Breast Uplift, Mastopexy in North, West, South, East London

Procedures

Breast » Breast Uplift

Why choose us for Breast Uplift?

You will be seen and operated on by a fully qualified BAAPS/BAPRAS Consultant plastic surgeon.
We use minimal scar techniques
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15988256?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2. PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel. Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel. Pubmed_RVDocSum
Our prices are competitive and represent outstanding results.
We provide a personal and holistic service to our patients
We put you safety first!

In many ladies, as they grow older, factors such as pregnancy, breast feeding, and gravity take their toll on their breasts. As the skin loses its elasticity, the breasts often lose their shape and pertness and begin to sag. A breast uplift, or mastopexy, is a cosmetic procedure designed to lift and reshape sagging breasts for a more youthful appearance. Mastopexy can reduce the extra skin present and give your breasts a more firm shape and feel. In some ladies, breast implants are inserted at the same procedure. This allows patients the ability to increase breast size in addition to obtaining a shapelier, firmer look. This is called breast augmentation-mastopexy. Cosmetic Surgeons London will assess you and guide you as to the optimal treatment for your breasts.

Who is breast uplift (mastopexy) for?

Breast uplift is for ladies who are happy with the size of their breasts but want an uplift to raise and reshape them. Some ladies are not happy to find that they have lost a significant amount of breast volume over the years due to ageing. In these ladies, your surgeon can insert implants to increase breast size while, at the same time, enhancing the shape and position of the breasts. If the following apply to you then a breast uplift (mastopexy) may be what you need:

My breasts are droopy (this is known as ptosis)
My breasts lack firmness and there is loose skin
My nipples point towards my feet
I have lost weight and this has changed the appearance of my breasts
I have unsightly stretch marks
My breasts are asymmetrical

Where will the scars be?

This depends on the final assessment made by your surgeon during the consultation. There are 3 possibilities:

A circular scar at the edge of the areola (the darker area around your nipple)
The above combined with a vertical scar from the bottom of the areola to the crease under the breast ("lollipop")
In addition a horizontal scar along the breast crease ("inverted-T or anchor)

You (the Patient's) Journey

Before the operation

You will have seen your surgeon on more than one occasion to fully answer all your questions. It is important to avoid medications, if possible, such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) e.g Ibuprofen (Nurofen), Sodium Diclofenac (Voltarol) for 1 week before surgery. These tablets may increase bleeding during and after surgery. It is advisable to stop smoking 4 weeks before and after surgery from both a wound healing and an anaesthetic perspective.

The operation

You will be admitted to hospital on the morning of surgery and your surgeon along with his consultant anaesthetist will come and discuss the surgical plan again with you and make some marks on your skin with pen. You will be required to have a general anaesthetic. The operation will take approximately 1 - 2 hours. Your surgeon will re-shape your breasts and lift the nipple to a more aesthetic youthful position on your breast. All the stitches used will be dissolving in order to maximise comfort for you. Stitch removal may cause discomfort for some patients. Cosmetic Surgeons London always puts your comfort first. You will wake up with dressings in place before being taken to the ward. A drain may be used. You may need to stay in hospital overnight if your operation is done later in the day, if you feel too tired to go or if drains are used. You will need to have a friend or family member to drive you to and from the hospital and to look after you for the first 24-48 hours following surgery.

Recovery

You will experience some degree of bruising, swelling, and discomfort all of which improve by the day. Our consultant anaesthetist will prescribe you adequate medication to take home to alleviate any discomfort you may experience. You are encouraged to walk around the ward as soon as you feel up to it. It is important not to get the dressings wet after surgery and you will be advised on showering. Depending on your type of work, you may return to work between 7-14 days after your procedure. No heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for 6 weeks. It will take approximately 3 months before the swelling completely subsides. The scar will continue to improve for up to 18 months and you are encouraged to firmly massage the scar after 4 weeks. Your surgeon will see you 1 week after surgery at which point the dressings will be reduced and again at 2 weeks. At 2 weeks the stitches, which are dissolvable, will be trimmed flush with the skin so they cannot be seen. All dressings will be discarded at this stage. Your surgeon will closely follow your recovery to ensure you are able to resume normal exercising and activities. It is suggested you wear a sports support bra for 6 weeks.

In the majority of cases, our patients are extremely happy with their results and go on to lead transformed lives. There are some potential risks which you need to be aware of. All risks tend to increase in those patients who are overweight and smoke in the 4 weeks before and after surgery.

Safety and potential complications?

Scars

Scarring on the whole is not problematic. A scar will be visible but in the majority of patients fade with time. Certain individuals e.g. afro-carribean races and red haired individuals are at a higher risk of forming excess scar tissue (keloid or hypertrophic scars). Should these scars develop excellent advice and treatment will be provided by your surgeon.

Infection

This is an uncommon problem in breast uplift surgery. However, antibiotics are given during the operative procedure.

Nipple Sensation

Most ladies experience a reduction in the sensation around the nipples following breast uplift. Nipples can become over sensitive in some patients. In the majority of patients sensation will recover however numbness can occur.

Delayed wound healing

Occasionally some of the areas take longer to heal than usual. An area which tends to be affected in this way is the "T-junction" (where the vertical scar meets the horizontal scar in the breast crease) due to a number of reasons: the skin is thinner here, the entire breast weight places tension on this area during the course of healing. Treatment involves skilful dressing changes by the nurse and often this heals by its own accord.

Bleeding

Rarely, small blood vessels that have been cauterised during surgery open up afterward. This results in a collection of blood (haematoma) that needs to be removed. This involves a return to the operating theatre where the blood collection is washed out and the breast sutured back. There are no permanent side effects due to this and your ultimate breast shape will not be affected.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Any general anaesthetic procedure is associated with a small risk of DVT which can potentially move to the lungs (Pulmonary Embolus). Here at Cosmetic Surgeons London we attempt to minimise this risk by the use of compression stockings before and after surgery, use of pneumatic compression devices during surgery and motivating the patient to mobilise as soon as possible after surgery.

Summary

Operation Time	1 - 2 hours
Anaesthetic	General Anaesthesia
Nights in hospital	Day case / 1 night
How much time off work?	1-2 weeks
When can I exercise?	After 6 weeks