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Breast Lift (Mastopexy) in Charleston, SC

A breast lift with plastic surgery by Port City Plastic Surgery in Charleston, SC, can give your breasts a more youthful shape. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Brian G. Widenhouse offers breast lifts for patients who live in Charleston, Daniel Island, Mount Pleasant, Summerville and the surrounding communities in South Carolina.

What Is A Breast Lift?

The shape of a woman’s breasts depends on:

  • A balance of the strength of skin and ligaments against the pull of gravity
  • Skin and ligaments lose some of their elasticity with age
  • Life events like weight gain and loss can stretch skin and ligaments
  • Smoking is particularly damaging to skin elasticity

This means breasts can sag or lose shape with age. If the sagging of your breasts makes you feel self-conscious or unattractive, a breast lift may be an option for you.

A breast lift (or mastopexy) is a technique for reshaping a woman’s breasts to reduce sagging and give them a youthful shape and fullness. It is a good technique for women whose breasts have begun to sag due to age, weight loss, or childbirth. In a breast lift procedure, excess skin is removed from the breasts, and the nipple is repositioned higher. The breast is reshaped to restore a more youthful contour.

A breast lift can:

  • Raise sagging breasts to a higher, more youthful position
  • Tighten loose skin
  • Reposition your nipple and areola higher on the breast for a more youthful appearance
  • Restore a youthful breast shape by bringing together breast tissue that has spread out

For many women, breast augmentation with implants provides enough uplift and reshaping with less scarring than a breast lift. Sometimes breast implants are used in combination with a breast lift procedure (augmentation mastopexy).

How Much Does A Breast Lift Cost in Charleston?

The cost of a breast lift varies between patients, as there are differing requirements to meet each patients’ desires and physical needs. You’ll be told the cost of the procedure during your consultation. We accept cash, check, and major credit cards. Financing is available to assist patients in covering surgical costs.

What To Expect After A Breast Lift?

Swelling is to be expected following surgery. Surgical dressings will be removed about three days after your breast lift. Dr. Widenhouse may place drains during your breast lift to aid healing. Drains will be removed five to seven days after surgery. Within one week, most patients are cleared to continue normal, non-laborious activities.

As you recover, sensation will return to the nipples and areolas. This signals the end of the recovery process is near, and you’ll no longer require a support bra. Swelling will decrease in the months following surgery, allowing the breasts to assume their natural position.

Will I Have Scars After Getting A Breast Lift?

With proper postoperative care, the scars from a breast lift will generally be faint. All scars from a breast lift are at or below the nipple and will be concealed in swimsuits and low-cut clothing.

When Will I See The Results?

You will begin to see the results of your breast lift as swelling subsides in the months after your surgery. Swelling should be completely resolved, and your breasts settled into their natural positions around six months after surgery.

What Are Possible Complications Of A Breast Lift?

There are possible complications associated with undergoing a breast lift, including:

  • Bleeding
  • Hematoma
  • Infection
  • Temporary or long-lasting change in nipple and/or breast sensation
  • Irregularities in the breasts’ contour and shape
  • Asymmetry

How Long Will The Results Of A Breast Lift Last?

A breast lift’s results do not have a definitive lifespan. With proper care, repeat procedures may not be necessary. Maintaining a steady weight, not becoming pregnant, and caring for one’s skin properly can help the breasts remain taut and lifted.

Benefits of A Breast Lift

  • Breasts appear more youthful
  • Breast symmetry, shape, size, and position are improved
  • Self-confidence improves as breast issues resolve

Who Is The Ideal Candidate For A Breast Lift?

A breast lift can benefit you if your breasts are sagging but have enough volume to make a pleasing breast size and shape. Sometimes a breast lift might need to be combined with breast implants (augmentation mastopexy) to give the results you desire.

The best way to determine whether you are a good candidate for a breast lift is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Brian G. Widenhouse.

What Do I Need To Do Before A Breast Lift?

Prior to your breast lift, you’ll have a consultation with Dr. Widenhouse. He will perform a physical evaluation, review your medical history, and discuss your issues and expectations for the procedure while answering any questions. During the consultation, Dr. Widenhouse will develop a treatment plan which addresses your unique anatomy in order to achieve the best results through surgery. Age, breast volume, breast shape, and skin condition will be considered, as well as your desires.

It may be decided that breast implants could help you achieve your goals. If so, Dr. Widenhouse will advise you regarding the different breast implants available and discuss nipple and areola repositioning, while giving you an idea of what the final outcome will look like.

What Should I Expect On The Day Of My Breast Lift?

A breast lift procedure is performed under IV sedation. There are several different types of incisions used in breast lift procedures. The one used depends on the amount (or degree) of ptosis (sagging) in your breasts. The most common is the anchor incision. It is used when a woman needs the most lifting possible. The incision begins above the nipple, extends past the nipple down to the breast crease and along the crease. It leaves what is known as a “lollipop scar,” which goes around the areola and down to the breast crease. The incisions allow for the nipple to be repositioned higher on the breast into a natural, youthful position. The areola can also be reduced if it has become stretched.

How Long Does It Take To Perform A Breast Lift?

For most patients, a breast lift takes approximately three hours to complete. This may vary either way depending on your unique treatment plan. Following surgery, you’ll wake up and recover at our facility before being released to go home.

Does a breast lift leave scars?

A patient will have scars following a breast lift, or mastopexy. There are ways to minimize scarring, such as limiting activity for the first few weeks following surgery and adhering to post-operative instructions. There are also topical treatments for scarring that can begin once the incisions fully heal.

Does insurance pay for breast lift?

Insurance companies do not pay for. abreast lift. Most insurance companies will pay for abreast reduction, but not a breast lift. If a breast reduction is a covered benefit under an insurance policy, the surgeon is required to remove a certain amount of grams in order for the procedure to be covered. The number of grams required to be removed varies from policy to policy.

Is a breast lift covered by insurance?

A breast lift is not covered by insurance. Insurance companies consider a breast lift a cosmetic procedure and not medically necessary.

How soon after breast lift can I exercise?

You should wait six weeks following a breast lift before exercising. Its important that patients follow post-operative instructions regarding exercise and other activities after surgery.

Dr. Brian G. Widenhouse is passionately committed to reflecting your inner beauty. Using the latest and most advanced procedures for cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, our team offers full body plastic surgery, emphasizing overall health and wellness to the residents of Charleston, Daniel Island, Mount Pleasant, Summerville and the surrounding communities in South Carolina. Contact Port City Plastic Surgery today!

LOCATION:

2683 Lake Park Drive
Charleston, SC 29406

LOCATION:

125 River Landing Drive
Suite 101
Daniel Island, SC 29492