Are you happy with the size of your breasts but not the shape or position of your breasts? You may be the perfect candidate for a breast lift, also known as mastopexy, at East Bay Aesthetic Surgery in Pleasanton and Danville, CA. Today, we are taking a closer look at this restorative procedure to help you determine whether it is right for you. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.
How Long Does a Breast Lift Last?
One of the most compelling advantages of this procedure is the results last for an incredibly long time. However, you should keep in mind that nothing stops the aging process and eventually the shape and elevation of your breasts will change again.
Several factors affect how long the results of this treatment last, but you can generally expect your ideal results to last for 1-1.5 decades. Let’s take a closer look at how you can help your results last for as long as possible.
How Can I Ensure the Maintenance of My Results?
Do Your Best To Lead a Healthy Lifestyle
If you want your final results to last for as long as possible, you need to do your best to lead a healthy lifestyle. Steps you can take to ensure you look young and healthy for as long as possible include:
- Maintaining an active lifestyle
- Abstaining from tobacco consumption
- Eating nutritiously
- Staying hydrated
Here are some actionable steps you can take.
Build Your Chest and Back Muscles
You can help to maintain your youthfully positioned breasts by building up your chest muscles. Also, you can keep your breasts youthfully positioned by strengthening your lats. One of the best exercises you can do to achieve these goals is indoor rowing; you build up your latissimus dorsi muscles when you pull the handle to your chest, and you build up your pectoral muscles when you push the handle away from you.
Wear the Right Undergarments
The force of gravity pulling your breasts down is constant. You can help keep your breasts appropriately positioned and shaped by wearing undergarments that counteract gravity, especially when you run and jump.
Maintain Your Weight
The more your weight fluctuates, the sooner you will need a maintenance breast lift. This is particularly true if you lose a lot of weight very quickly; women tend to first lose fat from their breasts, and fat tissue in the breasts makes up a significant portion of their appearance. Also, extreme weight gain, particularly when it is rapid, stretches the breast skin and makes it sag.
To be considered an ideal candidate for this procedure, you should be done planning to bear children and at your ideal weight. If you are not at your ideal weight, you should be no more than 10 pounds from it to ensure your breasts don’t change too much, and you should lose or gain weight slowly.
What Is a Breast Lift?
Mastopexy is a body-enhancing procedure that entails improving the shape and positioning of one’s breast tissue and removing any excess skin tissue that is contributing to breast sagging. Once any excess skin is removed, the remaining skin will be tightened. In some cases, the distribution of breast fat is changed, and sometimes people seek this procedure to change the position of their nipples.
How Is a Lift Different From Breast Implants?
While both mastopexy and breast implants aim to improve the appearance of the breasts, the primary goal of a lift is not to increase the size of the breasts. Some women find that their breasts look larger after a lift because the breasts can look deflated and smaller than they really are when there is a lot of excess skin. Removing the excess skin may make the breasts look fuller.
However, some women find that they need to buy smaller bras after their procedure because it is possible to lose up to half of a cup size when the excess skin is removed. If you are happy with the current size of your breasts but not the way your upper breast looks, you may benefit from a small breast augmentation in addition to your lift.
An Additional Note
If you feel like your breasts look much too large, you may benefit from combining this procedure with a breast reduction. You could reduce the size of your breasts by a full cup or more.
What Can I Expect During My Procedure?
You can expect to be calm and comfortable throughout your entire procedure. We will administer general anesthesia to ensure you remain asleep and numb throughout your body contouring procedure. The specific techniques used during your procedure will depend on several factors, including your goals, your current aesthetic, and your personal preferences. Usually, incisions are made around the areola after we mark every incision that will be made during the procedure.
Also, we may make a horizontal incision hidden in the natural fold of your breast crease; we also may make a vertical crease down the middle of your breast. Once all of the incisions have been made, we will remove any excess skin and reshape your breast and fat tissue so your breasts look proportionate and youthful.
How Will My Nipples Be Affected?
In some cases, the nipples are repositioned during mastopexy. Depending on your family planning goals, we can reposition the nipple in a manner such that your ability to breastfeed will not be affected.
What Should I Expect During the Recovery Process?
Every woman’s post-op recovery is unique. However, you can feel confident that you shouldn’t need to take more than a couple of weeks off from work to recover. Nevertheless, there is a notable exception. You need to refrain from vigorous physical activity, including lifting heavy weights, for six to eight weeks. If your job is physically intense, you may need to take 1.5 to two months off from work.
What Are the Indicators That I Will Qualify for This Procedure?
You’re Fairly Healthy
One of the strongest indications that you will qualify for this procedure is that you are in fairly good health. There is also a very strong chance that you will be considered a good fit for this procedure if you do not smoke; the health of your heart and lungs is crucial for you to be a good fit for general anesthesia.
Keep in mind, it is not enough that you are free from major chronic illnesses, like heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes, or renal failure. You also need to be at least two weeks out from your last illness, be it a viral or bacterial infection.
You Are Self-Conscious About the Appearance of Your Breasts
Another sign that you will be considered a good candidate for this procedure is that you feel self-conscious about the shape and position of your breasts. Whether you’re unhappy with the size and position of your nipple and areola, you can benefit from mastopexy if you would like your breasts lifted and reshaped.
Note, lifts aren’t just for women whose breasts have sagged due to pregnancy and nursing or the natural aging process. This procedure can also benefit women who have suffered from a traumatic injury, like a dog bite or motor vehicle accident, or undergone a mastectomy.
You Fail the Pencil Test
Failing the pencil test is another sign you will be considered a good candidate for this procedure. To perform this test, place a pencil under your breasts. If the pencil does not fall, there is an excellent chance that you will qualify for a lift. Also, there is a very good chance you will qualify for a lift if your nipples fall below the natural crease of your breasts.
Learn More About This Anti-Aging Procedure Today
Sagging breasts can make you look older than you are. Fortunately, a breast lift can restore a youthful perkiness to your breasts, helping you look younger and more proportionate. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect your final results to last for 10 to 15 years if you don’t get pregnant after your procedure. However, the better you care for yourself post-op, the longer you can expect your final results to last.
Contact us today at East Bay Aesthetic Surgery in Danville, CA, and Pleasanton, CA to schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Eric P. Bachelor, MD, FACS. We welcome the opportunity to help you achieve your desired appearance so you can enjoy the self-confidence you deserve.