What You Need to Know Beforehand
Surgical techniques and scars
There are various established techniques for breast lift/uplift surgery. The choice of the right method, tailored to you, depends on your anatomy, the size of the breasts, degree of sagging, laxity of the skin, position of the nipple, etc. These factors will be addressed by your surgeon during the decision process. Furthermore, the placement of
breast implants may form an integral part of the operation, in order to refill the breast, resulting in an improved shape and silhouette. Depending on your case, minimal scarring will be evident whenever possible.
Light Breast Ptosis (sagging): Scars are around the areola and, if necessary, with a vertical extension (lollipop shape).
Moderate Breast Ptosis (sagging): When a moderate degree of sagging is present, we use a vertical scar technique or with a small extension of the scar into the infra-mammary fold. The scars are, as described above, a lollipop shape, with an additional short scar in the sub-mammary fold (short anchor or inverted-T).
Severe Breast Ptosis (sagging): When a more excessive degree sagging is present, we use a vertical scar, this may need a longer extension of the scar into the inframammary fold forming a full-length inverted-T scar.
After Surgery and Beyond
Mastopexy aftercare
The Ocean Clinic is dedicated to avoiding any unnecessary pain. We routinely perform a temporary local nerve block of relevant sensory nerves, thus considerably lowering the pain in the early post-operative period. With an additional combination of one or two painkillers, you should be pain-free. Our suturing is absorbable; there is no need to remove stitches. Postoperative lymphatic drainage is advisable after this kind of procedure.
We will provide you with a specialised bra to be worn for about 4 to 6 weeks. Do not lift any objects over 5kg and avoid sports involving weights during this period.
Mastopexy procedure related risks
There are non-specific risks that are connected to any kind of surgical procedures such as hematoma, infection, seroma.
When choosing the right technique for shaping the breast envelope, the restriction of blood supply to the nipple or areola (necrosis) is extremely rare. Avoiding smoking for 1 month prior to surgery and 4-6 weeks post surgery enhances the wound healing process and minimizes the risk of nipple necrosis. The impairment of lactation in case of future pregnancy is very rare.
Mastopexy alternative treatments
In cases of a saggy breast with concurrent hypertrophy, a breast reduction removal of breast and fat tissue could be an option.
In some cases the placement of breast implants may correct a light to moderate amount of sagging for a certain time period, however an additional breast lift may become necessary at a later stage.
Ocean Clinics experience in Mastopexy
We perform our specially developed peri-areolar suture technique (if necessary) in order to minimize the appearance of scars. Our aftercare relies on an inter-disciplinary program for post-operative scar treatment. We often perform simultaneous liposuction in the surrounding areas, such as the rest of the chest and the area frontal to the axilla for a better aesthetic result and our patients have no need for drains in most cases.
