Frequently Asked Questions about Breast Lift Surgery

What is the difference between Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation?

A Breast Lift is a surgery designed to tighten surrounding tissue, remove excess skin, contour the breast as well as, reshape and adjust the breast position on the chest wall. Whereas, Breast Augmentation is mainly done to increase the size using implants. Women generally get a breast lift to correct sagging or drooping breasts, due to aging, pregnancy, or weight loss.

Can I also get implants with a Breast Lift?

Yes, a breast lift is often performed with other procedures, such as, breast augmentation or breast reduction. Adding implants in conjunction with a breast lift will often result a more youthful, firm and shapely look.

What are the risks and complications with a Breast Lift procedure?

There could be some complications that arise after a Breast Lift procedure. Bruising and swelling are the most common, but are known to subside after about a week. Infections of the wound are generally managed by antibiotics given during and after surgery, however, if you notice spreading of redness, fever or increased pain a couple of days after the procedures, contact your surgeon. Loss of nipple sensation and nerve damage are all possible risks because the nerve endings take time to regenerate after being severed during the Breast Lift surgery.

What is recovery like after Breast Lift surgery?

Most patients are able to go home a few hours after the procedure. Patients are required to wear an elastic bandage or surgical bra. Bruising  and soreness is minimal for a few days, however, swelling may last for a few weeks to several months. It is very important not to try to get back to a normal routine too quickly, this can alter the recovery time. Most patients are able to return to work within a week or 2. You must sleep on your back and refrain from heavy lifting or strenuous activity for a few weeks after the Breast Lift surgery.

Will the scars be big or noticeable?

Scars are not as noticeable as many patients think, this also depends on the surgeon and the type of Breast Lift surgery your surgeon performs. A vertical incision will have some scarring, usually it will only look like a white line. If you opt for a donut lift, the incision is done around the areola, which will hide any surgical scarring.

How much does a Breast Lift cost?

The costs are determined by the size of the incision as well as how much skin removal is necessary. The average costs of a routine Breast Lift is $5,000 - $6,000

How long will the results last?

The results of a Breast Lift procedure are permanent, however, even after a Breast Lift surgery gravity, pregnancy, aging and weight fluctuations can alter your breasts shape, size and contour.

Different Types of Breast Surgery in New York

Breast surgeries have been the most popular cosmetic surgical procedures in the US for years. In 2013, there were over 268,000 breast surgeries performed in the US. The main purpose of breast surgery is to achieve the shape, size and look of breasts that patients desire. Generally patients inquire about surgery due to significant weight loss, heredity, pregnancy or simply due to aging. There are 6 different types of breast surgeries; Breast Augmentation, Breast Reduction for women, Breast Lift, Breast Asymmetry, Breast Reconstruction and Gynecomastia also know as Male Breast Reduction.

Breast Augmentation

Also known as breast enhancement or breast enlargement allows for women to increase the size of her breasts with Silicone or Saline implants. Saline and Silicone come in different sizes and two main shapes, round and anatomical or tear-drop shape. Breast augmentation procedures take about 1.5 hours and is done on an outpatient basis. Patients are recommended to take 3 to 4 days off from work and most swelling will resolve after the first month. The final shape and size will show within 6 months.

Breast Reduction

Breast reduction or reduction mammaplasty removes excess fat, glandular tissue and skin  from the breasts while also lifting their position on the chest wall. Women who have found that they have significant discomfort due to the size and weight of their breasts get a breast reduction. The breast reduction procedure takes between 2 to 4 hours and is generally done in a hospital or an outpatient facility. Both cases most patients are able to go home the same day. Patients are recommended to take a week off work and generally can resume normal physical activity after 4 weeks.

Breast Lift

Breast lift or Mastopexy restores the breast and nipple to its proper position on the chest wall. This procedure is great for patients that have sagging or lost breast shape and volume. The breast lift surgery takes about 2 to 3 hours and is also done on an outpatient basis. Mild to moderate swelling will occur for 3 to 4 weeks after surgery. Patients are recommended to take light walks the day after the surgery and can resume regular exercise 3 weeks after the procedure.

