Breast Lift Risks and Complications

As with any cosmetic procedure, you are at risk for anesthesia complications, bleeding, infection, wound healing problems, asymmetry, decreased nipple sensation, inability to breastfeed, mammographic abnormalities, pulmonary embolus, future droop, death....
While that might seem like a laundry list of reasons to run...we seldom see many of these problems and nearly all (perhaps with except of death) are treatable.

Thank you for your question. Fortunately, significant complications from breast lifts are infrequent. Every year, many thousands of women undergo successful breast lift surgery, experience no major problems and are pleased with the results. Anyone considering surgery, however, should be aware of both the benefits and risks. Those patients that do have complications invariably are those that will not stop smoking or have implants and a mastopexy at the same time. As stated above, this combination procedure very often does very well; however, if the implant chosen is too large, problems can occur. Best of Luck!Dhaval M. Patel Double Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Hoffman Estates Barrington Oakbrook Chicago 

All surgical procedures carry some degree of risk Any breast
operation can result in changes in sensation. This happens less with lifts than
reductions but is still possible Occasionally, minor complications occur and do
not affect the surgical outcome. Major complications associated with this
procedure are rare. The suitability of the breast lift procedure and specific
risks may be determined during you consultation.

#Hypertrophic or #keloid scars can be a problem. The worst are usually under the breast with
an #AnchorLift or inverted “T”. These
can be treated like all thickened scars with re-excision, laser, kenalog/5-FU
injections, creams, silicone strips and other methods to reduce and improve
healing.

The most common complications of a breast lift are wound healing problems, unattractive scarring, and nipple or breast asymmetry. While usually associated with patients who have undergone an inverted-T mastopexy or augmentation-mastopexy, these wounds and minor imperfections can usually be treated in the office or revised in a clinic setting.

Other less common problems associated with breast lift surgery are hematoma (i.e. collections of blood underneath the skin of the breast), infection, and loss of the nipple-areolar complex. While thankfully less common, these problems often necessitate a return trip to the operation room for thorough treatment and revision. Dr. Perez examines all of his patients within one to two days after surgery so that in the rare chance there is a complication, it can be diagnosed and addressed appropriately.

The risks really depend on the extent of the procedure which can vary and include:

crescent (periareolar)
donut (circumareolar)
lollipop or tennis racket (circumvertical or vertical)
Anchor or Inverted T ( Wise. Lexer or vertical/horizontal)

Furthermore, many mastopexy procedures benefit from the use of an implant which may add additional risks.
There are risks to crossing the street or flying in an airplane and, of course, there are risks to any surgical procedure. These risks can occur regardless of surgeon or technique. These include but are not limited to: infection, hematoma, discomfort, wound breakdown, hypertrophic scar formation, asymmetry, unfavorable healing, implant infection exposure, rupture, deflation, palpability, visibility, distortion with muscular contraction, capsular contracture, interference with mammography or surgical evaluation of breast masses, interference with nipple sensation with nursing and aging, need for secondary surgical revisions, and inabiltity to guarantee a specific cosmetic result. Although many other claims of diseases associated with silicone breast implants have been reported these have not been substantiated by major studies.

Hi there-
The rate of risks of all plastic surgery procedures will vary according to your individual health history and lifestyle, how well you follow your surgeon's instructions, and your surgeon, so it's difficult to give you numbers, but I can comfortably tell you that if you find an experienced and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, and you are healthy and will follow instructions carefully after surgery, you rate of risk should be very low.
I am concerned that it may not be very fair to the plastic surgeons you may consult with to discuss risks with you before you have had a consultation, because it is during this thorough and personal visit that you will gain the appropriate perspective on not only the risks of the procedure, but also the benefits of the procedure to you as an individual. This is also the only way that you would be able to understand the risk level for you.
But while I don't think you're really getting the information in the way in which it would be most useful to you, your question is a fair one, so here you go:
Bleeding, infection, unfavorable scarring, delayed healing, changes or loss of sensation, hematoma or seroma (fluid collecting), skin slough or burn, fat necrosis (firmness or liquefication of the breast tissue due to loss of blood supply), inability to breast feed, difficulty with mammograms, nipple loss, asymmetry, failure to achieve your desired result, and the possible need for revision surgery at your expense.

Thank you for the question.

Some of the risks/potential complications associated with breast reduction surgery include:  infection, bleeding, seroma, hematoma, wound healing problems, abnormal scarring ( hypertrophic or keloid),  loss of sensation, inability to breast-feed, breast asymmetry, necrosis of tissue or skin,  unsatisfactory cosmetic results, unpredictability of exact cup size postoperatively,  recurrence of the breast ptosis, and the potential for further surgery.  Other risks  related to surgery in general include deep venous thrombosis (clots),  pulmonary embolism, pneumonia  and even death.

Fortunately, the majority of patients who undergo this procedure by well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons and board certified anesthesiologists do very well and complications tend  to be relatively minor and treatable. The severe complications are very rare.

I hope this helps.

Significant complications are not very common after a breast lift.  Minor complications include unfavorable scarring,. sometimes minor delayed healing along incisions, to name a few.  Hematomas and infections happen in less than 1%, and seromas are not that common.

If performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon, the risks of mastopexy are very small. Your surgeon needs to evaluate your medical history, social history, and your anatomy/type of mastopexy you need. These variables will determine your risk. If you are a candidate for this procedure, the risks are very small. Only your surgeon can determine if you are a candidate. Good luck!

With ANY surgical procedure, there are risks. The best way to protect yourself is to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon who is professionally bound to engage only in techniques that have been deemed safe--after rigorous testing. However, it is always best to discuss this directly with your doctor.
The good news is that this procedure can be performed under local anesthesia and twilight sedation instead of general anesthesia. Lifting heavy weights and doing any exercise that will cause you to sweat can bring bacteria to the area and increase the risk of infection, so this is forbidden for about two weeks. You may have swelling, soreness, and bruising, nipple numbness which is always temporary and should return within six months to a year, and scar irritation that should mostly resolve after four to six weeks.