Breast Lift Surgery in Houston, TX
A woman’s breasts, which for many are the pride of their feminine figures, experience many unwanted changes as she ages. Weight fluctuations, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and the natural aging process can cause breasts to lose their shape and firmness. Gravity and time do the rest, giving breasts a deflated and droopy appearance. These changes can make a woman feel self-conscious about her body.
Breast lift surgery is a surgical procedure that can restore the breasts to a more youthful position higher up on the chest. This procedure can eliminate excess skin and lift the breast tissue to achieve a more aesthetically attractive look. It can help reverse breast sagging and the appearance of aging.
What Is a Breast Lift?
Also called mastopexy, a breast lift is a surgical procedure that rejuvenates the breasts by elevating their position on the chest. Excess skin is removed from the breasts to eliminate any sagging. The breast tissue is reshaped and lifted for a more perky, bouncy look. The areolas may also be resized and repositioned to accommodate the new youthful position of the breasts.
What Are the Benefits of a Breast Lift in Houston, TX?
Perky, Youthful Breasts
No woman’s breasts can defy gravity forever. Weight fluctuations, pregnancy, and the natural aging process can affect the appearance of the breasts and cause sagging. Breast lift surgery removes excess sagging skin, eliminating the appearance of droopy breasts and restoring perky, younger-looking breasts.
Natural-Looking Results
Many women who want their breasts to be rejuvenated still desire a natural appearance. A breast lift improves the firmness, position, and overall appearance of the breasts while still looking natural and complementing the patient’s body features.
Areola Reduction
Sagging breasts often cause the areolas and nipples to shift down as well. Women who have undergone significant weight loss or pregnancy may also have larger areolas due to the skin stretching out to accommodate the previously larger breast size. During breast lift surgery, your surgeon can reduce the size of the areola and move the areola and nipple to a more aesthetic position on the newly elevated breasts.
Am I a Candidate for Breast Lift Surgery?
You can benefit from mastopexy if you struggle with one or more of the following concerns:
- Deflated or sagging breasts
- Nipples that fall below the breast crease
- Enlarged nipples and areolas
- Loose skin
- Asymmetrical breasts
Candidates for breast lift surgery should also be generally in good health, non-smokers or willing to quit and be realistic in their expectations for their results.
How Should I Prepare for My Breast Lift?
After your breast lift consultation, Dr. Patronella will give you preparation instructions to follow during the time leading up to your procedure. You may be required to get a lab test or medical evaluation prior to surgery to ensure that you are healthy and in good condition to undergo breast lift surgery. Sometimes, a mammogram may be needed before and after a breast lift to check the breast tissue. If you smoke, you’ll need to quit before your procedure—typically, it is advised to stop smoking for at least six weeks before and after surgery. Additionally, you may need to adjust certain medications you are taking to avoid risks of bleeding during and after your breast lift.
How Is Breast Lift Surgery Performed?
Breast lift surgery is performed on an outpatient basis using general anesthesia. It can take 2 to 3 hours, depending on the amount of correction needed. During a consultation, Dr. Patronella will determine the best techniques for your procedure based on the size and shape of your breasts and the degree of sagging.
During your procedure, Dr. Patronella will create an anchor incision, which is made around the areola, down the breast, and along the breast crease. The anchor incision allows for the most extensive lift correction. Once the incision has been made, the underlying breast tissue is lifted and reshaped to restore firmness to the breasts. After that, loose skin is tightened, and the excess is removed.
The nipples and areolas can also be repositioned to achieve an ideal shape and position. Dr. Patronella can also combine breast lift surgery with breast augmentation or breast reduction to restore volume or remove excess fat and tissue, respectively.
Once the breasts, nipples, and areolas have been properly adjusted, Dr. Patronella will close the incisions. You can expect scars to form at the incision sites; however, these are easily hidden by clothing and often fade over time.
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What Is Recovery Like After Breast Lift?
Immediately following surgery, you will be groggy from the anesthesia and will require someone to drive you home. You will also need to wear a compression garment on your breasts to protect your new contours and minimize swelling. Typically, minor to moderate swelling and bruising occur but should subside within a week or two.
To help with recovery, Dr. Patronella may recommend Exparel, a long-acting anesthetic that he injects into the treatment site during the surgical procedure. He also will prescribe medication to help alleviate any discomfort you may feel. Most patients can return to work and light activities approximately one week after mastopexy.
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What Results Can I Expect From a Breast Lift?
