Breast Lift Surgery Las Vegas(Mastopexy)

Whereas a breast augmentation affects the size but not the position of the breast, a breast lift, an entirely different operation, affects the position of the breasts without affecting the size. Women who like the size of their breasts but want a more youthful position will opt to have a mastopexy. You might consider a breast lift if any of the following applies to you:

• Breasts sag (ptosis) – may be due to past pregnancies, genetics, or aging.
• Nipple-areolar complexes (pigmented areas around nipples) are enlarged.
• Nipples are very low on breast mount.

Loosening or stretching of the breast skin, resulting from breast size, age, gravity and/or pregnancy, leads to breast ptosis (breast droop). If your breast skin is tight and has good tone, it will hold your breast high but loose or stretched skin allows your breast to droop. Large breasts are pulled downward by gravity, so the overlying skin stretches and loses its tone. Because the skin thins with age, it becomes less resistant to the effects of gravity but the size of the breast is more important than age. The amount of droop is determined by the position of the nipple compared to the breast crease (inframammary crease). When you are young, the nipple is above the inframammary crease but the position of the nipple descends with age and gravity. The Mastopexy solves the problem by removing excess skin. The remaining, tighter skin then holds the breast in a higher position. The greater the droop, the more skin must be removed and the more extensive the resulting scars:

• Mild droop – removal of skin around the nipple – relatively well-hidden scar.
• Moderate droop – removal of skin around and below the nipple – scars in both.
• Advanced droop – removal of skin around and below the nipple and along the inframammary crease – scars in three areas.

In the purse-string mastopexy (also called the circumareolar approach), another alternative, a donut of skin is removed from around the nipple, regardless of the extent of droop. Although the scars are limited to the area around the nipple, this procedure tends to “flatten” the breast if the patient’s nipple is too low and more lift is required. In addition, the areola may be widened and stretch marks may develop. Another type of lift involves a vertical incision from the nipple/areolar area to the inframammary crease and a third alternative involves a horizontal incision along this same crease.

In about six months the following benefits may be visible from a mastopexy performed with the proper procedure:

• An elevated, more youthful breast contour.
• More normal size nipple-areolar complexes.
• More correct height of nipples on the breasts.

Mastopexy Combined With Augmentation

Some patients should consider combining an augmentation with a breast lift to attain the results that they desire. If your droop is mild, it may be possible to correct the problem with breast implants. However, implants will not raise moderately droopy breasts. You must also consider the possibility that the lift that you get from the augmentation may be only a temporary correction. Women who desire both larger and higher breasts should consider combining a breast augmentation and lift. These procedures can be performed separately or concurrently.