Breast Lift

Breast sagging is inevitable as the skin ages and loses elasticity, and weight changes and breastfeeding can speed up the process. The board-certified plastic surgeons at United Plastic Surgery can elevate and reshape your breasts with breast lift surgery at our Newport Beach and Temecula locations. Dr. John Larson and Dr. Phuong Pham provide concierge-level service and personal attention to help you feel confident and safe throughout your process.

What is a breast lift?

A breast lift is a plastic surgery procedure that rejuvenates sagging breasts by removing excess skin and elevating and reshaping breast tissue; it does not make the breasts larger like breast augmentation. During this procedure, the surgeon often reshapes the nipples and areolas.

What are the benefits of a breast lift?

Women of all ages choose breast lift surgery (mastopexy) for a variety of personal reasons, including:

• Tightening lax, stretched breast skin
• Restoring a youthful, rounded breast shape
• Making the nipples point forward instead of down
• Improving symmetry between the breasts
• Reshaping enlarged areolas

Breast lift surgery is often part of mommy makeover surgery along with liposuction and a tummy tuck .

What is the best incision for a breast lift?

While our surgeons have experience in the following techniques, vertical mastopexy works best for most patients:

• Vertical mastopexy (lollipop incision): This option encircles the areola and drops down vertically to the breast crease. It improves breast shape and projection.
• Wise pattern mastopexy (anchor incision): This option is appropriate for patients with significant sagging. It builds on the vertical technique by adding an incision along the breast crease.
• Circumareolar mastopexy (doughnut incision): This option involves one circular incision around the areola and a second circular incision moved out around the first incision. It provides minimal lifting and is reserved for patients with small breasts and for lifting the areola higher on the breast.

The surgeon can reduce and reshape the areolas with any of these techniques.

How is a breast lift performed?

Our plastic surgeons perform breast lift surgery as an outpatient procedure using general anesthesia. After making the incisions, the surgeon reshapes the breasts by lifting the tissue and improving the breast’s contour and firmness. He reshapes the areola if desired and repositions it higher on the breast. Our surgeons preserve nipple sensation by leaving the nipple attached to the breast. Finally, the surgeon brings the skin together over the new breast shape, removes the excess, and closes the incisions with fine sutures.

How painful is breast lift recovery?

Patients typically do not experience significant pain because breast lift surgery does not involve the chest muscles. Expect some discomfort, tightness, and pressure the first few days.

Recovery Timeline

Recovery after breast lift surgery depends on the specifics of the surgery and patient characteristics. In general, expect the following typical milestones and timeline:

• Soreness and bruising fade: 2 to 3 weeks
• Return to work and nonstrenuous activities: 7 days
• Swelling dissipates: 4 to 6 weeks
• Resume strenuous activities: 4 to 6 weeks
• Final results: 3 to 4 months