Awareness about what happens to your breasts as you age and how a lift can help is important for understanding your options for addressing changes to your body. When the collagen and elastin–proteins that help your skin maintain its structure–naturally decline, it’s common to experience wrinkles, fine lines, and laxity that affect the appearance of your breasts. Weight fluctuations can also stretch the skin, resulting in sagging that changes the way your clothing fits. A breast lift (mastopexy) removes excess droopy skin and lifts the position of the breasts for a smoother, curvier, more youthful-looking figure.
At Azad Plastic Surgery, Dr. Kamran Azad is a board-certified plastic surgeon who has helped thousands of patients improve their appearance with customizable breast lifts. He can help you address age-related changes to your body with minimal downtime so you can enjoy a more youthful-looking figure with long-lasting results.
Contact our office or call (407) 848-3400 to learn more!
Contents
Before and After Photos
About Breast Lifts
A breast lift reshapes the breasts by removing excess skin and repositioning the nipple-areolar complex. Some patients prefer to receive a breast lift to address cosmetic concerns, while others do so for functional reasons. Lifting the breast mound creates a more youthful-looking figure and minimizes the risk of developing uncomfortable rashes caused by droopy skin along the lower breast fold (inframammary crease). Thousands of patients have improved their appearance with breast lifts, and in 2023, specialists performed the procedure more than 153,600 times. (1)
Breast Lift with Augmentation
Many women choose to combine a breast lift with breast augmentation to address volume loss, a common issue with aging that can also occur after pregnancy and weight fluctuations. During breast augmentation, we can create a pocket within the breast to place an implant for natural-looking volume. Implants come in several different shapes and sizes, depending on your underlying anatomy, and we can place the implant in front of or behind the chest muscle for your desired look. In 2023, more than 304,000 patients received breast augmentation, (1) an increase from 300,000 in 2022. (3)
Ozempic Breast
For patients who have lost weight, it is common to experience a significant amount of droopy skin that affects proportions and self-esteem. Many patients are not prepared for the significant amount of droopy skin they have after weight loss. When weight loss is facilitated by GLP-1 medications, this concern is colloquially known as “Ozempic breast.” With a slightly longer incision, we can remove the excess tissue and reposition the breasts. We can also combine this with other procedures to address droopy skin in other areas.
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Benefits
There are several benefits of a breast lift, including:
- Balanced proportions: Removing excess skin can balance your proportions for a smoother, more youthful-looking appearance.
- Perkier breasts: Lifting the position of the breasts can create the appearance of smoother, rounder breasts.
- Natural-looking results: During a breast lift, Dr. Azad repositions the nipple and he can reduce the size of the areola for natural-looking results.
- Smoother figure: Removing droopy skin can also diminish wrinkles affecting the appearance of your breasts.
- Less skin irritation: We can reduce uncomfortable rashes and chafing along the lower breast fold.
- Improved clothing options: You can enjoy better-fitting clothing and bras after the procedure.
- Long-lasting results: If you maintain a stable weight, you can enjoy results that last for several years.
- Customizable treatment: We can also increase the volume of your breasts for a plumper, fuller look.
Candidates
The best candidates for a breast lift would like to:
- Address sagging skin
- Improve the appearance of areolas that are enlarged or pointing downward
- Address asymmetry
- Remove droopy skin
- Improve the way their clothing fits
- Reshape the breasts after aging, pregnancy, or weight changes
Candidates must also have realistic expectations about what they can achieve with the procedure based on their underlying anatomy.
Consultation
During your consultation, we will ask about your aesthetic goals, medications, lifestyle, and previous cosmetic procedures, if applicable. We will examine your breasts to determine the best type of procedure for your aesthetic goals based on your underlying anatomy. If you have low-hanging breasts, Dr. Azad will likely recommend a lollipop or anchor lift. Please come prepared with any questions you have. We can also recommend additional treatments if you would like to address other concerns.
Preparation
To prepare for a breast lift, you will need to stop taking medications and supplements that thin your blood for approximately 2-4 weeks before your procedure. If you smoke, you will need to stop temporarily for approximately 8 weeks before and after your procedure. You will also need to stop drinking alcohol for 24 hours before and after your procedure for the best results.
