Breast Lift

Introduction:

The breast is an important part of a woman’s body image and self esteem. There are several options available to you to improve the breast ranging from breast augmentation, breast lift, or breast reduction. A breast lift is a surgical procedure to enhance the shape of a woman's breast. The most common reason for a woman to request a breast augmentation is to improve sagging or drooping of the breast, commonly after having children, breast feeding, or the normal changes associated with age. Depending on the shape and size of your breasts, a breast lift can be combined with other procedures such as a breast augmentation to improve size, shape, symmetry, and position.

Who is the best candidate for breast lift?

The best candidate for a breast lift will depend on the underlying reasons for needing the procedure. Many women who have had children or breast feed will have loss of volume and shape. Typically, a woman should complete breast feeding and not plan to have any additional pregnancies before undergoing a breast lift. If you have additional pregnancies after your lift procedure, you may need a touch-up surgery. If you are having the normal drooping that occurs with age and gravity and you have had normal screening mammograms, you are likely a good candidate.

Choices in Breast Lift:

There are several different surgical procedures for lifting the breast. The type of procedure that Dr. Gonyon will recommend will depend on your current size and shape, your goal size and shape, and the quality of your skin and breast tissue. Some of the options include:

• Minor Lift: If you are satisfied with the size of your breasts but need a minor lift, you may be a candidate for a “minimal scar” or “reduced scar” technique.
• Minor lift with implant: For women who want to increase the size and improve the shape of the breasts, a lift can be combined with a breast augmentation. Often, when these to procedures are combined, the scar can be placed around the areola (the colored skin around the nipple) to reduce the amount of scar on the breasts.
• Major Lift: If you have significant drooping of the breast due to significant loss of skin tone, an inverted T or “anchor” scar is utilized to provide enough improvement in the shape to produce a desirable shape.
• Major Lift with implant: If you have significant drooping of the breast and have lost significant volume, combining an inverted T or “anchor” scar with an implant will be necessary to meet your goal for an improved size and shape.

Planning your surgery:

Once you have made a decision to have surgery, Dr. Gonyon’s office will provide you with the necessary information to plan for your surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. A mammogram may be recommended prior to your procedure to ensure breast health and serve as a baseline for future comparison. In general, if you are a female over the age of 40, you should have an annual screening mammogram.

You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks and potential complications of your surgery. There may be a waiting period of several days to weeks from the time of your consent to the day of surgery.

In addition to explaining your surgical procedure, Dr. Gonyon will discuss anesthesia, the recovery process and your obligations as a patient. You will also discuss where your procedure will be performed. Dr. Gonyon performs surgery at Harmony Ambulatory Surgery Center ( Fort Collins), North Colorado Surgery Center, Medical Center of the Rockies, and the soon to be open 25-34 Aesthetic Surgery Center (located at the I25 – 34 junction). You may choose to have surgery at any of these locations.

Surgery is usually performed under general anesthesia, so you'll sleep through the entire operation. For some surgeries, you may choose to have sedation with a local anesthetic.

What to Expect Immediately After Surgery:

You're likely to feel tired and sore for 3 to 7 days following your surgery. Most patients notice a tight feeling due to the stretching of the pectoralis muscles if an augmentation has been performed during your breast lift. You will be provided with a muscle relaxant to help alleviate some of this discomfort. You should be performing only light activities for the first week. You will be seen by Dr. Gonyon within a week of surgery and may increase activity at that time if you are having a normal recovery.

You will have gauze over your incisions. You may remove these 48 hours after surgery and shower as normal. You should wear only the bra that is provided to you for the first 3 weeks after surgery.

Resuming normal activities:

You should be able to return to light work within a few days. Most women can resume regular exercise that does not involve the pectoralis muscles at 3 weeks. Full exercise can be resumed at 6 weeks. As you increase your activity, you may notice temporary increased swelling. This will usually subside over 2 to 3 months.

Your breasts will likely be sensitive to direct stimulation for two to three weeks, so you should avoid direct physical contact. Once your breasts are no longer tender, you may resume regular breast physical contact, usually three weeks after surgery.

Your scars will be firm and pink for at least six weeks. After approximately 6 months, your scars will begin to fade.

Routine mammograms should be continued after breast surgery for women who are in the appropriate age group, although the mammographic technician should use a special technique to assure that you get a reliable reading, as discussed earlier.

Your Results!

The vast majority of women are very satisfied with the results of a breast lift. You will have regular scheduled visits with Dr. Gonyon to ensure that you have achieved a good result and your goals have been met.