Over the years, factors such as pregnancy, nursing, and the force of gravity take their toll on a woman's breasts. As the skin loses its elasticity, the breasts often lose their shape and firmness and begin to sag.

At the Duke Aesthetics Center, we specialize in breast lifts, or mastopexy, a surgical procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts.

After a breast lift, the bustline will appear higher and more youthful looking, and the firm texture of the breasts will be rejuvenated. This procedure can be combined with breast implants to enhance the size of breasts as well as the shape.

Procedure Details

Breast lift technologies vary but they all have the same goals -- raise the nipple and reproject the breast mound.

Some breasts require more internal reshaping while others need more skin removal.

Depending on your particular needs, scars may be only around the nipple complex (perpendicular), around the nipple complex and down to the breast fold (vertical), or around the nipple complex and down to the fold with extensions along the fold (inverted “t”, anchor-shaped).

Your surgeon will recommend the optimal procedure for your breast size and shape.

The surgery generally lasts from one to three hours and it is an outpatient procedure.

Recovery

You will have some temporary side effects, such as bruising, swelling, discomfort, numbness, and dry breast skin.

You can typically go back to work in one week or more, and resume more strenuous activity after four to six weeks or more. After several months to a year, your scars will fade and begin to flatten.

How Long Will the Results Last?

The duration of your results is variable. You can expect to maintain your new breast shape, unless you gain or lose a significant amount of weight or become pregnant. The breast will still age with gravity and diminished skin elasticity over time. Breast projection can be maintained longer with the addition of a breast implant.

Risks

Bleeding and infection following a breast lift are uncommon, but they can cause scars to widen.

You can reduce your risks by closely following your physician's advice both before and after surgery.

Mastopexy does leave noticeable, permanent scars, although they'll be covered by your bra or bathing suit. (Poor healing and wider scars are more common in smokers.)

The procedure can also leave you with unevenly positioned nipples, or a permanent loss of feeling in your nipples or breasts.

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Georgiade, Gregory S.
  • Surgery / Plastic Max & Oral Surgery
• Hollenbeck, Scott T.
  • Surgery / Plastic Max & Oral Surgery
• Levinson, Howard
  • Surgery / Plastic Max & Oral Surgery
  • Pathology
• Zenn, Michael R.
  • Surgery / Plastic Max & Oral Surgery

Locations

This service is available at:

• Duke Aesthetic Center
  3475 Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705