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Before & After Breast Lift Surgery with Dr. Rottman
What is a Breast Lift?
A woman’s breasts can change with the passage of time due to the effects of gravity and the natural loss of skin elasticity. Having children, weight fluctuations, smoking, sun damage, and the effects of aging can cause the breasts to lose their full youthful shape and their firm quality.
A breast lift in Baltimore, or mastopexy, is a surgical procedure that doesn’t enlarge the breasts, but instead lifts the breasts up into a higher and more youthful position and places the nipple in a more pleasing location. It does this by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding skin tissue, allowing a more rounded shape and contour to the breasts. Since the areolas also tend to get larger with age, a breast lift reduces them, too, making them more proportional and visibly pleasing.
How the Procedure Works
Dr. Rottman carefully removes excess breast skin and tightens the underlying tissue to create a firmer, rejuvenated contour. After making an incision, he lifts and reshapes the breast tissue, elevating the nipple and areola. If desired, he can also reduce the size of the areolas at this stage. Once the excess skin is removed, he closes the incisions, allowing the healing process to begin.
Dr. Rottman selects the most appropriate incision type for your breast lift based on the size, shape, and condition of your breasts, as well as your desired outcome.
Glossary of Breast Lift Terms
- Mastopexy: The surgical term for creating a more youthful breast contour with a breast lift.
- Breast implants: Medical-grade devices filled with either saline fluid or silicone gel placed within the breasts to increase their size. Breast implants are sometimes paired with a breast lift for optimal lifting and enlargement results.
- Incision: A cut made surgically in the skin, generally to allow the surgeon to access something within the body.
- Excision: Surgically removing skin with a scalpel or other surgical method.
- Areola: The pigmented skin surrounding your nipple.
- Elongation: A term that refers to the stretched and lengthened appearance of saggy and deflated breasts.
- Sedation: Medications administered either orally or intravenously to create relaxation so you feel no pain during the breast lift procedure.
What are the Benefits of a Breast Lift?
After a breast lift, your breasts will appear fuller, perkier, more natural, and more youthful. The procedure can also help reduce strain and chaffing caused by excess skin and tissue.
- Perkier bust
- Fuller breasts
- More youthful appearance
- More natural look and feel to the breasts
Am I a Candidate for a Breast Lift?
If you are bothered by the fact your breasts have sagged or lost their shape and volume over time, a breast lift in Maryland is definitely worth considering. Ideal candidates for a breast lift:
- Are physically healthy
- Are non-smokers
- Are in a stable weight range
- Have nipples that point downward
- Have flat, elongated, or pendulous breasts
- Have nipples that fall below the breast crease
- May have breasts that hang down at different heights
- You have a BMI of 32% or less
Breast lift surgery is typically recommended for women who have lost volume in their breasts as a result of pregnancy, breastfeeding, aging, or significant weight loss.
Reasons for a Breast Lift
Women often choose to have a breast lift in order to restore a more youthful look, feel, and placement of their breasts. Because the procedure doesn’t require the use of synthetic implants, but instead simply removes excess skin that is allowing the breasts to sag, many patients prefer it as a more natural alternative to breast augmentation. Though a breast lift does not improve breast volume, it does improve the aesthetics of the breasts.
Breast lift surgery improves the volume of your breasts without implants. The procedure removes loose or stretched skin to restore a youthful, refreshed look. Women who undergo a breast lift in Baltimore, MD with Dr. Rottman experience an increase in self-confidence and overall happiness with their body image.
Breast Lift Incisions
Your breast lift surgery will involve making one of the following incision types in order to lift the breasts by reducing the amount of excess skin that is currently allowing the breasts to droop and sag below their ideal position.
- Periareolar Incision: Women with a small amount of excess skin can have two incisions placed in concentric circles around the areolas. The envelope of skin holding the breast tissue is then tightened up by removing some of that skin.
- Lollipop Incision: For women with a moderate amount of excess skin tissue, in addition to that circle incisions around the areolas, an incision can be made vertically down from the areola to the breast crease, allowing the removal of even more skin and excess tissue.
- Horizontal Incision: For women with the greatest volume of excess skin tissue, three incisions may be made. The first being the circular incision around the areola, the second being vertically down the breast, and the third being along the breast crease.
After excess skin is removed, the skin envelope is tightened and the incisions are meticulously closed.
Tips for Your Breast Lift Recovery
- Follow Instructions: Adhere to your surgeon's guidance closely.
- Rest: Allow healing by avoiding strenuous activities.
- Manage Pain: Use prescribed and OTC pain relief as directed.
- Compression Garments: Wear if recommended for support and reduced swelling.
- Hydrate and Eat Well: Support healing with hydration and nutritious food.
- Avoid Smoking and Alcohol: Both can hinder healing; consider abstaining.
- Wound Care: Follow incision care instructions provided by your surgeon.
- Manage Swelling: Use ice briefly to reduce swelling and bruising.
- Supportive Clothing: Wear advised bras or garments for comfort and support.
- Sun Protection: Shield incisions from direct sunlight and use sunscreen if needed.
- Stay Positive: Maintain patience and a positive outlook.
- Seek Support: Enlist help for daily tasks during recovery.
- Attend Appointments: Keep follow-up appointments for monitoring and guidance.
Always consult your surgeon if you encounter any concerns or unexpected issues during your recovery.
Breast Lift Patient Testimonial
I went to Dr Rottman for a breast lift and I couldnt be happier. He is THE BEST! Not only are my results better than I imagined, he is so kind and has great bedside manner.
