Preparing for surgery
After the initial consultation, our ART MEDIC surgeon will examine your breasts and measure them. He will discuss the factors that may affect the procedure—such as your age, the size and shape of your breasts, and the condition of your skin—and whether an implant is advisable. You will also discuss where the nipple and areola will be positioned; they will be moved higher during the procedure, and should be approximately even with the crease beneath your breast.
ART MEDIC surgeons will give you instructions how to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications. A mammogram will be recommended prior to your procedure to ensure breast health and serve as a baseline for future comparison. Our surgeon will describe the procedure in detail, explaining its risks and limitations and making sure you understand the scarring that will remain after surgery. Our specialists will also explain the effects of general anaesthesia that will be used, will show you the operating theatre where the surgery will be performed, and will inform you about all the costs involved. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks and potential complications of your surgery.
Description of surgery
Breast lift surgery usually takes one and a half to three and a half hours. The aim of the surgery is to remove excess skin, reposition the nipple and areaola to its original position. Techniques can vary, but the most common we use at ART MEDIC Cosmetic Surgery consists of three incisions: located around the areola, a vertical line downwards from the nipples and along underneath the breasts.
These incisions outline the area from which breast skin will be removed and define the new location of the nipple. When the excess skin has been removed, the nipple and areola are moved to the higher position. The skin surrounding the areola is then brought down and together to reshape the breast and stitches are put in. If required, the size of the areola can be reduced as well during the procedure.
Some patients, especially those with relatively small breasts and minimal sagging, may be candidates for modified procedures requiring less extensive incisions. One such procedure is the "doughnut mastopexy," in which circular incisions are made around the areola, and a doughnut-shaped area of skin is removed.
If you're having an implant inserted along with your breast lift, it will be placed in a pocket directly under the breast tissue, or deeper, under the muscle of the chest wall.
The breasts are fixed with gauze bandage after the surgery to prevent unwanted scarring of the fresh incisions.
After the surgery
After surgery, you'll wear an elastic bandage or a surgical bra over gauze dressings. Your breasts will be bruised, swollen, and uncomfortable for several days, but the pain won't be severe. Any discomfort you feel can be relieved with medications prescribed by our surgeon. After a few of days, you will be advised to start using a soft support bra. You'll need to wear this bra day and night for at least three weeks, and during the day for a further 3-4 months. The stitches will be removed gradually after the surgery, not all at once.
If your breast skin is very dry following surgery, you can apply a moisturizer several times a day. Be careful not to pull your skin in the process, and keep the moisturizer away from the suture areas. We also recommend avoiding sun bathing or using sun beds for at least 3 months after your surgery.
You can expect some loss of feeling in your nipples and breast skin caused by the swelling. This numbness usually fades as the swelling goes down over the next six weeks.
Healing is a gradual process. Although you may be moving around at home comfortably in a day or two, we won't advise you to return to work for a couple of weeks. You should also avoid lifting anything over your head for three to four weeks. If you have any unusual symptoms, don't hesitate to call your surgeon at ART MEDIC Cosmetic Surgery.
ART MEDIC surgeons will give you detailed instructions for resuming your normal activities. You may be instructed to avoid sex for a week or more, and to avoid strenuous sports for about a month. After that, you can restart these activities slowly. If you become pregnant, the operation should not affect your ability to breast-feed, since your milk ducts and nipples will be left intact.
