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Does a Lift Without Implants Also Reshape the Tissue,or Just Alter Skin and the Nipple?

asked 10 months ago by alouette
Latest answer by Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Question viewed 615 times
Tags: sagging, technique

I am a C cup, and plan to get a lift with no implant. I have significant sagging, and will surely be having a vertical or anchor procedure (consultations are in September). With either of those incisions, is it typical for a p.s. to also internally provide more support for the breast tissue, itself, or is the lift simply a skin and nipple relocation? Is there some procedure I should be asking about besides the type of incision which will make my breasts "sturdier" beyond the skin tightening?

19 answers to Does a Lift Without Implants Also Reshape the Tissue,or Just Alter Skin and the Nipple?

Beautiful breasts without implants

You absolutely have an alternative to the 'anchor' or 'lollipop' procedures to lift saggy breasts. There's a revolutionary technique that creates an 'inner cone' from your own tissue and uses your excess skin to create permanent 'bra straps' that are attached to your pectoral muscles which allow for a long lasting lift. The inner cone allows upper pole fullness that no one else can achieve with conventional methods. An added benefit is... more

Gary M. Horndeski, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.horndeski.com

Breast lift for reshaping breasts

When I do a vertical breast lift, I reshape the breast by releasing the lower part of the breast tissue and pushing it up into the upper part of the breast. The breast looks a little weird for a few weeks with too much upper pole fullness and some flattening of the lower pole. After a few weeks the lower pole has rounded out. Longevity of the result depends a lot on the size of the breasts (big sags more than small), the quality of the patient's breast skin and the... more

Lisa L. Sowder, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

www.sowdermd.com

Lift without implants

A breast lift (mastopexy) involves accomplishing a number of goals. The nipple will be lifted to a new location, the skin will be tightened, and the underlying breast tissue will be rearranged to create more superior fullness of the breast. There are a number of different types of breast lifts and you should familiarize yourself with them; which technique would be ideal for you depends on what the breasts look like currently. I would recommend you consult a few plastic surgeons as it is... more

Ronald J. Edelson, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Breast Lifting ONLY to get your results

A mastopexy (breast lift) without implants can improve the shape of the breasts. This procedure involves reshaping, lifting and repositioning the nipple-areola complex, and increasing the firmness of the breasts by tightening the skin. To improve ptosis (sagging), a vertical incision is used to remove the loose, excess tissue depending on the severity and complexity of your case. Usually, performing a breast lift alone does not give patients the "fullness on top" that most patients... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Reshaping the breast with an internal breast lift

There are many techniques available to correct breast sagging. If you have sufficient breast tissue then all you need is a reshaping of your natural breast tissue. There are many methods described for breast lift surgery and it is only through an evaluation by a plastic surgeon that you will know which method is correct for you. It is common for a plastic surgeon to reshape your breast tissue and then allow the skin to conform to this altered and new contour. Most... more

Jeffrey Zwiren, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Breast implants will give fullness to the upper breast when used with a lift

In general, if you have significant skin excess, an upside-down-T/inverted-T mastopexy (breast lift) is required. If you have enough breast tissue, you will often have good breast fullness in the mid and lower portions of the breast, although the breast size and bra size will decrease just from the lift. A breast implant is useful (1) to maintain or increase size, (2) to increase the "upper pole" fullness (fullness in the upper aspect of the breast); (3) to improve the roundness... more

Steven Goldman, MD
Cleveland Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift

We have learned over time that skin is simply a covering and not a supportive structure. This is true anywhere in the body. Techniques which rely solely on skin will look god intially but the skin will gradually stretch and succumb to the weight of the underlying structure. In many cases also demonstrating worsening of scars. Breast contouring and support need to be done internally. This being said lifting techniques predominantly improve nipple position and remove the excess skin which... more

Robert W. Kessler, MD
Orange County Plastic Surgeon

Internal support during a breast lift

All patient's tissues are different and the more tone they have the better the result will be from a lift especially if the skin is not too badly stretched out. No lift technique, whether with or without internal suturing will withstand poor tissue over time.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Shaping of the breast with mastopexy

Depending on the technique; a lift can help cone the breast tissue. A "skin lift" only technique will not last as long as doing some work with the underlying breast tissue. Donald R. Nunn MD Atlanta Plastic Surgeon.

