Highlighting your high(er)beams

OP. DR. YUNUS DOĞAN

All about the breast lift

Your neck, your back. Your neck AND your back! How are they related to your breasts? Saggy breasts can be a real pain in the neck, that’s how. And anyone who’s hoisted a pair of DD’s up into a wide-strapped bra can relate to back pain.

Maturing gracefully is easier said than done. We grow wrinkles, we lose hair and parts of our bodies succumb to the unyielding law of gravity. Before we know it, our nipples are tapping our knees and our backs are paying the price. There’s a solution that can restore a little youth AND relieve some pain. Take a load off, Fanny, with a breast lift.

This article is the thirteenth in a series highlighting some of the most popular plastic surgery procedures. In the Highlighting series, we tell you ALL the alternative names of the surgery so you learn the medical terminology as well as develop a little street cred with slang terms. We share a little history of the procedure and describe the general process. We mention possible complications and give you an idea of the typical recovery time. Also known as/similar or related names are: Anchor lift, boob job, breast hypertrophy, free nipple, gigantomastia, lollipop, mastopexy, mastoptosis, mesh, fluffing the dirty pillows, nipple-areola complex (NAC).

First recorded

When we talk about breasts, the magic number is usually two. Most bras have two cups, you have a pair of nipples and most breast aesthetics happen twice, once on each side of the chest. When we talk about the earliest documented breast lift, we have to think in threes and give respect to Dr. Paulus of Aegina, AGAIN.

He’s known as the “Father of Early Medical Writing” because of his pioneering encyclopedia, the “Medical Compendium in Seven Books.” He was well ahead of his time, having written this masterpiece in the 7th century and modern-day plastic surgeons owe him a debt of gratitude for his work. While he by no means focused on one body part or speciality, Dr. Paulus is now a three-peat reference in our writing. We first mentioned him when we highlighted gynecomastia and then again as we discussed female breast reduction plastic surgery.

Even though Dr. Paulus documented breast reduction in the 600s, it wasn’t until the late 1800s that the first analysis of breast sagging was documented. In 1854, French doctor Alfred Armand Louis Marie Velpeau - yes, that’s all one person - brought awareness to the affliction but there’s no documentation of attempts at a solution until the early 19th century. Even the earliest surgeries focused more on breast reduction rather than a lift.

In 1907, another French surgeon, Hippolyte Morrestin, described a method that transposed the nipple-areola complex. Dr. Morrestin’s technique pointed the way for other surgeons to follow and improve upon his work: Hungarian-born Dr. Max Thorek first tweaked the transposition into what is now known as the “free nipple,” where the nipple as a whole is removed from its original spot and reattached a little higher. (You can double-check with your coordinator or surgeon: we’re pretty sure this plastic surgery is not free of charge.)

The next 100 years would see decade upon decade of refinement and improvement on incision length, placement and direction. For a more detailed list of the history of technique, check out this Canadian plastic surgeon’s blog.

External improvements eventually led to internal insights, such as the use of mesh in the 1980s. Modern-day breast lifts sometimes use a biocompatible mesh that can be implanted in the body to help defy gravity and keep your newly lifted breasts up where you want them. The material in the mesh can be safely absorbed by the body over time.

General process

Goodnight sweetheart! You are given your general anesthesia and then sent off to dream of a back that’s not sore and two breasts that reside north of your belly button. When you’re asleep, your plastic surgeon will carry out your specific surgery plan. Types of incisions he or she will make include circular incisions around your NAC, an incision around your NAC and vertically down to the crease under your breast or around the NAC, down to your breast crease and then horizontally along the crease. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons details a general breast lift here but has great illustrations to show these three types of incisions.

After incisions are made, your surgeon will reshape and lift your natural internal breast tissue to improve shape and firmness. If you’ve chosen to use breast mesh, it will be implanted. Your surgeon may trim the skin around the perimeter of your areolas if you have decided they are larger than you prefer. Your NACs will be repositioned to a higher place on your breasts. If your breast skin is excessive or inelastic, your surgeon will remove it. For a refresher on how important elasticity in your skin is, read this.

Your surgeon will close up your incisions, striving for the smallest possible scars. Some incisions can even be concealed in your breast crease.

What could go wrong?

Complications that may occur include:

• Anesthesia risks - a general risk with any surgery.
• Breast asymmetry - we know a wise doctor who frequently tells his patients, “your breasts are sisters, not twins.” We aren’t born 100% perfectly symmetrical and there is no surgeon who can guarantee a perfect outcome with breasts that mirror each other.
• Changes in nipple or breast sensation - your nerves have been cut and it may take time for them to regenerate

What could go right?

Rack your brain about:

• Taking excess weight off your body AND your back. You will physically be lighter and your tired ol’ back will thank you.
• Wearing shirts that complement your upgraded goodies.
• Turning back time to the boobs you had before your babies.

Recovery time

Unless you’ve paired your breast lift with another plastic surgery, your recovery time should last 4-6 weeks. Your physical activity will be limited in this time; usually patients are told not to lift their arms higher than shoulder height or pick up anything weighing more than ten pounds/4.5 kilograms for the first month. Your surgeon will most likely give you a surgical bra to keep those girls up in their new positions and you’ll need to wear that for six weeks. Of course, unless you come see us for plastic surgery in Istanbul, your post-op instructions may differ.

Some good universal advice can be found in our guide to maintaining your plastic surgery results. Regardless of your procedure, these tips are proven to help you get the most bang for your buck. You may also get a little extra bang with that new lift kit you just upgraded to.

The last stitch

Plastic surgery encompasses cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. While some procedures are purely aesthetical, others improve quality of life and restore functionality along with self esteem. A breast lift can help you take back control of your confidence and life. Harness the power of your breasts and lift more than just your spirits.