In Person & Virtual
60 E. Delaware Place, 15th floor, Chicago
Mastopexy, or breast lift, is commonly performed to improve the appearance and shape of drooping or sagging breasts in women who have experienced loss of volume in their breast tissue due to pregnancy, weight loss, or aging.
Chicago’s renowned breast lift surgeon Dr. Michael A. Horn, M.D. provides patients at his state of the art Chicago plastic surgery practice with superior breast lift results. Dr. Horn can remove excess skin, once the skin is removed he’ll reposition the nipple and recontour the breast, creating a more lifted, youthful, and shapely figure. Typically performed as an outpatient procedure using general anesthesia, mastopexy can cause temporary swelling, numbness, and bruising. Most patients are able to return to daily activities in about one week. At our Chicago, Illinois center, breast lift may be performed alone or in conjunction with breast enlargement surgery based on your individual goals and needs. Dr. Horn can help each patient determine what choice is best for her.
The Michael Horn Center for Cosmetic Surgery offers world-class breast lift surgery in Chicago designed to raise and restore the shape of your breasts to a more youthful profile and contour.
Known as a mastopexy, a breast lift procedure involves the removal of excess skin at precise target locations and nipple/areola repositioning to maximize lift and firmness while producing a more desirable breast profile. A breast lift can be performed as a standalone procedure, a solution to sagging or misshapen breasts or in combination with breast augmentation or breast reduction surgery in line with your cosmetic goals.
Breast lifts are a great choice for those looking to help lift up a sagging bosom, or who have a different breast shape than they did prior to weight loss or pregnancy. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding breast lifts:
Like all skin tissue, breast tissue experiences a loss of elasticity and firmness with age, causing breasts to sag and lose their youthful shape as they become more prone to loose and excess skin.
Breasts also lose their shape naturally as a result of pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight gain and weight loss, while some patients may also develop sagging or misshapen breasts at a young age due to heredity. Nipples and areolas mayenlarge or reposition for the same reasons and combined with sagging and a loss of firmness and perkiness, can affect a patient’s figure, confidence and sense of youth.
Like any cosmetic procedure, the decision to have breast lift surgery should only be made for personal reasons and not be influenced by anyone else. If your breasts developed sagging, the nipples point downwards or below the breast creases, breast lift surgery may be the solution. A breast lift can turn back the clock and raise your breasts, reposition the nipples, and make your breasts look and feel firmer, perkier, and younger than before.
It’s important to note that a breast lift does not necessarily impact the size of your breasts, but the raising and reshaping of their profile can make it appear so. To achieve physically larger breasts, breast augmentation surgery will be required. A breast lift can be performed in combination with a breast augmentation, which may be recommended to achieve your total cosmetic goals. The optimal solution for your needs will be discussed in detail during your consultation visit. A breast lift procedure is the ideal solution for:
What are the Benefits of Breast Lift Surgery?
A breast lift can have many benefits from improving the appearance of your breasts and figure to boosting your self-image and the desire to dress more freely and with confidence. Benefits of breast lift surgery include:
You may be the ideal candidate for breast lift surgery if:
Breast lift surgery is performed while the patient is sedated or asleep, and takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete. After completion, the patient can go home on the same day. The type of incisions made during your breast lift surgery and their locations will depend on the following factors:
Depending on your cosmetic goals, breast lift surgery typically involves the following steps:
For safety purposes and to ensure a comfortable procedure, sedatives or general anesthesia will be administered in accordance with your medical history and the course of treatment.
Your surgeon will make precise and predetermined incisions at target locationswhich are dependent on factors as stated above. These may include incisions made:
After incision, your surgeon may make the following modifications to your breast tissue dependent on factors as stated above. The modifications may include:
After all modifications to your breast and skin tissue have been made, the surgeon will tighten the skin around the incisions and seal them closed using stitches, surgical tape or adhesives to promote rapid healing, minimal scar tissue, and optimal cosmetic results.
Different types of breast lift incisions can be utilized by your surgeon to accommodate varying breast tissue textures and conditions, diverse cosmetic goals, and for the purpose of minimizing scarring in every patient’s unique case. During your consultation, your surgeon will examine the condition of your breasts and recommend a specific incision type to help you achieve the cosmetic changes you seek while avoiding visible scarring and enhancing the overall shape, appearance and condition of your breasts. The types of breast lift incisions are:
This breast lift incision type is ideal for the correction of minimal sagging and is typically performed in conjunction with a breast augmentation. During a Crescent Lift, an incision is made surrounding the upper half of the areola. This incision type produces minimal scarring that will fade over time.
A peri-areolar breast lift, or a Donut Lift, is an incision type designed to correct mild breast sagging via a circular incision that fully surrounds the areola. This incision type is also utilized in the case of areola reduction for enlarged areolas as well as in breast lift surgery performed at the same time as breast augmentation. When fully healed, a donut breast lift will leave a single, minimally visible scar tracing around the boundary of the areola.
A vertical breast lift, or a Lollipop Lift, is a breast lift incision designed for the correction of moderate sagging, and one that allows for the removal of excess skin tissue and a greater range of breast shape and contour modifications. A Lollipop Lift includes a total of 2 incisions, connecting a Donut incision surrounding the areola to a vertical incision that extends downward from the areola to the breast crease.
