Breast Lift (Mastopexy) Washington DC
A breast lift, also known as a mastopexy, provides the look of a bra without wearing one. Some women’s breasts start to sag as part of the natural aging process, while others may have lost volume and elasticity from pregnancy and breast feeding or weight loss. The nipples are usually too low on the breast mound and need to be lifted to a more attractive position. A breast lift alone may make the breasts appear slightly smaller, as the skin envelope is tightened around the breast tissue. Women who would also like to be larger may benefit from a breast augmentation at the same time to improve the overall appearance of their breasts.
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3 months postop |
3 years postop |
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Age: 51 yo
Procedure:
–Breast augmentation
–Wise pattern mastopexy
Implants: Silicone, moderate profile
–Left: 300cc
–Right: 300cc
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A crescent mastopexy is for women with only a very small degree of sagging (also known as ptosis) or for women who have slightly asymmetric nipple/areolas who want this corrected. A crescent of skin is removed from the upper half of the areola from 9:00 to 3:00 to give a slight lift.
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After |
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Age: 60 yo
Procedure:
–Breast augmentation
–Crescent mastopexy
Implants: Saline, moderate profile
–Left: 325cc
–Right: 375cc
Time after surgery: 3 months
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| A periareolar mastopexy is also known as a concentric or “doughnut” mastopexy. In this situation, a ring of skin is removed from around the areola, and the remaining skin is cinched in. While there may be some skin wrinkling around the areola initially, this contour irregularity improves after several months, and the final scar is limited to the edge of the areola. The only concern is that the scar may widen in some cases. |
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A vertical mastopexy allows the nipple to be lifted even further, with a scar around the areola and then extending from the 6:00 position down to the breast crease. Because the vertical dimension of the skin envelope is not shortened in this type of lift, there may be some contour irregularity in the fold which typically will smooth out over the next few months. Alternatively, a limited scar may be required in the fold. |
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A wise pattern mastopexy, or formal breast lift, is the most commonly used technique. This allows for the greatest amount of lift of the nipple/areola complex. The scar extends around the nipple, vertically to the inframammary fold, and then horizontally in the fold. This is similar to the incisions used for breast reduction, but no breast tissue is removed. As the scar around the areola heals and the horizontal scar in the crease is hidden by the breast itself, the only visible scar is the vertical scar, which actually heals the best. This technique produces the most consistent breast shape without the need to wait for the tissues to “settle out”.
The best type of mastopexy for each patient is determined on an individual basis during the consultation, taking into account the patient’s current breast shape, breast size, and aesthetic goals.
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Age: 43 yo
Procedure:
-Wise pattern mastopexy
-Abdominoplasty
Time after surgery: 2 months
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