Breast Lift or Mastopexy
Mastopexy, more commonly referred to as a breast lift, is a procedure designed to raise the breasts to a more youthful location on the chest wall while elevating the nipple-areolar complexes and minimizing breast sag. This is accomplished by tightening the breast skin envelope, as well as removing excess skin and breast tissue. In general, a breast lift can improve the shape, projection, symmetry, and positioning of the breasts for natural-looking results and an improved breast contour.
What is breast ptosis or sagging?
A breast ptosis is often utilised when the nipples are positioned approximately at—or slightly below—the breast crease, signalling a downward migration of breast tissue caused by pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuation, or the forces of gravity and the aging process. There is 3 grades of ptosis :
Grade 1 ptosis : Breasts that are sagging below the point where the breasts meet the chest (inframammary fold), with nipples located at the fold.
Grade 2 ptosis: Breasts that are sagging below the inframammary fold, with nipples located below the fold.
Grade 3 : Breasts and nipples that are both sagging below the fold with the nipples at a downward projection.
What are the causes of breast ptosis?
Breast ptosis (sagginess) and drooping of the breasts is a very common condition that can be caused by genetics, breastfeeding, weight loss, the natural process of aging, and even simple gravity. Breast lift surgery can address these concerns by eliminating the drooping effect by firming the skin and lifting the breasts to a more desirable position. This procedure is one of the most popular surgical cosmetic enhancement options available and has helped millions of women renew their breasts with beautiful results.
Breast ptosis could be:
- Isolated ptosis : Normal breast volume, where just tissue lifting is needed, without augmentation.
- Ptosis related to breast hypertrophy: Where tissue lifting is needed in addition to small breast reduction.
- Ptosis related to breast hypotrophy or hypoplasie : Where tissue lifting is needed in addition to breast augmentation.
The goal of the intervention is the reposition of the areola in a good position to remodel and reshape the breasts so as to obtain more harmonic and closest to the natural breast shape.
Depending on the degree of ptosis and the breast size, the incisions may be located:
- Periareolar – around the areola.
- Periarareal with a vertical incision.
- Periareolar, vertical and horizontal incision , called ”Inverted T”.