentation to their breast lift. While the lift alone elevates the nipple and areola and removes excess skin, adding implants will restore youthful volume to the area. When combining these two transformative procedures, you can enhance your cup size and sculpt a more youthful figure.

The benefits

A variety of lifestyle factors, including running, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations, and the natural aging process, can all contribute to drooping breasts. When this occurs, a breast lift combined with implants can create:

Enhanced breast shape and symmetry
Larger, more youthful breasts
A more proportionate figure

Is this procedure right for you?

Blending the shaping benefits of a breast lift with the volumizing advantages of augmentation can maximize the results you see after surgery. In general, our surgeons recommend this approach if:

Nipples point downward. In cases of extensive drooping, implants alone will not create a satisfactory outcome. A lift will be necessary as well to elevate the tissues.
Breasts are flat. Breasts that have flattened out due to pregnancy, breastfeeding, or the natural aging process will typically require a lift and implants to restore volume to the area.
You want fuller breasts. A lift alone cannot create volume on top of the breast. If you want a rounder, fuller breasts, implants will be necessary.

What to expect during a breast lift with augmentation

Breast augmentation with a lift is done under general anesthesia and takes between two and three hours to complete. To begin, your surgeon will make one of the following incisions:

Anchor: Around the areola, down the front of the breast and along the breast crease. This option produces the most scarring and is ideal for women with extensive sagging.
Lollipop: This approach is ideal for women with moderate sagging. The incision is placed around the areola and down the front of the breast.
Periareolar: This incision is made around the areola only. It creates virtually imperceptible scarring and can be a great choice for women undergoing a lift with augmentation.

After creating the incision, your surgeon will remove excess skin and tighten the surrounding tissue to establish a new, more youthful breast contour. Once the lift portion of the surgery is complete, the breast implant of your choice will be placed. From there, your areola may be resized and relocated to the appropriate position on your new, higher breasts.

Recovery

Because a breast lift with augmentation combines two surgeries in one, you can expect a slightly longer recovery period. We recommend preparing to take two weeks off from work. The swelling and bruising usually last about a month, at which point most of it will subside and your results will be apparent.

Schedule a consultation with us

If you’re considering a breast lift, please contact us at Austin Face & Body. We are an aesthetic plastic surgery practice that brings together top surgeons and innovators from all over the country to Austin, Texas to provide the highest level of patient care. You will receive warm and professional service, attention to detail, outstanding communication, and best of all, incredible results. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, please call 512-559-3544 or contact us online.

Breast Lift

What can a breast lift do?

Surgical details

Breast Lift with BodyTite

How does it work?

Treatment details

Signs you may need a breast lift

Breast Lift Before & After

Your initial consultation

Recovery

Breast augmentation with a lift

The benefits

Is this procedure right for you?

What to expect during a breast lift with augmentation

Recovery

Schedule a consultation with us

Schedule a Consultation