Will breast milk production negatively affect my upcoming breast lift procedure? (Photo)

Hi -Questions regarding milk production at the time of breast lift surgery is a topic that comes up a lot with patients in our clinic. While any discharge from the nipple at the time of surgery can introduce some bacteria to the surgical site, minor or minimal milk production at the time of surgery should not significantly impact the results of your surgery or procedure performed. As your surgery is planned for next year, you have a significant amount of time for the milk production to completely stop prior to surgical intervention. Best of luck with your breast lift, hope you have a great result. Dr. Rodriguez

Hi aggiesteno,

Thank you for your question regarding the impact of breast milk production on your upcoming breast lift procedure. Your concern is quite valid and important to address.

The short answer is yes, breast milk production or breastfeeding will negatively affect your upcoming breast lift procedure. It's crucial that you inform your plastic surgeon immediately and consider rescheduling your breast lift surgery. There are two main reasons for this.

Firstly, the presence of milk in the breast ducts during a breast lift significantly increases the risk of infection. Thus, it is imperative to ensure that there is no breast milk present in the breasts during a mastopexy.

Secondly, breast milk production temporarily enlarges your breasts, which can negatively impact the surgical results. Once you stop breastfeeding, your breasts are likely to shrink, which could significantly alter the outcome of your breast lift. Predicting the extent of this change is challenging, so if you undergo mastopexy while your breasts are still enlarged, the final results might be unpredictable.

In light of these factors, the best course of action is to stop breastfeeding and allow some time for your breasts to return to their post-lactation state before undergoing a mastopexy. To be cautious, most plastic surgeons recommend waiting at least one month after you have completely stopped producing breastmilk before proceeding with the surgery.

Thank you for your insightful query about breastfeeding and its implications on breast lift surgery. Feel free to reach out if you have more questions or need further assistance.

Sincerely,

J. Timothy Katzen, MD, FASMBS, FICS
Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon

Thank you for you question and photos. If you are planning for your upcoming surgery a year in advance, you should be fine. In my practice, I request that patients stop breastfeeding a minimum of 3 months prior to any breast surgery. Definitely discuss your concerns and expectations with your surgeon. Good luck!

Dear aggiesteno,
the ideal timing for breast surgery when you are breastfeeding is about six months after you have completely stopped breastfeeding. You can speak and visit a board-certified plastic surgeon to further discuss your preferences and the options that are available for you, especially if you are looking forward to having another child.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

If at that time you are still lactating, you should be seen and evaluated by your gyn if this is normal. All of this, if needed, should be done before any procedures. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Good for you for your selfless sacrifice to make sure those babies had the best nutritional start possible! It will not negatively affect your breast procedure. You may experience more swelling and tenderness than most during your recovery but that is about it. If you are completely through with breast feeding at the moment, there are medications your doctor can prescribe to help stop the lactation faster if you prefer that. Otherwise, you will be just fine. If you’d like to be seen for a consultation, feel free to reach out to my office, Smith Plastic Surgery 702-838-2455

Dear aggiesteno, thanks for sharing your pictures and Photos, your milk production is not an issue, that is totally manageable with the right medication. But every plastic surgeon has his own postoperative protocol which he recommends to his patients. Make sure you go on consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. Hope this helps and best of lucks. Dr. Luis Mejia.

Generally speaking, it is advised that patients wait 6 months after they’ve stopped breastfeeding before considering any cosmetic breast surgery. It would be best to inform your surgeon about your situation so that they can make the call as to whether your surgery should be rescheduled or not.

First off, you're going to look amazing with a breast lift. I have had patients with very similar breast anatomy and the results are life changing. We perform a full breast lift in the office under local anesthesia with oral relaxation. No general anesthesia required. The scars will be in an anchor pattern but I like to keep the incision under the breast as short as possible. I also like to rearrange the excess lower breast tissue to a location behind the newly elevated nipple / areola position. This auto-augmentation gives a boost of fullness to area that is volume deficient.

Given the timeline you provided, you should be more than ready to proceed with a breast lift in March 2024. I find that waiting about 3 months from the time of breast feeding cessation is adequate. 3 months is usually enough time for milk production to completely stop. Of course, you'll want to be without any milk expulsion at the time of surgery.

Most surgeons will not operate on breasts if the patient still has milk production. I recommend you are dry for a few months before surgery. The breast lift technique I recommend is The Bellesoma Method. This will reshape your breast tissue creating upper pole fullness without implants, elevate them higher on the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage. Vertical scars are avoided, nipple sensation (in 95%) and the ability to breast feed are maintained. Later, fat transfers can be performed if additional volume is desired.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.