Most patients will see initial breast results within two weeks as swelling fades. Final results may take a few months to fully develop. Once the final results develop, they will reveal firmer, more shapely breasts that rest higher on your chest. Your nipples may also be resized and repositioned in a more centered and pleasing position on the breasts. Overall, the results of a breast lift will be more youthful, perky, well-shaped breasts.
How Much Does a Breast Lift Cost in Houston?
You can view Dr. Patronella’s prices for breast lift surgery here. The cost of a breast lift at Dr. Patronella’s Houston office depends on the degree of correction required. If you choose to combine your breast lift with breast augmentation, your price range will vary depending on both the degree of correction required and the type of breast implants you choose. While the cost of a combined procedure is higher, it is usually less expensive than getting each procedure done separately.
You can learn more about the price of breast lift surgery here.
Why Choose Dr. Patronella for Your Breast Lift in Houston?
Dr. Patronella understands how physical appearance can impact confidence, which is why he always strives for 100 percent patient satisfaction. As an award-winning, board-certified surgeon with extensive experience, Dr. Patronella prioritizes developing trust with his patients. He wants all patients to feel comfortable throughout the entire breast lift process—from the consultation to the surgery to postoperative care. When you choose Dr. Patronella for your breast lift surgery, you can rest assured that you are getting a safe procedure with the highest level of care and stunning results.
Frequently Asked Questions About Breast Lift Surgery
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Medical insurance will not cover cosmetic breast surgery in most cases. In cases where breast surgery is a medical necessity (such as when combined with breast reduction to alleviate physical pain), some insurance plans may cover some of the cost. However, this is not common. Because Dr. Patronella’s office does not accept insurance, patients are required to pay for their surgeries in full prior to surgery.
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The results of a breast lift can last many years. However, no plastic surgery result can stop the natural aging process or additional changes to the body including weight fluctuations, pregnancy, or hormonal changes which may all affect the results of your breast lift.
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Any time an incision is made on the body, there is the possibility of scarring. This goes for breast lift surgery, although scars from this procedure are easily concealed with a bra or bathing suit. The prevalence of scarring will vary from patient to patient, depending on your natural healing process, susceptibility to scarring, and post-operative aftercare.
To minimize the appearance of scars, Dr. Patronella advises his patients to begin his Scar Recovery Program approximately one month after their surgery with him. This treatment plan consists of topical products he’s selected to optimize the healing of scars and make them less visible over time. In some cases, he may also advise adding laser therapy to this regimen. Scars fully mature in one to two years.
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Mastopexy may take between two to three hours to perform, depending on the complexity of the procedure and if you are combining your breast lift with any other procedures.
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A breast lift will not directly shrink your breasts (that requires a breast reduction procedure). However, a breast lift does tighten sagging skin and lift sagging tissues. As a result, many patients may find their breasts are more compact and firm after surgery, requiring new bras.
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As pregnancy and breastfeeding can contribute to breast sagging and nipple changes, there is a possibility the results of your breast lift will be affected. If pregnancy or breastfeeding adversely affects the results of your breast lift, you may need a subsequent procedure, so it is recommended that you wait for your breast lift until after you are done having children. However, this is ultimately a personal decision, as some women decide the benefits of a breast lift outweigh any potential disadvantages of postponing it.
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Yes. Dr. Patronella frequently combines breast lift surgery with both body contouring procedures such as the True Form Tummy Tuck®, as well as other breast procedures, including breast augmentation surgery, breast reduction surgery, or breast implant removal surgery.
A breast lift is an ideal addition to several other surgeries. Many women who have had implants and are in need of a revision also require a breast lift to eliminate sagging due to the weight of their implants, and the same goes for women who seek a breast reduction. Women who have lost volume due to weight loss or pregnancy often experience sagging as well, which is why breast augmentation with a breast lift are commonly paired.
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Many women choose to combine their breast lift with implant-based breast augmentation. By combining surgeries, women can get the best of both worlds: increased volume and perkier breasts. While women can choose larger implants with their breast lift, there are some considerations to think about. First, the larger the implant, the heavier the implant, and heavy implants tend to result in drooping and sagging breasts sooner than lighter implants. Also, many women who choose breast lift surgery have thinner, weak skin. This skin cannot support a heavy implant as well as younger, thicker, and more elastic skin. Dr. Patronella may add mesh to create an “internal bra” to support the tissues and enhance the duration of results.
