Breast Lift (Mastopexy)

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An incision is made in the breast, depending on the complexity or degree of the uplift this can be limited to around the areola, extend vertically below the nipple or horizontally along the fold of the breast. Through this incision, the breast tissue is lifted and tightened. If desired, an implant can be used to augment the final shape of the breast. Be sure to speak to your surgeon about the type of incision that will be used and the expectations for the resulting scar.

Risks and Complications
Under law, the surgeon or anaesthetist will run through all the risks of having a general anaesthesia and these include; suppressed breathing, lowering of your blood pressure, heart failure and even death. Approximately one-third of patients who receive an anaesthetic during surgery will experience “anaesthesia sickness” or post-operative nausea and vomiting (POVN).

The risks and complications associated with the procedure itself can include; infection of the wound and scar area. Keloid scaring is possible for some patients, which is where the scar becomes raised and red after healing. This is not aesthetically pleasing and may require a further surgery to remove the scar and re-stitch the wound.

Haematomas are possible; these are pockets of blood that form whilst going through the healing process. In addition, after the surgery you may experience poor healing of the incision, breast asymmetry, and fluid accumulation within the base of the breasts. Other more serious risks and complications are issues like DVT, which stands for ‘Deep Vein Thrombosis’, which is a blood clot, which can lead to pulmonary and cardiac complications. Extremely firm breasts that may appear fake due to excessive scar tissue forming is another complication and risk that must be looked at prior to committing to mastopexy surgery.

Q. Does my insurance cover the costs for having a breast lift?
A. Unfortunately, as a breast lift procedure is a cosmetic surgery, your insurance company will be less likely to pay out. However, make sure that you ask and you never know.

Q. What is the recovery like for having a breast lift?
A. Once you have undergone a procedure like breast lift surgery, you will be given a special bra, which must be worn for 24 hours a day, for 21 days. This will help your breasts settle and help them position themselves during the healing process. The pain should subside over a period of a few months and the scar will heal completely approximately a year after the surgery.

Q. Will I lose the feeling in my breasts?
A. At the beginning, quite a majority of women who undergo this surgery experience loss of feeling around the breast due to the incision lines and the loss of nerves in the wound. After a period of time, once the swelling goes down, some women gain the feeling back, however there are some that do not.

Q. Will I be in pain after the procedure?
A. The pain depends on the individual, however it is likely that you will feel some discomfort at some point during the whole process. Your doctor will therefore prescribe you some painkillers to help.