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What Is a Breast Lift? Taking a Closer Look

Over time, breasts that used to be firm and lifted can begin to sag and droop. While some non-invasive treatments can resolve minor sagging, breast lift surgery may be the best option for patients with more severe sagging. 

At Southwest Michigan Plastic and Hand Surgery, we offer breast lift surgery to lift and reshape your breasts and make them more youthful and perky. If you have concerns about sagging breasts, we encourage you to reach out to us to learn more about our breast lifts. 

What Causes Sagging Breasts?

Cooper’s ligaments are the supportive ligaments that are found in the breasts. When you are young, these ligaments support the breast tissue, lifting them up on the chest. With time, these ligaments can stretch and become elongated, which can cause the breasts to sag. Skin laxity can also contribute to sagging breasts, causing the drooping to be more severe.

Several factors can contribute to more severe stretching of these ligaments and increased skin laxity. Women with larger breasts may experience more sagging because the weight of the breasts can stretch the ligaments faster. Breasts that are not properly supported with a well-fitting bra may also begin to sag more quickly. Other factors can include pregnancy and breastfeeding, frequent sunburn on the breasts, and weight fluctuations.

What Is a Breast Lift?

A breast lift is a surgery that removes excess skin from the breasts, reshapes breast tissue, and places the breasts higher on the chest. It also involves positioning the nipple and areola in a better position on the breast so that it is pointing outward instead of downward. Breast lift surgeries can help to resolve more minor sagging as well as severe sagging. The scope of the surgery, the incisions used, and the amount of time spent in surgery will depend on how much sagging of the breasts you are experiencing.

Breast Lift Incision Locations

Scarring after breast lift surgery is a concern for many women. At our practice, we seek to minimize the visible scarring that you will have by choosing an incision that can produce the best effects with the smallest incision. The more sagging you have, the larger the incision will be.

Crescent Incision

This is the smallest type of incision, which results in a scar that is barely visible. A crescent-shaped incision is made at the top of the areola and a small amount of skin is removed to provide a subtle lift and to bring the areola and nipple higher on the breast. 

Donut Incision

A donut incision is made all the way around the areola, rather than just at the top. With this type of incision, tissue can be removed in a donut shape around the nipple. Once the incision is healed, the scar will blend in with the darker tissue of the areola and become barely noticeable. 

Lollipop Incision

A lollipop incision is the first type of incision that will leave a visible scar. During this type of breast lift surgery, an incision is made around the areola and in a vertical line from the areola to the crease of the breast, creating the shape of a lollipop. More excess skin can be removed using this incision, making it a good option for patients with moderate to severe sagging.

Anchor Incision

For the most severe cases, an incision is made around the areola, vertically down the breast, and along the lower crease of the breast in the shape of an anchor. Then the nipple can be positioned higher on the breast. The scar will be hidden along the crease of the breast and around the areola, but will be visible on the lower half of the breast. 

Types of Breast Lift

Breast Reduction and Lift

While many breast lift procedures are straightforward and are intended to simply lift the existing tissue, other breast lifts can involve changing the volume of the breast. A breast reduction and lift is indicated for patients who want to reduce the size of their breasts while also lifting them higher on the chest. 

Breast Lift With Implants

If you are interested in increasing your breast size at the same time as your breast lift surgery, we can offer a breast lift with implants. During your breast lift surgery, either silicone or saline implants will be placed into a cavity under or over your chest muscles. This type of surgery can help to restore breast shape, volume, and position after pregnancy, weight fluctuations, and more.

What to Expect From Your Breast Lift Surgery

Breast lift surgery is an outpatient procedure that can be done within a few hours, depending on the scope of your surgery. When you arrive for your surgery, we will make marks on your breasts to plan our incisions and then we will bring you to our operating suite and place you under general anesthesia. 

Next we will make the incisions, reshape the breast tissue, and make sure the nipple is in a good, lifted position. Excess skin will be removed and the incisions will be closed. Once you are awake, you will rest in a recovery room before being discharged to go home. You will need a ride home since you may still be unsteady from the general anesthesia. 

Fix Drooping Breasts With Breast Lift Surgery

At Southwest Michigan Plastic and Hand Surgery, we are excited to work with you to restore the shape and lift of your breasts. If you have concerns about sagging breasts, you may be a good candidate for our breast lifts in Portage, MI. You can call us or contact us online to schedule your first consultation.

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