Breast lift (mastopexy)
A breast lift, also referred to as mastopexy, can bring about a marked improvement in your self-esteem and the way you feel about life. Particularly after more than one pregnancy, major weight loss as a result of dieting, or simply because you have grown older, there is often a slackening of the tissue. Since the capacity of connective tissue to recover is limited, your breasts begin to sag over time.
A reasonable amount of time before the operation, it is obligatory to have your breasts screened by your gynaecologist with medical imaging (as recommended by your specialist, e.g. by ultrasound).
Procedure in a breast lift
After a detailed anamnesis, in which we also ask you about your clinical history and your wishes, we measure your breasts and examine them precisely, also with regard to the quality and elasticity of the skin. The skin quality, for example, can be influenced by many factors including pregnancy and major fluctuations in weight. These can cause so-called striae distensae (stretchmarks) in the skin. That is an indication that the skin does not have a good capacity to recover. The elasticity plays an important part in healing, and in terms of the final result and its stability. If the skin fails to recover properly after the operation, a surplus is left over at the place where it has been gathered and that, in most cases, is aesthetically unappealing.
Depending on the findings from the examination, we will explain the method which is most suitable for a breast lift in your case. That way, you already have a good picture of where the scars will be at the end of the process.
As a maximum variant, an incision is made around the areola, with another, vertical incision from the bottom of the areola over the lower half of the breast, and finally also a curved incision, horizontally, in the skin duplicature below the breast. Under certain conditions, we will be able to manage without the vertical and/or horizontal incisions, so that there will be fewer scars visible at the end. However, an incision around the nipple is always necessary, because it needs to be transposed upwards.
In the Lejour technique (i-incision), existing surplus skin is gathered to avoid scarring in the inframammary fold. However, this requires the skin to be of good quality and good elasticity, as otherwise the result might not be aesthetically appealing and it could become necessary to operate again. Having said that, if the surplus of skin coincides with the scar, it can be removed in a second operation about six months after the first under local anaesthetic.
If the distance between the nipple and the inframammary fold and/or between the supraclavicular region and the nipple is sufficiently great, one i-incision will not be sufficient in most cases. Then, another incision is made in the inframammary fold. This produces a scar in the form of an upside-down T or a so-called anchor-shaped scar. This is necessary when the surplus of skin is particularly large. At the end of the day, we want to achieve an appealing result, i.e. one with which you yourself are satisfied.
In general, in a breast lift, the nipple-and-areola complex is raised to the right level. The complex, with its pedicle, is transposed upwards, with the nerves and blood vessels remaining attached to the areola. The nipples, and the areola, which is often too large, can also be reduced in size at the same time in this operation to harmonise with the breast itself. In addition, the tissue of the mammary gland is reshaped and also transposed upwards to produce a handsome, ample breast form.
Then, the surplus skin is removed and the breast is lifted by being sutured together at the sites of the resection. So that the fluid can escape from the wound better, a small drainage is inserted beneath the skin, though it can, in most cases, already be removed the next day.
After the breast lift
After the operation, while you are still in the operating room, we will fit you with a special bra and take you to our recovery room, where you will be looked after and monitored by a qualified member of our staff. While you are still under the anaesthetic, you will be given a pain blocker so that you feel as little pain as possible when you wake up. The necessary pain therapy will then be adjusted to suit your own individual requirements.
As a rule, you will be able to go home again the same evening. However, for the next 24 hours you should have a trusted adult at your side who can keep an eye on you and act in case of an emergency.
The first check-up with a change of dressing will take place the next day. In most cases the drainage is removed at this check-up too. We will then ask you to come for further check-ups and changes of dressing at regular intervals.
After about 10 days, the small sutures visible on the surface of the skin will be able to be cut short. In a breast lift, we use absorbable suture material, which means that the suture remains in your body for a predetermined period of time and then simply dissolves on its own. That way, there is no need for the whole suture to be removed. After that, you will be allowed to have a proper shower for the first time. Before that, you should just wash your upper body, so as to avoid the risk of introducing bacteria and cleansing products or causing irritation at the site of the scars.
As for the special plasters, we like to leave these covering the surface wounds for up to 3 weeks, as studies have shown that the scars that then form are aesthetically more pleasing. After that, we can decide together whether or not any special scar care will be necessary. If so, we’ll be happy to give you recommendations for suitable creams, silicone plasters or nutritional supplements. We will either have these available for you in our practice, or write you a prescription for them.
