Breast Lift

Breast lifting is one of the operations that have attracted the attention of many women recently; high numbers have been recorded since 2000. The most important feature of this surgery is its ability to lift and tighten the sagging breast without changing its shape; where pieces of the skin over the breast are removed to enable its fixation and tightening thus improving the breast look as well as the overall appearance.

Some women may perform this type of surgery to improve the appearance of their breasts and recover part of the lost young appearance as a result of their sagging, often, these women resort to breast lift surgery after the exposure to one of the following factors:

• Exposure to different stages of weight fluctuations.
• Pregnancy and breast feeding.
• Genetic factors make some bodies more susceptible than others to sagging breasts.
• Aging, as gravity over time contributes to sagging breast ligaments.

Any woman who wishes to have a breast lift surgery undergoes a series of tests with her plastic surgeon, often including:

• Knowing the medical history; this includes informing the plastic surgeon about the previous surgeries (if any), medications taken and allergies of all kinds that the woman may suffer from.
• A clinical examination involving the breasts in particular; to determine the type of the skin, the direction of the nipple and the elasticity of the skin.
• Breast Mammogram.

Breast lift may involve several risks, including:

• The appearance of scars indicating a breast lift, but it can disappear within a year or two, and perhaps the bra can also hide these scars when wearing them, in rare cases poor wound healing may lead to the emergence of scars that appear thick and wide.
• Change in sensation in breasts and nipples, it may return to be normal within few weeks, but some women lose the feeling of their breasts permanently, but feeling excitation through breast is not affected by this surgery.
• Asymmetry in the shape or size of the breasts due to exposure to various factors during the recovery period.
• Partial or total loss of breast areola or nipples; due to surgical mistake during breast lift surgery which may damage the tissue that nourishes the areola or nipples.
• Difficulty in breastfeeding: Some women may have difficulty in breastfeeding due to the inability to produce enough milk.

1. It is advised to stay away from smoking for about a week before the breast lift surgery; to raise the chances of wound healing.
2. Avoid certain types of medications such as NSAIDs and aspirin to reduce the chances of bleeding that may occur.
3. Trying to lose weight if the patient is obese, through a healthy diet and some physical activities.

Breasts lift surgery includes the following main steps:

1. Anesthetize the patient completely (General anesthesia).
2. Make an incision in one of the following areas:

• From the nipple toward the bottom of the breast.
• Horizontally along the breast folds.
• Around the nipple.

1. Apply the stitches on the deep breast tissue to reshape the breast (in some cases that require it) and perhaps to reduce the size of the breast areola.
2. Remove excess skin and lift the nipples to a higher location.
3. Close the incision with stitches.

The patient can leave the hospital or clinic where the breast lift was performed on, the same day or as soon as she is stabilized after awakening from anesthesia. Some bruises and swellings may appear after the surgery for up to two weeks. This can be associated with some pain for a few days after the surgery as the anesthesia wears off. Therefore, the doctor may prescribe painkillers such as: Oxycodone or Hydrocodone, or she may take some over-counter drugs such as: Acetaminophen.

It is recommended to wear a sports bra or compression bandage to support the breast.If a drainage tube is placed to drain fluid and accumulated blood around the breast, a visit to the plastic surgeon again will be necessary to remove these tubes and close the wound completely and leave it to heal.

The subsequent recovery period for breast lifting requires more care and attention to body health, especially with regard to breast-related instructions for best results and avoiding any negative consequences. Pain and redness in the breast may last up to three months, and a feeling of numbness may be very common in the entire breast, nipples, or perhaps the areola around the nipple, so all these signs do not cause anxiety or fear.

The patient is asked to use silicone tapes or gel on the wound site to help to heal quickly, and to wear a soft, supportive bra in the next few months until the wound heals.

It is also advised to keep away from intercourse for about a week or two, and to wait for the doctor's opinion. It is also important to spare the wound from water for few days, in case of bathing; water should not touch the wound to improve healing.

The patient may also need to see a doctor again after about a week to remove the stitches if they are non-absorbable.

The patient will notice an apparent change in the shape of the breasts immediately after the surgery, but their shape will continue to change during the first months of the surgery until reaching the desired shape almost. Some factors can help to keep the breasts raised as long as possible, such as maintaining not weight gain.