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A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, is a cosmetic surgery procedure designed to lift and reshape sagging breasts. For this procedure, excess skin is removed and the nipples and tissue are repositioned. Implants may also be used to help restore the breasts to their natural size and shape. Breast lift candidates should be physically healthy and realistic in their expectations. The best results are often achieved on women who have small, sagging breasts which have lost their skin elasticity due to pregnancy, nursing or weight loss. The procedure is best postponed for patients who anticipate future pregnancy.

Breast lift surgery may be performed in a surgeon’s office-based facility, a hospital, or an outpatient surgical center. Either general anesthesia or a combination of local anesthesia and sedation may be used, and the procedure typically takes between one and three hours to complete. Though there are different techniques for breast lift surgery, the incision is most often an anchor-shaped one that runs around the areola, then vertically extending downward and along the lower crease of the breast. Once the incision is made, excess skin is removed and the nipple and areola are moved to a higher position. Modified procedure requiring less extensive incisions may be appropriate for some patients, particularly those with minimal sagging and relatively small breasts.

After surgery, some bruising, swelling, numbness and discomfort can occur. Most patients are able to return to work within one week or more, though more strenuous activities will need to be avoided for one month. Full fading of the scars can take anywhere from several months to a year. The duration of the results can vary as age, gravity, weight changes, and pregnancy can result in new sagging.

The potential complications associated with breast lift surgery may include the following: adverse anesthesia reactions, excessive scarring, infection, loss or change of feeling in the nipples or breast, skin loss, and unevenly positioned nipples.