Every day, women contact me with the desire for a more beautiful breast through a breast lift. When they start to confide in me and tell me their story, I often hear the same questions. Often I also notice that there is uncertainty about the information that my patients receive from various sources.Therefore, I wanted to answer the 8 most common questions and assumptions about a breast lift.
1. A breast lift differs from a breast augmentation or reduction
A breast augmentation gives the breast more volume and a breast lift raises the entire breast so that it is in a more youthful position. This means that the nipples do not point to the floor, but to the front. A breast lift is also not necessarily a breast reduction. The patient may choose to keep the size of the breast and simply tighten the breast.
2. A breast lift can also be accompanied by breast augmentation
I.e. an implant can be inserted at the same time as the breast is lifted. Many women choose to improve their breast shape and regain fullness in the upper part of the breast (decollete).
3. Your breasts will look bigger than expected at first
This is due to the post-operative swelling. I always educate my patients and prepare them for what to expect. Swelling is typical; whenever you have an operation you will have a swelling. This goes back after a month.
4. You will receive a post-operative compression bra
Wear this for 4 weeks and, when it’s comfortable for you, keep wearing it for 2 more weeks – it will help reduce swelling. If you’re looking to buy yourself new bras, wait and see. Your breasts will be swollen and changing for the first few weeks. And after that go to La Perla. Or better yet, send your partner.
5. During the operation, the nipples are not separated
If I did that, they would run out of blood. You would have no more feeling. You would not be able to breastfeed your child. Nipples are held on a stalk – a blood supply that includes an artery and a vein so that the nipple and areola receive blood and oxygen. This is how the nipple and areola are moved up with breast tissue and soft tissue around them. The entire hill is raised.
6. Breast lift is not painful
A mastopexy is a very well tolerated procedure and my post-operative pain schedule makes the recovery time comparatively pleasant. It certainly depends on your personal pain tolerance, but in general a breast lift is a procedure that frees you for my patients.
7. A common question from my patients is, “When can I start moving again?”
There is a lot of false information here too. Inactivity puts you at great risk of a blood clot (despite drug-based thrombosis prophylaxis). My patients are on their feet again within a few hours of the operation and are going home. The pain is well controlled with pain relievers, which work against inflammation, swelling, and nerve pain. In fact, you shouldn’t do any heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, yoga, pilates, running, skiing, etc. for the first 4 weeks after surgery. Walking, shopping, light hiking and all other daily activities are okay and support the healing process.
8. It is often said that you need to sleep more intensely and that this could lead to sleep problems
If you want to sleep elevated, that’s fine, but I think that would be uncomfortable in the long run. Most women initially sleep on their backs. If you are a side sleeper, I recommend a body pillow (as you might know from pregnancy) that can provide some support.
IIn my experience, a breast lift is an operation that gives women a completely new body feeling. In the truest sense of the word, they are relieved of a burden, physically and mentally.
