Breast Lift
(Mastopexy)

An implant serves to increase the size of an otherwise normal shaped breast, while a breast lift aims to correct the shape of a breast. An ideal breast shape has a nipple that sits above the infra-mammary fold. Our double board-certified plastic surgeon will work to determine the best surgery for you and your aesthetic goals.

While nothing is permanent, breast lifts can last several years or even decades depending on the patient’s age and lifestyle. Breasts are subject to changes that naturally occur in life, including but not limited to weight fluctuations, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

During a breast lift procedure, there is a small amount of skin is removed in order to tighten the envelope and produce a perkier, lifted breast. This aims to correct the overall shape of the breast. Subsequently, the vast majority of our patients incidentally feel smaller after having a breast lift. As a general rule, a small, perkier breast tends to feel smaller than a large, pendulous breast.

At CARE Plastic Surgery, we are out-of-network with all insurance companies.

Contrary to common misconceptions, Dr. Coan does not remove the nipple during a breast lift procedure. Instead, the nipple is maneuvered into the correct position to provide a youthful breast shape. In doing this, the nerve and blood supply are kept intact. While it is possible that some nerves may be affected during surgery, causing possible diminished nipple sensation, there are several nerves responsible for providing sensation to the nipple and breast. Both nipple hypersensitivity and hyposensitivity are possible outcomes from surgery.

Depending on a patient’s starting point and anatomy, Dr. Coan may recommend different incisions to accomplish the best aesthetic outcome. Scarring can depend on a multitude of factors, including the body area. Breasts tend to heal quite well, but scarring is also patient-dependent. The quality of scars can depend on genetics, skin quality, complexion and skin type, and lifestyle habits (i.e., degree of sun exposure, smoking). The best treatments for optimal scarring are time and avoiding sun exposure. The appearance of scars is typically best at about 1 year after surgery. We also recommend Biocorneum, which is a silicone-based scar gel containing SPF. This is the only FDA-approved scar treatment on the market, and we encourage our patients to incorporate this once all incisions are healed.

Breast lifts performed with proper surgical technique can be long-lasting. However, you can expect your breasts to continue to change over time due to natural causes, including general aging, weight fluctuations, and pregnancy/breastfeeding.

Breast lifts are considered to be outpatient procedures. The actual procedure time can take approximately 1.5-2 hours, but this time can vary depending on if there are additional procedures being performed at the same time (fat grafting, augmentation, abdominoplasty, etc.). This total time does not include total prep and anesthesia time.

At CARE Plastic Surgery, Dr. Coan utilizes both local anesthetic and IV sedation for optimal patient comfort intraoperatively. While this procedure is typically manageable with regards to pain and discomfort, some mild post-operative swelling and discomfort is expected. Dr. Coan implements a very reliable and effective pain management protocol for patients after surgery. Many patients report a feeling of soreness or tightness in the chest that is well-managed with narcotics and over-the-counter pain medication.

A breast lift serves to address the overall shape of a breast. During this procedure, a small amount of skin is removed in order to tighten the envelope and produce a perkier, lifted breast. This aims to correct the nipple position and overall breast shape. There are two typical incisions that Dr. Coan utilizes: a periareolar incision with a circle around the areola, or a “lollipop” incision with a circle around the areola and a vertical incision on the front of the breast. Depending on a patient’s anatomy, Dr. Coan will recommend a particular approach for the best outcome.

It is important to note that only about 50% of patients attempt to breastfeed after having a breast lift procedure. Of this sample size, there are patients who can breastfeed successfully. However, the success of breastfeeding also depends on a woman’s ability to breastfeed even prior to surgery.

Breast surgeries have a chance of impacting breastfeeding when certain incisions are used. This is because it may disrupt the nerves and ducts around the nipples. If youre concerned about breastfeeding, you may explore different incision patterns with the help of Dr. Coan.