A variety of factors contribute to loss of breast volume (especially in the upper portion of the breasts) and sagging of the breasts (ptosis). Among these are aging, pregnancies, nursing and weight loss. This is often stressful for women, who feel that they have lost their previous shape and volume.

While a minor degree of lift can be achieved with the placement of breast implants, surgical procedures aimed at actually lifting the breast are sometimes necessary to restore shape. Many times, a breast augmentation is combined with a lift operation for best results. Here are some of the more popular types of lifts.

Crescent Lift

This is the simplest of the lift operations, and is suitable only if a minor lift on a relatively small breast is desired. It is accomplished by making a crescent-shaped incision in the upper portion of the areola, removing the crescent of skin, and then reattaching the ends, creating a lift. It results in a scar above the areola.

Benelli Lift

The Benelli, or "doughnut" lift is slightly more invasive than the crescent lift. It is performed by making a circular incision around the areola, removing a small amount of skin, and closing the "doughnut" with purse-string suture. It can give a slightly better lift than the crescent, and is good for moving the nipple up a little higher, but results in a scar all around the areola.

Vertical Scar (lollipop or keyhole) Lift

An extension of the Benelli Lift, this lift also includes incisions from the lower portion of the areola to the chest wall. A round incision is often made above the NAC (nipple-areola complex) if a nipple repositioning is needed. The resulting scar is around the areola as well as down the lower breast, as shown on the left breast.

Full Mastopexy (Anchor Lift)

The most common, and most aggressive, of the lifts, the full mastopexy can correct significant ptosis (drooping) but is also the most invasive of the lift surgeries. It involves making an anchor-shaped incision which extends above and  below the areola, removing the skin (shown in red on the right breast) and lifting the breast by the pinching motion created by closing the incision. It also requires upward repositioning of the nipple. Although it achieves the greatest degree of lift, it also results in the most conspicuous scar, as seen on the diagram's left breast.

Risks

While in the vast majority of cases, mastopexy is a safe operation, things can go wrong. Some of the complications include (but are not limited to) infection, hematoma (blood collection), unsightly scar, unevenness, numbness (usually temporary but may be permanent), reduction or loss of ability to breastfeed, death of tissue (necrosis) including the nipple, blood clots (thrombophlebitis), and blood clots traveling to the lung (pulmonary embolism). As you can imagine, the bigger the surgery, the greater the risks. This is not a complete list of risks. We will discuss these and another potential risks with you during your consultation or pre-op visits.

Recovery

You will be able to go home as soon as you are fully recovered from anesthesia, usually within an hour or so after completion of surgery. It is advisable for you to have someone stay with you for the first day or two after surgery. Most patients have minimal pain and can return to non-strenuous work in 1-2 weeks. The bigger operations have more post-op discomfort and longer recovery periods.