Over time, your breasts may start showing the effects of aging and gravity. This may be evident in breasts that sag or nipples that turn downward. Both of these conditions can diminish your confidence, but thankfully, they can be treated with a procedure known as a breast lift. Dr. Brad Gandolfi, a double board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City, specializes in lifting the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue. A breast lift, or mastopexy, can give you a more youthful and symmetrical appearance that boosts confidence.
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A breast lift is a surgical procedure that lifts and reshapes the breast by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding breast tissue. The goal is to improve position, projection, and the breast profile without significantly altering the size of your breasts.
Depending on goals, a breast lift alone may be ideal, or it can be combined with breast implants, as part of breast augmentation, to restore volume after weight loss or pregnancy. Patients wishing to reduce the size of very large breasts often combine a breast lift with breast reduction. During your consultation, your board-certified plastic surgeon will discuss incision types, areola size reduction, and whether adding volume will help you achieve the best results.
A breast lift treats:
Before undergoing a breast lift, it is natural to have questions about what the process entails. While the breast lift experience can look a little different from patient to patient, it generally follows these basic steps:
Your journey will begin with a phone call with a member of our team to discuss your medical history and aesthetic goals and schedule your consultation. During this appointment, Dr. Gandolfi will perform a physical evaluation, review images, and talk with you about your aesthetic goals. You will also have a chance to ask your questions and learn more about the anesthesia options provided. Usually, the consultation lasts around half an hour.
Dr. Gandolfi and his team will furnish you with guidelines for preparing for your breast lift. This will mean abstaining from smoking, ceasing certain medications, and fasting for a few hours before the procedure.
The timeline for your breast lift can vary, but anticipate somewhere between two and four hours. If you are combining your breast lift with breast augmentation, the procedure will usually take longer.
Surgery will begin with your arrival at our surgery center and a warm welcome from our surgical team. They will guide you to your operating suite and administer anesthesia to keep you comfortable.
Once you are fully asleep, Dr. Gandolfi will make incisions along the areola or the crease of the breast. Through these incisions, Dr. Gandolfi will be able to remove any excess breast tissue or skin, also repositioning the nipple for an improved breast aesthetic.
Breast lift surgery is not extremely painful. When the skin is lifted, it often goes numb, which limits discomfort. Drains are rarely used. Most people use a small amount of prescription pain medication but transition quickly to over-the-counter pain medications for pain control.
A breast lift is a cosmetic procedure. The most common issues addressed during a lift include:
Additionally, women seeking breast implant removal often benefit from a breast lift. When implants are removed, they leave behind space that, if not addressed, will cause the breasts to look deflated. A lift can be performed with implant removal to tighten the skin and fix the overall shape of the breast.
Actual Patient of Dr. Gandolfi Who Received a Breast Reduction, Breast Lift, and Liposuction.
The best way to determine your candidacy for a safe and successful breast lift is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gandolfi. By reviewing your medical history, examining your breasts, and asking some questions about your aesthetic goals, Dr. Gandolfi can confirm that a breast lift is right for you.
The best candidates for breast lift surgery are women who wish to change the shape of their breasts. (If you are more concerned with volume, breast augmentation makes more sense.) Specifically, the best candidates have breasts that have started sagging or nipples that droop. Additionally, the best candidates for a breast lift do not smoke or are willing to give up smoking for six weeks or more.
All candidates for breast surgery must be up to date with all cancer screening measures (mammogram, etc.).
Following your breast lift, it will be crucial to take some time to rest and recover. Depending on the job, expect to take 1-4 weeks off. For jobs that involve heavy physical activity, more time may be necessary.
Before you are discharged, you will receive all the guidelines you need concerning diet, bathing, and caring for your incisions. By adhering to these guidelines, you can minimize the visibility of your scarring and promote optimal results.
While most breast lift patients do not need to have drains, you will need to wear a sports bra or surgical bra for four to six weeks. This garment helps reduce swelling and also promotes better aesthetic results. Note that it will take about three months for your breasts to take their final shape. At this point, you can get a clearer sense of your end results.
The scars will fade over time. For the first 3 months, the areas will appear gently raised and slightly red/pink. This is a normal part of healing and a result of new skin (and blood flow) in the area. Scar color is the last thing to improve after surgery. This generally takes a year (or more) to fully mature.
During the second month of recovery, you will be able to remove the compression bra and resume exercising like normal. You should also get a good sense of what your final surgical outcome looks like.
Within months three through six, you will likely feel totally normal again, and the recovery process will be virtually complete.
Within a year of the breast lift, scars should have faded considerably to the point of being just minimally visible.
You’ll see an immediate lift and cleaner breast contour after surgery, with your breast shape and nipple position continuing to refine as swelling settles over the next few months. By about three months, most patients appreciate their long-term silhouette.
By practicing healthy habits and maintaining a stable weight, you can ensure your breast lift results last many years. A lift does not stop future aging, but it resets the clock so your breasts age naturally from a higher, more balanced starting point. Patients often note improved posture, a lighter feel, and lasting self-confidence in every setting.
Dr. Brad Gandolfi is a highly trained, double board-certified plastic surgeon with a reputation for promoting patient safety and well-being. He combines his artistic skill with advanced breast lift techniques to ensure beautiful, natural-looking results for each patient. To schedule a breast lift consultation with Dr. Gandolfi, contact us at (212) 287-7211.
All surgery leaves scars, but those scars vary significantly from person to person. In all instances, Dr. Gandolfi uses a layered approach to closure and hides incisions in creases to limit their visibility. In most instances, the scars will eventually fade to being nearly invisible. This, however, takes time. For the first 3 months, the areas will appear gently raised and slightly red/pink. This is a normal part of healing and a result of new skin (and blood flow) in the area. Scar color is the last thing to improve after surgery. This generally takes a year (or more) to fully mature.
If you tend to scar poorly or have a history of keloids in your family, please let Dr. Gandolfi know. With careful planning and additional surveillance, Dr. Gandolfi has successfully operated on many patients who have a propensity for keloids.
Forever! The lift to your breasts will last forever. That being said, a breast lift is not a magical surgery that will stop aging from occurring or reverse the effects of gravity. Instead, your breasts will continue to age naturally, starting from a new point. It is rare for a lift (without implants) to need any additional procedure to improve the look of the breast for a decade or even longer.
While all surgeries come with risks, the risk is minimal when you choose a highly skilled and experienced surgeon.
Only you can decide whether getting a breast lift is worth it, but be aware that virtually all patients who get a breast lift from Dr. Gandolfi are extremely satisfied with their results.
Yes. Many women choose to combine a breast lift (mastopexy) with breast augmentation to restore volume or with breast reduction to reduce the size of overly large breasts. These combined procedures allow your board-certified plastic surgeon to create balance and harmony in one surgical procedure, giving you the most natural and flattering results.
Most patients describe breast lift recovery as mildly uncomfortable rather than painful. Temporary tightness or pressure is common as the breast tissue adjusts, but discomfort is easily managed with pain medication and supportive garments such as a surgical bra. Dr. Gandolfi’s gentle techniques and detailed aftercare instructions help patients recover comfortably and return to normal daily activities within a few weeks.
A breast lift improves shape and position but does not significantly change the size of your breasts. While your breast profile will appear perkier and firmer, the overall breast size remains close to your natural proportions. If you’d like to increase or decrease volume, Dr. Gandolfi can combine your lift with breast augmentation or breast reduction surgery to achieve your desired outcome.