We also recommend that you create a comfortable place in your home to recover and that you run errands ahead of time. You must schedule a few weeks off of work and arrange for a trusted adult to drive you home so you can focus on healing.
Procedure
You must arrive in comfortable clothing on the day of your breast lift procedure. Dr. Azad will cleanse your skin and mark it for surgery. He will make a thin incision along the curves of your breasts to lift the breast mound and remove excess skin:
- Crescent: Dr. Azad can make a thin incision along the top edge of the nipple to improve its position and remove excess skin for a smoother appearance.
- Donut/Periareolar: He can extend the crescent incision along the curve of the areola and remove more excess tissue.
- Lollipop: Dr. Azad can make an incision along the edge of the areola that extends vertically along the underside of the breast.
- Anchor: He can make an incision that extends vertically along the underside of the breast and horizontally along the inframammary fold (IMF). (2)
Recovery
After a breast lift, you can return home to rest. The length of your recovery will depend on the type of breast lift you received and whether or not your treatment plan included additional treatments.
During your recovery, you must wear a support bra for several weeks to help your skin heal and follow up with the office. Keeping your skin clean and applying ointment to your breasts will be important for fully recovering and minimizing scarring. You will also need to avoid excessive sun exposure and avoid bending over with your head below your knees for several weeks. Most patients return to work after 1-2 weeks, and Dr. Azad will monitor your recovery process during your follow-up appointment.
Results
After a breast lift, you can enjoy smoother breasts, balanced proportions, and a perkier, more youthful-looking figure. If you maintain a stable weight and take good care of your body, you can enjoy your results for several years. Many patients also notice that their self-esteem improves and that the procedure helps address breast asymmetry for more balanced proportions.
Additional Body Contouring Procedures
Liposuction
Liposuction is a body contouring treatment that removes pockets of excess fat for a smoother figure. As you age, pockets of stubborn, exercise-resistant fat can affect your proportions and self-esteem. Dr. Azad can remove the pockets of fat with gentle suction that preserves the surrounding tissue. We also cleanse the fat with tumescent fluid–a combination of lidocaine, saline, and epinephrine–that causes the fat cells to swell for easier removal and minimal downtime.
Arm Lift
An arm lift is a body contouring procedure that removes excess skin from the arms that sways when you move, colloquially known as “bat wings.” We can remove the excess skin with a thin incision along the underside of the arm. We can also perform liposuction to remove pockets of excess fat affecting your figure.
Breast Reduction
Breast reduction decreases the size of your breasts by removing excess tissue for a more proportional appearance. Large breasts can cause back, neck, and shoulder pain. With breast reduction, we can reduce their size to help you emphasize your curves. We can also combine breast reduction with a breast lift to reshape the breasts and remove droopy, excess skin affecting your proportions.
The Cost of a Breast Lift in Orlando
The cost of a breast lift depends on the type you need and whether you need additional procedures to achieve your aesthetic goals. During your consultation, we can provide an all-inclusive quote. Contact our office or call (407) 848-3400 to learn more about how the customizable procedure can help you achieve long-lasting results.
FAQ
Can a breast lift increase the size of my breasts?
No, a breast lift removes excess skin to reshape the breasts, but we can combine your procedure with breast augmentation if you would like to increase the volume of your breasts as well.
If I am planning to become pregnant, can I have a breast lift?
No, you will need to wait because pregnancy can affect your results.
Is a breast lift painful?
No, we use topical anesthesia for your breast lift to keep you comfortable during the procedure.
Will I have scars after a breast lift?
You will have discreet scars along the natural curves of your breasts.
How long will a breast lift last?
Your results can last for several years if you take good care of your body and maintain a stable weight.
References
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons ® Endorsed Partner. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/statistics/2023/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2023.pdf
- Qureshi, A. A., Myckatyn, T. M., & Tenenbaum, M. M. (2018). Mastopexy and Mastopexy-Augmentation. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 38(4), 374–384. https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjx181
- Maher JL, Bennett DC, Bennett LL, Grothaus P, Mahabir RC. Breast augmentation: A geographical comparison. The Canadian Journal of Plastic Surgery. 2010;18(4):e44-e46. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3006117/