For the next 6 weeks, you must wear a special compression bra day and night. You can obtain this from us here at the practice if there is a different model you prefer. You should also avoid strong sunlight during this time and not go to the solarium, because otherwise the fresh scars could change colour.
If there are no complications in the healing process, no antibiotics are necessary. Only in very rare cases are pain-relieving drugs required for more than 3 days. If possible, sleep on your back only for as long as you can after the operation to protect the newly formed breast tissue.
You can expect the final result after about 6 to 12 months. Decisive factors for the final result and how long it will last are not only the surgical technique, but also individual factors that vary from patient to patient such as the quality of your skin mantle and glandular tissue and the ability of your body to form scars.
How long after pregnancy should I wait before having a breast lift?
At least 9 months. If you breast-feed, at least six months after weaning too. During pregnancy and breast-feeding major hormonal changes take place which influence the breast tissue in terms of its structure and size. Not until the glandular tissue and the skin have returned to normal completely is a breast lift a sensible option.
What kind of person is not suitable for a breast lift?
If you’re planning to get pregnant in the near future or if you’re just in the process of losing weight, this is not the right time to go for a breast lift. Naturally enough, massive weight loss leads to a loss of fatty tissue in the breast and a slackening of the skin, as a result of which the breast, even after a lift, can begin to sag again. So your weight should be stable for at least six months prior to the operation.
Can I still breast-feed after a breast lift?
As a matter of basic principle, the surgical techniques we use mean that breast-feeding is still possible. In rare cases, however, the ability to do so may be restricted after a breast lift.
How long does the operation take?
The operation usually takes 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the patient’s individual findings.
What kind of anaesthetic is necessary for a breast lift?
This operation is only ever performed under a general anaesthetic. You will be monitored throughout by our anaesthesiological specialist.
What complications can occur?
There are risks involved in any operation, from the anaesthetic or from the operation itself. But our many years of experience and the intensive care we take of you minimise those risks.
Complications can also occur after the operation. Because of the incisions made around the areolae, the severance of nerves and blood vessels and the reshaping of the glandular tissue, there may be a feeling of numbness or enhanced sensitivity in the nipples and other parts of the skin of your breast after a breast lift. In most cases the sensitivity equalises out fully in a matter of weeks or sometimes months. In very rare cases, there may be a permanent feeling of numbness in the nipples. Losses of sensation in the area of the scars are also possible, but these usually go away as time goes on.
You will find a detailed description of possible complications here.
How long will a breast lift last?
Particularly in patients with poor skin quality, it can happen that the tissue yields; in other words, depending on the initial findings your breast may lose volume again over time. Hormonal influences like those caused by pregnancy and the menopause also have an influence on the appearance of the breast. Basically, a breast that has undergone surgery goes through the normal aging process, so that the question of whether a further operation is required to achieve an aesthetically satisfactory result in the long term, and if so when, varies from patient to patient.
Can I combine a breast lift with a breast enlargement?
Yes, that is possible, and indeed it often makes good sense for women who have small, slack breasts, helping them to achieve more size and a beautiful shape. You can choose here between various kinds of implant and a transplantation of fat from your own body (lipofilling).
When can I get back to doing sport?
You should avoid activities which cause vibrations to your breasts or put a lot of strain on the scars, such as jogging. After about 6 weeks you can start back in with gentle sport and then gradually build up again. Until then you should take it easy physically and try to keep your breasts still as much as possible.
What does a breast lift cost?
The costs of a breast lift start at about €6,500. A straightforward nipple lift costs from about €2,000. These costs depend on the amount of time required and the medication, and comprise the costs of the operation, the anaesthetic and the post-operative care.
Will my health insurance provider meet the costs of a breast lift?
No. A breast lift is an operation performed for purely aesthetic reasons. Only in exceptional cases of severe physical impairment will the costs incurred be taken care of by the health insurance provider.
DURATION OF OPERATION: 2.5 hours or longer
ANAESTHETIC: general anaesthetic
HOSPITALISATION: out-patient, or in-patient with 1-3 overnight stays
PAIN LEVEL: low
AFTER-TREATMENT: compression bra for 6 weeks
PRESENTABILITY, RETURN TO WORK: 7 – 21 days depending on findings
SPORT: after 6 weeks, full performance after 12 weeks
COST: from €6,500
Ask our advice.
We’ll be glad to provide you with detailed information about this treatment. Simply get in touch with us now and obtain advice at an individual and absolutely personal level.
+49 30 - 94 041 144