Breast Asymmetry

Breast Asymmetry is quite common and is done when a patient’s breasts differ in shape or size. Surgery with implants, reductions or lift procedures can be performed in conjunction with breast asymmetry procedures. Depending on the on the degree of complexity, the surgery can last anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. Light activity and showers are fine, however, heavy exercise and sexual activity is restricted for 2 weeks after surgery. In some cases, a second surgery may be necessary between 6 to 12 months after the first procedure.

Breast Reconstruction

This procedure generally is performed after or in conjunction with a mastectomy, which is the removal of breast tissue usually due to cancer. There are three different ways to reconstruct the breasts,  one is implant reconstruction, TRAM Flap reconstruction and Latissimus Flap reconstruction. The TRAM Flap procedure involves taking fat and muscle from the lower abdomen to create a new breast. This procedure is popular because the TRAM Flap produces a more natural feel and appearance as well as the appearance of slimmer, flatter abdomen. The Latissimus Flap breast reconstruction the muscles and fat are taken from your back.

Gynecomastia or Male Breast Reduction

Male breast reconstruction is a procedure that is done when a man has excess breast tissue. The procedures can be performed by liposuction or by direct incision to remove fat and breast tissue. The breast reconstruction surgery can take 1 to 2 hours and is done on an outpatient basis. Patients are generally able to go back to work after a week, but are recommended not  to engage in anything more than walking for up to 3 weeks.

Because our bodies are different, it is important to consult a local physician about what procedures are right for your goals.

ASPS Annual Report

Every year the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) produces an annual report that provides a summary and the statistics of the cosmetic procedures performed each year. This report includes the top 5 cosmetic surgical and minimally invasive procedures. This report also provides the percent increase and decrease from two years prior and also compares the present year to the start of the millenium, 2000. Let's have a look at the interesting activity of cosmetic procedures during 2013.

The first number I noticed was that the total number of cosmetic procedures had increased by 3% - from 14.6 million in 2012 to 15.1 million procedures in 2013. When you break that number down, there were 1.7 million cosmetic surgical procedures and 13.4 million minimally invasive procedures. Of the 15.1 million cosmetic procedures, 5.7 million were reconstructive cosmetic procedures.

Now ASPS breaks down the surgical and minimally invasive procedures by the top 5 procedures in each category. Starting with surgical cosmetic procedures, the most popular is breast augmentation totaling 290,224 procedures. Followed by rhinoplasty, also known as nose reshaping, with 221,053 procedures, eyelid surgery with 215,641 procedures, liposuction with 199,817 procedures and lastly 133,320 facelift procedures. Now the minimally invasive procedures starting with 6.3 million Botox treatments, followed by 2.2 million soft tissue filler treatments, 1.1 million laser hair removal treatments and 970,343 microdermabrasion procedures. Ironically the top 5 for surgical cosmetic procedures and the top 5 minimally invasive procedures were the same in 2012 as in 2013.

The most interesting fluctuation in the statistics was with soft tissue fillers showing a steady increase. In 2011 to 2012 there was a 5% increase in soft tissue filler treatments, however from 2012 to 2013 there was a 13% increase. This increase explains all the talk about patients shying away from surgical procedures. The most significant difference in the overall soft tissue filler numbers being an 18% increase in hyaluronic acid fillers like, Juvederm and Restylane.There was also a significant decrease in collagen based fillers, showing a 19% increase in 2012’s report and in 2013’s report there was an 11% decrease in collagen fillers. This statistic is interesting because last year Allergan released a new product called Juvederm Voluma that is a longer lasting, volumizing filler. Since the release of Juvederm Voluma, patients and doctors have been happy with the results.

The final statistic that was out of the ordinary was a 10% increase in breast implant removals with breast augmentation patients. The reason this is interesting is because in 2012 the ASPS report showed that there was a 3% drop in breast implant removals.

Take some time to read the interesting statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for more details.