Defined
As part of the natural aging process, skin in the breasts loses elasticity and breasts begin to sag. Pregnancy, breast feeding and excessive weight loss can also cause breasts to lose elasticity. Some women become unhappy with how this loss of elasticity affects the look of their breasts and want to return to a more youthful look. In these cases a breast lift, or mastopexy, can take care of sagging. For women wanting breast enhancement, the two procedures can be performed at the same time.
Breast lifts take between 1 and 3 hours and are performed under general anesthesia. In some cases, usually where less skin has to be removed, they can be performed under local anesthesia. In these cases, the procedure is usually an outpatient procedure. In cases where more extensive skin removal and surgery is necessary, such as for women with larger breasts, a hospital stay may be required.
Concentric Mastopexy
Concentric mastopexy is sometimes called "doughnut" mastopexy. It is the least invasive of the breast lifts and is often used to lift smaller breasts or breasts with less severe dropping. This procedure requires fewer incisions and can sometimes be local anesthesia.
In this procedure, concentric circles are drawn and cut around the areola. The skin is then removed and the nipple and areola are moved upward. Once moved, the skin is sewn back in place. Concentric mastopexy usually results in less scarring than other procedures.
Vertical Mastopexy
Vertical mastopexy also restores breast shape by removing excess skin from around the areola. This is done via a vertical incision from the areola to the bottom of the breast. Removing skin along this incision reduces sagging and helps to re-shape the breast. As with concentric mastopexy, there is minimal scarring after this procedure.
Vertical mastopexy is a more invasive procedure and is usually done as an outpatient surgery under general anesthesia.
Anchor-Shaped Mastopexy
Anchor-type mastopexy is performed in situations where there is more sagging or on women with larger breasts. In cases where the nipple and areola must be moved a greater distance, a vertical and horizontal incision must be used. The two incisions allow the surgeon more control of breast shape. Of all the breast lift surgeries, this is the most invasive and is almost always done under general anesthesia. This procedure is similar to a breast reduction. The difference is that in a reduction, breast tissue is removed and with an anchor-type mastopexy, only skin is removed. Breast tissue is left in place.
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