An inverted T breast lift, or an Anchor Lift, is an incision type that involves a total of 3 incisions that give your surgeon far more access to tissue removal and breast reshaping than possible with other incision types. An Anchor Lift is ideal for patients seeking the correction of significant breast sagging and pendulous breasts as well as excess breast tissue removal and optimal reshaping and contouring. It connects a Donut incision surrounding the areola to a vertical incision running from the areola to the breast crease, where it meets a third incision running horizontally along the breast fold. An Anchor Lift is also an ideal incision choice when performing a breast lift in conjunction with a breast reduction. This type of incision involves some visible scarring, however, administered skin care should cause the scars to fade and become almost imperceptible over time.
During your consultation visit, your surgeon will conduct an examination of your breasts to determine the best incision type and location to minimize scarring. Breast lifts are designed to produce the smallest, most-concealed, and least-visible scars possible while creating the desired cosmetic effect. In many cases, the incision lines are concealed naturally by the breast tissue itself, and while scarring is permanent, the minimal and precise nature of the incisions should lead to the fading of scar tissue to the point of imperceptibility over time.
During your consultation visit, you and your doctor will discuss all the steps you need to take to be fully prepared for breast lift surgery. These may include:
Deciding on breast lift surgery isa major decision in your life, and it’s perfectly natural to feel anxious and have many questions about the procedure and what to expect. For best results, try to be as open as possible with your doctor and discuss any thoughts, feelings, and desires about breast lift surgery and your best expectations.
This will allow your doctor to understand the results you seek and fully inform you on the possibilities while providing a recommended course of treatment that is in line with your best expectations. Your consultation visit will include a review of your cosmetic goals along with the following to determine possible risk factors and ensure your complete safety:
To determine if you are an ideal candidate for mastopexy and review your treatment options, your doctor will need to conduct a medical examination of your breasts, which includes:
After your breast lift procedure, the incision areas will be dressed and covered with bandages to protect the breast tissue and accelerate the healing process. Your breasts may be swollen and bruised after surgery, which should decrease and disappear within about 2 weeks. The breast tissue will feel sore or slightly painful at or around the affected areas, and you may experience numbness around your nipples, areolas, and incision areas for several weeks after surgery. You will be advised to wear a support bra or elastic bandages to reduce swelling and provide support to your breast tissue during recovery. You will also schedule a follow-up visit within 1-3 days of surgery, as well as a second follow-up visit approximately 6 weeks later.
You will receive specific instructions on how to achieve a fast, full and healthy recovery, which may include:
You will also be advised to make specific lifestyle changes in order to ensure your safety as well as optimal healing and cosmetic results, such as:
While the risks of breast lift surgery are generally considered rare, all major surgeries do pose a small degree of risk to the patient. The risks of breast lift surgery will be discussed in detail during your pre-operative visits along with everything you need to know to help minimize them and ensure a safe and successful procedure. You will be required to sign a consent form stating that you understand the risks involved and are making the personal decision to proceed with breast lift surgery. Potential risks and side-effects of breast lift surgery include:
You will notice a change in your breast shape, profile and contour immediately following surgery.
However, optimal results will take place over the course of several months. During the period following surgery, any bruising, swelling, redness and incision lines will begin to diminish and the overall appearance of your breasts will continue to improve.
While a breast lift does provide long-lasting results, its benefits are naturally susceptible to the effects of aging, gravity, and weight gain or weight loss just like breasts prior to getting a lift. Thus, a breast lift is not permanent, and you may elect to have an additional breast lift later in life should you wish to reverse some of those effects on the shape, contour and position of your breasts.
After surgery, you and your doctor will discuss any steps you can take to preserve the results of a breast lift, which typically include avoiding weight fluctuations and maintaining a healthy lifestyle that involves proper skincare. You will also be advised to avoid any risk of blunt impact, force or intensive motions during the recovery process. Because of the effects of pregnancy and weight fluctuations on breast tissue, it’s best to discuss your future plans with your doctor and postpone a breast lift surgery until after any plans to have children or lose weight have been fulfilled.
Schedule a Consultation
If you live in or near Chicago and have questions about breast lift surgery, click here to request a consultation online at our downtown Chicago plastic surgery office. Alternatively, you can Call our practice at (312) 202-9000 and one of our helpful staff members will schedule your appointment.
From the initial consultation to the final follow-up exam, Dr. Horn and his staff provides compassionate treatment tailored to the specific needs and goals of each individual. Dr. Horn’s mastery and surgical skill in performing various face and body procedures, his dedication to patients’ safety, combined with his focus on unparalleled care and attention, make him one of the most sought-after surgeons in the Midwest. At his clinic, surgical options are paralleled by an array of non-invasive treatments and advanced technologies designed to help you rediscover your beauty potential.
60 E. Delaware Place, 15th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611
60 E. Delaware Place, 15th Floor, Chicago IL 60611
Mon, Wed, Fri: 8:30am - 6:00pm Tue, Thu: 9:00am - 6:00pm Sat: 9:00am – 2:00pm
Plastic Surgeon Marketing
© 2021 Dr. Michael Horn, M.D. | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement