Before Breast Lift Surgery

Before breast lift surgery, you will need to prepare for the procedure by exploring your surgical options and arranging for your post-operative care. To ensure a positive experience, we recommend educating yourself about your breast surgery in advance, and discuss preparations thoroughly with your cosmetic surgeon.

Choosing a Surgeon

When you've made the exciting choice to enhance your body with breast lift surgery, it is important to choose the right cosmetic surgeon. Take advantage of the complimentary one-on-one consultations offered by many cosmetic surgeons, and take time to look through their before-and-after photos. Ideally, you'll want to find a doctor who delivers the types of results you desire, but also one with whom you feel comfortable discussing your goals, concerns, and medical history. You will also discuss the cost of your breast lift procedure, and any financing options that are available to you.

Preparing for the Procedure

The Consultation

Once you have chosen a surgeon to perform your breast lift procedure, you will attend a pre-operative consultation to discuss your surgery. During this consultation you will discuss which surgical techniques will most effectively achieve your goals, and your surgeon will be able to answer any questions you may have about the breast lift procedure. For the best results, it's important to discuss your expectations and goals openly and honestly with your doctor before breast lift surgery.

Pre-Operative Guidelines

Your surgeon will give you pre-operative guidelines to follow before breast lift procedure. Typically, your doctor may advise you to:

• Avoid smoking and consuming alcohol for two weeks prior to your surgery
• Stop taking certain vitamins and herbal supplements
• Discontinue the use of aspirin, ibuprofen, or anti-inflammatory medication

To ensure your breasts are in good health prior to surgery, your doctor may also require that you have a mammogram before your breast lift procedure.

The Day of the Surgery

Although breast lift surgery is often performed as an outpatient procedure, it is important to have transportation arranged in advance. Because you will be sedated throughout surgery, you will be unable to drive. A friend or relative should be on hand to ensure you arrive safely home. If possible, ask someone to stay with you for the first 24 to 48 hours following your surgery.

Understanding Surgical Options

Before breast lift surgery, it is important to explore the available techniques. All types of breast lifts require an incision to remove excess skin and allow resulting skin to be repositioned. However, breast lift surgery techniques differ in the placement of the incision, and the procedure used to lift the skin.

• Anchor, or keyhole, incisions start at the base of the breast and extend upward around the areola. While other types of incisions provide results that are more discreet, keyhole incisions are the most effective option when correcting extensive drooping.
• Circumferential incisions around the areola provide minimal scarring, and are ideal for women with smaller breasts. This technique may be referred to as a doughnut mastopexy, a Benelli lift, or a peri-areolar lift.
• Laser bra lifts uses excess skin to form an internal bra, adding support and increasing the longevity of breast lift results. After excess skin is removed, it is treated with a laser and then attached to the chest wall to help hold the lifted breast tissue in place.
• Breast augmentation may be performed in conjunction with a breast lift, restoring volume as well as shape.

Visit the DocShop gallery to view breast lift before and after photos.

Photo credit: Dina Eliopoulos

Find an Experienced Plastic Surgeon Through DocShop

An important first step in preparing for your breast lift surgery is to find a skilled and qualified cosmetic surgeon in your area. DocShop's online directory includes listings of surgeons throughout the United States who are experienced in breast lift surgery and the breast lift with augmentation procedure. Contact a qualified cosmetic surgeon in your area today!