Before the breast lift surgery

Before any breast surgery, it is recommended that the patient’s routine breast screening must have been performed within the last 6 months. During the examination, the degree of sagging, current volume of the breast, and skin quality are assessed. Planning is carried out based on these criteria, as well as the patient’s requests. If the prosthesis is to be used, where the prosthesis will be placed (under the breast tissue or under the muscle) is discussed in detail, alongside its advantages and disadvantages, with the patient.

How is breast lift surgery performed?

Breast lift surgeries are performed under general anesthesia. During the surgery, the nipple is transferred to its newly designated position, breast tissue is reshaped, and breast prosthesis is placed if required. At the end of the procedure, the patient has scars that start as a circle around the nipple and go down vertically, in the shape of an “inverted T”.

After the breast lift surgery

When you wake up from the general anesthesia, you will find that you are wearing a sports bra, which you will use for 1 month after the surgery, and that there are 2 drains running along the sides of both your breasts. It is not unexpected to have pains in the early postoperative period, but it can be kept under control with analgesics. You may carry out your daily activities. There may be patients who feel numbness or loss of sensation in their breast area after the surgery, but this will resolve in time. Permanent loss of sensation is very rare.

Risks and complications of breast lift surgery

Just like after every surgical procedure, there are risks such as bleeding, bruising, edema, and infection, after breast lift surgeries. Other risks specific to the surgery can be listed as delayed wound healing, poor scar tissue, and partial or total nipple loss (necrosis) due to the disruption of circulation. After the surgery, sagging and deformation may occur as a result of aging and gravity. If augmentation using a prosthesis is performed, prosthesis-related complications may be observed. In the case of capsular contracture, the current form of the breast may be disrupted. Surgical intervention may be required again for corrections.

Does breast lift surgery prevent lactation?

While tissue integrity is often slightly disrupted in breast lift surgeries, lactiferous ducts might have been harmed due to the changes that may occur during the recovery period of the breast tissue after the surgery. With or without a prosthesis, if lactiferous ducts are not harmed, there will not be any problems in breastfeeding after breast lift surgeries. However, postoperative breast shape will be deformed much more rapidly due to the change in the breast volume after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Therefore, it is recommended to undergo breast lift surgery at least 6 months after the last breastfeeding.

What is the optimum age for surgery?

Since breast development must be complete for breast lift surgeries, the most ideal age is from 18 years onward. However, for the surgery outcome to be long-lasting, it is recommended to have completed the pregnancies and breastfeeding period. Women who have not yet breastfed must be informed about the risk of not being able to breastfeed after the surgery, albeit low.

Can breast augmentation surgery be performed on a breast that has undergone a breast lift before?

It is possible to perform breast augmentation surgery on an individual who has undergone breast lift surgery before. To assess your suitability for the procedure, you must undergo an examination and your breast structure must be evaluated.

Is the outcome of breast lift surgery permanent?

As the breast tissue sags with increased age and gravity, the outcome of the surgery is affected depending on the degree of this sagging. If severe deformation develops or if the patient desires, the surgery can be repeated.

Will there be a loss of sensation at the nipples?

Usually, the patients complain of a loss of sensation at the nipple after the operation, but mostly, this complaint regresses. The rate of permanent loss of sensation is approximately 5%.

Is it possible to lift the breast without surgery?

Unfortunately, there are no methods that are not surgical for an effective and healthy breast lift. Injection of materials without any evidence of their reliability to the breast must be avoided.

Will there be scars after the surgery?

According to the method used in breast lift surgery, you may have 3 different scars: at the nipple, a vertical line starting from the nipple and extending downward, and an inverted T starting from the nipple and extending downward.
The primary criterion that determines the shape of your scar is your degree of sagging.

Sports after surgery

You can begin to take mildly brisk walks when you feel ready after the surgery. At the end of the 1st month, you can do almost all of your physical activities except heavy lifting. You can begin to perform all exercises as of the 6th week. If a prosthesis has been placed under the muscle, sports involving the use of chest muscles must be avoided for 3 months. Listen to your body at each stage and avoid the activities that challenge you and cause discomfort regardless of time after surgery.

Sex life after the surgery

The time to go back to your sex life must be regarded similarly to the time to go back to physical activities.

Smoking after the surgery

One of the most important factors that disrupt the quality of the surgery during the recovery period is smoking. Disrupted circulation due to smoking leads to wound healing problems, infections, and worsening in scar quality. Ideally, smoking must be avoided for 3 weeks before and after the surgery.

Traveling after the surgery

If you do not have any condition that requires follow-up after breast lift surgery, traveling is allowed.