Donald Nunn, MD, DDS
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Both

A modern mastopexy(breast lift) requires that the plastic surgeon alter and or reposition the breast tissue plus tighten the skin so that it acts like a bra for the breast tissue.

E. Anthony Musarra II, MD
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Does a breast lift reshape?

A breast lift must reshape the breast in order to be long lasting and provide "perkiness". Most reduced scar or skin only lifts will recur early. The only way to provide upper pole fullness is to mobilize the breast tissue to the upper pole.

Frank Agullo, MD
El Paso Plastic Surgeon

www.elpasoplasticsurgery.com

Breast lift and lifting the breast tissue

A compete breast lift should include lifting and reshaping the underlying breast tissue, reposition the nippple and areola and allow the sking to redrape over the new breast. This way the skin is not the supporting element of the lift.

Brian R. Buinewicz, MD
Doylestown Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift without implants, is it skin tightening only or reshaping of the breast tissues?

There are multiple ways of doing a breast lift. Some surgeons just remove skin and push the breast tissue superiorly and close the skin under tension. This can be done with an anchor scar or short scar, vertical lift. Also, remember that one man's vertical lift is not the same as another's even though the outside incisions are placed similarly. About 12 years ago I switched to a short scar technique with the breast tissue reshaping as well. Skin only lifts do not last and tend to... more

George Marosan, MD
Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

www.bellevueplasticsurgeons.com

Breast lifts without implants

Breast lifts without implants lift and tighten the breast, reduce the amount of overhang, lift the nipple into a better position, and push the breast tissue up into a higher position. However, this usually only fills out the breast in its mid aspect, that is, behind the newly positioned nipple, and NOT in the upper pole. The only way to actually fill out the breast is with an implant, and the only way to get fullness of the upper pole of the breast is with an implant. Techniques that... more

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Breast Lift is all about the technique not the scar!

For a lift to be durable, natural and sexy looking the internal tissue must be rearranged. The best techniques are the Goes Circumareolar lift for breasts with a sternal notch to nipple distance of less than 25cm. For breasts with a sternal notch to nipple distance of greater than 25cm, the Lejour procedure is best. Never get an anchor scar!

Robert M. Freund, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon

www.breastenlargement.net

Reshaping possible but limited with breast lift.

Yes, the breast tissue can be and often is reshaped during a lift, but regardless of the technique, there is usually a significant amount of relapsing or recurrent sagging of the breast tissue itself. The toughest area to maintain improvement is what we call the upper pole. The lower aspect of the breast is more amenable to lasting improvement.

Mario Loomis, MD
Middletown Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift without implants

It depends on the type of breast lift performed. Some techniques depend only on moving excess skin and relocating the nipple - for heavier breasts the skin is likely to stretch with time spoiling some of the result. Other techniques will alter and approximate some of the breast tissue giving a stronger support. Please ask your surgeon what technique s/he is planning to use for you.

Anindya Lahiri, MBBS
Birmingham Plastic Surgeon

Breast lifting requires reshaping and repositioning the breast tissue to get a good long lasting result

Unfortunately a breast lift done with only skin and nipple repositioning will not result in a long lasting good looking breast. In order to lift, reshape and reposition the breast it requires that the breast tissue itself must be reshaped and repositioned and the skin only be close appropriately over the newly shaped and positioned breast tissue. While often a lollipop incision, circumferentially around the nipple areolar complex and then down the breast, if the distance from the... more

Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD
Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift without implant

You could have a breast lift without an implant. I do them all with a vertical ( lollipop) scar only. The breast tissue at the center lower part of your breast is repositioned and adjusted to get the most projection and roundness. My pullin the medial and lateral side of the remainder breast over the adjusted part, the results will impress you. Do not let anyone do an anchor scar. In my opinion it is never necessary. Thanks. Luis vinas md. West palm beach, florida