Mastopexy or Breast Lifting Procedures 

A woman’s breasts often change over time, losing their youthful shape and firmness.  These changes and loss of skin elasticity can result from:

• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Weight fluctuations
• Aging
• Gravity
• Heredity

Also known as mastopexy, a breast lift raises and firms the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reshape and support the new breast contour. 

Sometimes the areola becomes enlarged over time, and a breast lift will reduce this as well.  A breast lift can rejuvenate your figure with a breast profile that is youthful and uplifted.

What it won’t do

Breast lift surgery does not significantly change the size of your breasts or round out the upper part of your breast.  If you want your breasts to look fuller or smaller, you might want to consider either breast augmentation or breast reduction surgery.

Is it right for me?

Breast lift surgery is a highly individualized procedure and you should do it for yourself, not to fulfill someone else’s desire or to try to fit any sort of ideal image.

A breast lift is a good option for you if:

• You are physically healthy and maintain a stable weight
• You do not smoke
• You have realistic expectations
• You are bothered by the feeling that your breasts sag, have lost shape and volume
• You breasts have a flatter, elongated shape or are pendulous
• When unsupported, your nipples fall below the breast crease
• Your nipples and areolas point downward
• You have stretched skin and enlarged areolas
• One breast is lower than the other 

We asked Dr. Van Raalte some of the most common questions that patients have for him regarding the Mastopexy procedure.

1. Has there been any new progress for the mastopexy surgical procedure?

Yes.  The short scar, or vertical mastopexy, is a newer technique that avoids the larger horizontal scar.  It has been available in Europe but has become more popular in the United States in the last five years.  

2. Will there be scarring?

Unfortunately, there is no way to tighten significant loose skin without surgical removal.  All incisions will heal with a scar.  The quality of the scar depends on the type of skin, location of the scar, age of the patient and the patients own unique healing tendencies.  Some people may form thicker scars and others may fade to a thin line.  No scars completely disappear, but some may fade to where they are difficult to see.

3. Why do I need a lift instead of just an implant?

An implant will correct a small amount of droop.  However, severe droop cannot be corrected by an implant and would require a lift. 

4. What kind of technique(s) do you do?

We offer several different techniques depending on the amount of ptosis or droop. 

In very mild cases of breast droop, and if the patient desires a larger size, an implant may restore volume and correct the droop.  This is usually when the nipple position is at the level of the breast fold (or usually measures less than 22 cm from the notch between the clavicles or collar bones at the top of the sternum to the nipple).

When there is more droop and a larger size is requested a teardrop shaped implant and a mini lift may correct the droop.  The mini lift is a scar just around the nipple/areola.  This is best when the nipple position is slightly below the breast fold (or 22 to 24 cm from the nipple to the sternal notch).

Droop that is more severe when the nipple points south or is more than 25 cm from the sternal notch will usually require a full lift.

There are two other types of lifts.  The standard lift has the scar around the nipple/areola and an inverted T-shaped scar.  It is better for those with very severe droop, a wider frame, or heavier patients.  The short scar or vertical mastopexy has a scar only around the nipple/areola and a vertical scar.  This was first done in Europe. 

All types of lifts require smoking cessation as the nicotine is very hazardous to the skin flaps and nipple.  All have scars, decreased sensation, and may decrease the ability to breast feed.

We also offer an extended lift.  For patients that have loose skin or tissue on the sides by the bra line, this tissue can be moved and used to provide superior breast fullness. 

An implant may be needed to give firmer breasts or a large amount of superior fullness.  Implants and lifts together have more complications because one operation is tightening the breast and the other is expanding it.  In many cases it may be better to do one or the other first for a better result and less risk.  Another alternative is to put in an expandable implant and do the lift and after healing, expand the implant.  If a larger size is not needed, just doing the lift without an implant is less expensive and less complicated.

If you would like more information regarding this procedure

please call our office at 322-8877.

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Dr. Van Raalte and the Annual Boy Scout Merit Badge Day 

The clinic at Genesis Heart Institute and Genesis Medical Center will help over 100 Quad City area Boy Scouts earn their First Aid or Medicine Merit Badges on Saturday, March 6th.  The all-day clinic will train and test the Scouts on how to recognize and treat medical conditions for First Aid and the medicine badge introduces Scouts to the medical field, including a basic education in various medical careers.