Breast Lift (Mastopexy)

A breast lift raises and reshapes the breast by removing excess skin and repositioning the nipple and breast tissue to a higher, more youthful position. It addresses sagging — not size.

Breast ptosis develops for entirely ordinary reasons: pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight change, genetics, and time. No exercise reverses it, because the structures involved are skin and ligament, not muscle.

What Is a Breast Lift?

Mastopexy removes stretched skin, tightens the breast’s internal support, and moves the nipple-areola complex to a natural position on the reshaped breast. The areola is frequently reduced in diameter at the same time, as it tends to stretch alongside the skin.

A lift alone does not increase volume. Patients who want both lift and fullness are usually best served by augmentation mastopexy or by fat grafting alongside the lift.

Benefits of a Breast Lift

• Raises the breast to a higher, firmer position
• Restores a rounder, more youthful shape
• Repositions and often reduces the areola
• Improves symmetry between breasts
• Corrects sagging after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight loss
• Improves fit and comfort in clothing and bras

Breast Lift Techniques at YCL Plastic Surgery

Periareolar (donut) lift

An incision around the areola only. Suitable for mild sagging and modest nipple elevation. Limited lifting power, but the smallest scar.

Vertical (lollipop) lift

Around the areola and vertically down to the breast fold. The workhorse technique for moderate ptosis, offering good reshaping with a well-concealed scar and reliable long-term projection.

Inverted-T (anchor) lift

Adds a horizontal incision along the breast fold. Reserved for significant sagging or substantial skin excess, where it provides the most control over final shape.

Lift with fat grafting

The patient’s own fat is added to the upper pole to restore fullness without an implant. A good option for patients who want a modest volume improvement and prefer to avoid implants altogether.

Who Is a Candidate for a Breast Lift?

You may be a good candidate if you:

• Have nipples that sit at or below the breast fold
• Have stretched skin and loss of upper-pole fullness
• Have breasts that appear flatter or more elongated than before
• Have stretched or enlarged areolae
• Are at a stable weight
• Have finished having children, or accept that future pregnancy may alter results

Recovery & Expectations

Most patients return to desk work within 7–10 days. Strenuous activity and upper-body exercise resume at 4–6 weeks. A supportive surgical bra is worn for several weeks.

Swelling and firmness are normal early and settle over two to three months. Final shape continues to refine for up to a year as tissues relax into position.

Scar Placement & Healing

Every lift technique leaves scars — this is the honest trade-off of the procedure, and Dr. Low discusses it plainly before you commit. Incisions are placed within natural breast contours: around the areolar border, in the vertical midline, and within the inframammary fold, where clothing and swimwear conceal them.

Scars are firm and pink initially, then soften and fade over 12–18 months. Meticulous, tension-free closure is used to support the best possible healing, and scar care may include silicone therapy, sun protection, and topical treatment.

Restoring Shape at YCL Plastic Surgery

Dr. Low’s approach to mastopexy emphasizes durable internal support rather than relying on skin alone. Skin stretches; well-constructed internal shape holds. The result should look like your breast, earlier.