Over time a woman’s breasts may lose their shape and sag, often due to weight fluctuations, pregnancy and nursing, genetics or simply age and gravity.  As the breast skin loses elasticity, sagging and a loss of shape may result. A breast lift (mastopexy) performed by Dr. Amy Simon (formerly Dr. Ortega) of Melbourne, Florida, can reshape the breast, restore fullness, and create a more youthful appearance.

Often confused with breast augmentation, the breast lift is actually a different procedure that does not require the placement of implants into the body. Instead, Dr. Simon combats the results of aging, weight loss, and pregnancy by tightening tissue, removing excess skin, and reshaping the breast.

Your Breast Lift Consultation

Like any corrective procedure, a consultation between you and Dr. Simon is essential to determine if you are a good candidate for the surgery. At this time Dr. Simon will provide details of the procedure and discuss your reasons for wanting the breast lift surgery as well as expected results. Like all patients, it is advisable to have realistic and achievable goals. This meeting will include a full examination of your breasts, where Dr. Simon will take measurements to decide factors such as how much skin should be removed. The consultation will also serve to give Dr. Simon an idea of your medical background and your current medical condition, which includes current allergies or health concerns.

Candidates for Breast Lift Surgery

Ideal breast lift candidates are women who are in generally good health who are looking to improve sagging, a loss of volume, or misshapen breasts. Because it is primarily an aesthetic surgery, candidates for breast lift surgery are those who simply want to improve the fullness, shape, and appearance of their breasts.
However, while a breast lift can help you achieve your goals, it is not a procedure that guarantees perfection. Some women may prefer to complement their breast lift with breast implants for a more complete look. An ideal candidate is a woman who is displeased with her breasts because of weight loss, pregnancy, nursing, aging, or genetics.

Candidates for a breast lift include anyone who wants to:

• Improve your body shape because you feel your breasts have sagged or have lost firmness due to pregnancy, nursing, age, or weight loss
• Have improved breast symmetry
• Make the areola and nipple appear higher
• Improve the appearance and shape of your breasts

The Breast Lift Procedure in Melbourne

As there are numerous techniques for breast lift surgery, Dr. Simon will walk you through all of them during the consultation and help you decide which is best for you. Each procedure is an operation that requires the patient to be under general anesthesia or heavy sedation.

• Anchor Breast Lift – An anchor incision breast lift is the most common technique, and is ideal for women with extreme sagging in the breast. Dr. Simon will place the incision around the areola and vertically down to reach the crease where the breast meets the rib, before incising along the crease.
• Lollipop Breast Lift – For more moderate sagging and loss of shape, the lollipop breast lift leaves less scarring and requires a smaller incision. Dr. Simon will still circle the areola and trace down to the crease, but the horizontal incision along the crease will be avoided.
• Donut Breast Lift – The donut incision is just made around the areola, offering little visible scarring.
• Crescent Breast Lift – Some patients may only need a small lift to rectify minor sagging, and the crescent incision is perfect for this. Dr. Simon will place the incision in a crescent (C shape) along the areola, but the results are not as dramatic as other methods.

In all instances the procedure will be an outpatient one, taking Dr. Simon two to four hours to complete, depending on how much correction is needed.
For all types of incisions, Dr. Simon will remove any excess skin and place the nipple higher up on the breast to leave a more youthful appearance. Sutures will be placed in the deep tissue to offer more support, and once finished the incision will be closed and dressings applied.

Recovering from Breast Lift Surgery

Patients are placed in an ace wrap after the procedure. This will support the breasts and tissues while the healing process begins. Bruising and swelling are common for all patients and should last only a few days. The natural new shape of the breast becomes more visible over the next few weeks as the swelling subsides. Some discomfort is normal after the operation, although Dr. Simon’s prescribed medications should alleviate most of it.

Home recovery is needed for around three to four days. Patients can typically resume most activities, including desk work, after about a long weekend, but physical activities and heavy lifting should be postponed until the healing process is mostly complete, which occurs after six weeks.

Why Choose Our Practice?

A board certified plastic surgeon with 20 years of experience, Dr. Amy Simon is among the most respected female plastic surgeons in the United States, performing breast and body procedures for patients from Melbourne, Orlando and throughout Central Florida and beyond. She has been named one of the “10 Best” Plastic Surgeons in Florida, and is Brevard’s only plastic surgeon with fellowship training in her specialty area of breast and body. Dr. Simon also is credited with being the first plastic surgeon to bring the SPAIR Short-Scar Breast Surgery technique to the Southeastern United States. Noted for her compassionate approach, Dr. Simon listens carefully understands the needs and wishes of her patients and works with them to achieve the best possible results.

Breast Lift Surgery FAQ

How long will the results of the breast lift last?

Modern techniques mean women can enjoy long-lasting results after a breast lift. However, while future aging and sagging cannot be prevented by a lift, maintaining a stable weight and healthy lifestyle can help prolong the results of the surgery.

Will the lift make my breast smaller?

No. Your breasts will be the same size, just reshaped.

Should I wait until I finish losing weight before getting a breast lift?

A breast lift is not a weight loss procedure and patients should be at a stable weight. It is understandable that you will want to get the lift as soon as possible once you have lost a lot of weight. However, if you have not finished your weight loss goals, it is better to wait to have your breast lift so the results are not compromised by further weight loss.

Are there non-surgical alternatives?

While numerous creams and other products claim to be able to lift breasts or make skin tighter and raised, this is not true. Unfortunately, once skin has sagged, the only way to solve the problem is surgery.

Will I always have scars?

Yes. As unfortunate as it seems, scars will never entirely go away. For many patients though, the scars become so unobtrusive that they are next to invisible, and post-operative scar management can aid in achieving the least scarring possible. Dr. Simon will discuss scar placement with you during your consultation and always places incisions as inconspicuously as possible.