Katie W.
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Contact UsWhen is the best time to get a breast lift?
The ideal time for a breast lift in Maryland varies from patient to patient but is usually well after you have reached physical maturity and you find that your nipples are pointing downward and sit below the breast crease. The most common age for a breast lift is between the ages of 30 and 54, which is when 78 percent of patients who have the procedure choose to get it done.
Will there be scarring after?
Scars occur any time the skin is cut, so scarring will happen as a result of a breast lift, but it tends to disappear almost entirely over time, usually within six months to a year. Dr. Rottman takes great care to ensure the incisions and suturing are done just right to reduce the visibility of scarring, and he will provide you aftercare instructions that help minimize their appearance over time. By a year after the procedure, it should be difficult or impossible for another to tell you’ve had a breast lift.
Before and after results
Women are often pleasantly surprised by how much a breast lift changes the way they look and feel. Though the surgery doesn’t significantly change the size of the breasts, it makes a dramatic improvement by correcting their shape and contour. See Dr. Rottman’s breast lift gallery for the stunning results achieved.
Breast lift recovery
Full recovery from a breast lift typically takes 2 to 3 weeks, but most patients will be able to return to a desk job or other light work within 3 to 7 days. You will be provided full postoperative care instructions, will have all of your questions answered before discharge, and will be able to reach us directly throughout their recovery. You should expect mild to moderate discomfort for a few days after the operation, with medication being prescribed to manage pain. Dressings and a special bra will be recommended throughout recovery, and bandages and any drains used will be removed at a follow-up visit to our office.
How much does a breast lift cost?
As every patient has different body ideals and different degrees of breast sagging and excess skin tissue, it’s difficult to give a blanket price estimate without a personal consultation. Nationally, the surgical fee for a breast lift tends to average around $12,500, with some additional fees required for anesthesia and OR or hospital facilities. To help make these costs more manageable, we offer CareCredit® and AlphaeonCredit® financing options. Please visit our financing page.
Breast Lift Recovery Tips
Recovery from a breast lift in Maryland is crucial for achieving optimal results. Here are some essential tips for a smoother breast lift recovery:
- Follow Post-Op Instructions: Strictly adhere to your surgeon's post-operative instructions, including medication schedules, wound care, and activity restrictions.
- Rest and Elevate: Rest is vital for healing. Elevate your upper body and keep your chest elevated while sleeping to minimize swelling and discomfort.
- Compression Garments: Wear the recommended compression garments as advised by your surgeon to reduce swelling and support the healing process.
- Avoid Strenuous Activity: Refrain from vigorous exercise and heavy lifting for the recommended period to prevent complications and promote healing.
- Proper Nutrition: Eat a balanced diet rich in nutrients to aid healing. Staying hydrated is also essential.
- Avoid Smoking and Alcohol: Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can impede healing. It's best to avoid these during your recovery.
- Attend Follow-Up Appointments: Attend all scheduled follow-up appointments with your surgeon to monitor progress and address concerns.
- Be Patient: Understand that full recovery may take several weeks, and initial results may not be fully visible until swelling subsides and incisions heal completely.
Remember that every individual's recovery experience may vary, so it's essential to communicate openly with your surgeon throughout the process to ensure a safe and successful outcome.
What procedures can I combine with my breast lift?
A well-done breast lift can go a long way toward improving the appearance and position of the breasts, but it can’t handle all common breast concerns. If during your personal consultation Dr. Rottman finds that a breast lift alone won’t achieve all of your goals for the procedure, he will recommend that a breast reduction be done for women with overly large breasts, or that breast augmentation be done for women with breasts that are much smaller than they’d like them to be.
Breast Lift - Frequently Asked Questions
When Will I Know if I Need a Breast Lift?
Over time, breast tissue can thin and stretch out causing the breasts to sag. For many women who are unhappy with drooping breasts, a breast lift is recommended.
Will My Results be Permanent?
A breast lift can last for a significant amount of time. Unfortunately, aging and gravity will play a role in exactly how long your breast lift will last – but typically results last years.
Will the Scars Be Visible?
The incisions will be placed in the most discreet locations possible, but scars will be visible for a certain length of time. They will soften and eventually fade.
What Kind of Materials are Inserted During a Breast Lift? And Are They Safe?
To add more internal support, plastic surgeons may add an internal bra, which is a thin layer of mesh material. The mesh serves as support for the contents of the breast, alleviating the load that is placed on the skin. Internal bras are made of fully absorbable mesh materials and dissolve over time while also leaving support.
Explore Gallery
View GalleryWhy Choose Dr. Steven J. Rottman for a Breast Lift in Baltimore?
Dr. Rottman specializes in breast surgeries and went through extensive additional training under internationally acclaimed leaders in the field. He brings extensive experience and a caring and personal approach to each of his patients, taking time and care to fully understand their concerns and goals for each procedure. As an accomplished, double-board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Rottman is recognized for his surgical talent and his approach to plastic and reconstructive surgery that produces exceptionally natural-looking results. Thousands of satisfied patients are a testament to his surgical skill and care.
Dr. Steven J. Rottman is a leading cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon in Baltimore. He is recognized for his surgical talents, and his approach to plastic and reconstructive surgery that produces exceptionally natural-looking results.
As an accomplished, double-board certified plastic surgeon, he employs both traditional and the advanced surgical techniques, based on individual need.
Please contact us today to schedule your personal consultation for a breast lift in Baltimore, Maryland with Dr. Rottman.