Breast Lifting
Breasts are one of the most important elements of motherhood and femininity in the female body. Due to many reasons such as the effect of gravity, frequent weight gain, aging, breastfeeding, breasts sag over time and lose their old volume. Women are very sensitive to breast sagging, softening and deformation. Seeing that their previously fit breasts are deformed, negatively affects their psychology and therefore, they seek a solution. At the same time, too large breasts cause sagging. With breast lift surgery, breast recovery and reduction can be made to meet the expectations of the patient. Breast lift surgeries are a healthy method known in this regard.
3 States of breast
Unsagged Breast
In non-sagging breasts, the nipple is above the line under the breast.
Slightly Sagging Breast
In slightly sagging breasts, the nipple is at the level of the under-breast line.
Sagging Breasts:
In sagging breasts, the nipple is below the line under the breast.
Breast lift creams, instruments and massages cannot provide a true breast lift. The only solution for sagging breast is breast lift surgery.
Surgical Anatomy
Breasts are attached to the pectoral muscle at the base above the ribs through a membrane. Normally it is between the second rib above and the sixth rib below. It extends to the bone called the sternum on the inside and to the anterior baseline of the armpit outside. These lines guide us in breast augmentation, reduction and lift operations.
The breast tissue consists of 15-20 chambers that we call lobes and the adipose tissue surrounding it. The milk ducts coming out of these lobes extend to the nipple. It is important to protect these structures in breast surgeries. Another important issue is the blood vessels that feed the breast and the nerves that give the feeling of the nipple. Veins enter the breast tissue from under and from the sides and feed the breast. Nerves also generally extend from around the blood vessels to the nipple. It is important to protect these structures in surgeries.
Another structure is the connective tissues that allow the breasts to be shaped and stand upright. These structures, called Cooper ligaments, start from the nipple, wrap the breast and hang the breast up and to the sides. Growing breasts stretch and lengthen over time. They are structures that can lose their flexibility over time. If these structures are cut during surgery, it will be necessary to hang them with the help of ropes.
Before Breast Lift Surgery
The patient who wants to have breast lift surgery is first examined on an outpatient basis. The nipple location and the amount of breast gland are checked. New locations and dimensions are determined by making measurements.
The procedure to be performed is decided and planned with the sagging of the breast, its size, the amount of mammary gland, the patient's expectations and the doctor's recommendations.
Before the operation, detailed information should be given to the physician about the disease, medications used, and previous surgeries, and necessary precautions should be taken. For example, since the use of blood thinners derivative drugs may cause bleeding problems during and after the surgery, they should be stopped at least 5 days before the operation under the control of the physician.
How is Breast Lift Surgery Performed?
These surgeries are generally used in cases of sagging breast tissue without excess or scarcity.
In this technique, the breast tissue is preserved alive and moved to the area where the nipple should be, at the same time, the surrounding tissues are collected and the ideal breast shape is given.
Techniques to be applied in breast lift vary according to the amount of sagging.
If there is a slight sagging, a breast lift can be made with only a small incision around the nipple. Here, by entering from the nipple, the breast tissue is collected and hung upwards.
If there is more sagging, the incision will be made to the bottom of the nipple as both the connective tissue holding the breast and the tissue of the milk glands will become more thinner and sagging. After the tissues are collected, the nipple is hung upwards.
Since cosmetic stitches are used during these procedures, it becomes a thin white and line-like scar in the long period after surgery. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia within 1-2 hours on average.
Postoperative Period
After the operation, the person stays in the hospital for one night. During this period, there is a comfortable postoperative period without abnormal pain with the use of painkillers. Breast lift surgery does not prevent your mobility. The patient is lifted up and walked slowly a few hours after surgery. Drains are mostly used to prevent bleeding problems that may occur later during breast lift surgery. These drains are usually removed by the physician on the 2nd day after surgery.
Since self-dissolving stitches are used during the operation, no stitches are required after the procedure. When the necessary dressings are made, the patient returns to his normal life within a maximum of 1 week.
The bra recommended by the doctor should be worn for the first 6 weeks. Sports bras without underwire can be worn after the first 3 weeks. After breast lift surgery, the scars are mostly seen as a vertical line down the nipple. These scars may remain more or less vague depending on the person's genetic makeup.