Breast lift or breast reduction, which one to choose?
The breast lift (mastopexy) and the breast reduction are cosmetic surgeries designed for women who want to change the size and position of their breasts. Before you decide what is right for you, you need to understand the similarities and differences between these procedures.
Breast reduction
Through breast reduction, part of the mammary gland and of the adipose tissue from the breast and of the skin related to them are removed. Their excision is made while keeping the proportions and shape of an aesthetic breast. This intervention is aimed at women with disproportionately large breasts (macromastia) or whose breasts are not in harmony with the rest of their body.
Here are some of the issues a breast reduction can effectively address:
- emotional stress
- breasts of sizes and shapes that don’t match the rest of your body
- back pain
- deformed posture
- excessive perspiration and irritation of the inframammary fold
- sleep or respiratory problems
- difficulties in performing sports
- difficulties in finding clothes or even bras to suit.
The breast reduction is the surgery that adjusts the size of the breasts to the needs and body shape of the patient (active women, professional athletes, etc.). The benefits of breast reduction are visible immediately after surgery, and the positive aspects of the intervention can be quantified immediately, at the end of the recovery period.
Breast lift (mastopexy)
The breast lift is aimed at women with sagging (ptosis) breasts, but with a normally developed mammary gland. Breast ptosis appears post-breastfeeding, weight loss, as well as due to gravitational, post-menopausal or constitutional factors and can sometimes be a hindrance in daily activities (sports, going to the beach, wearing a loose dress or simply not being able to be without a bra).
Mastopexy repositions the mammary gland and the areolo-nipple area, while eliminating the skin excess and thus giving the breast a younger appearance.
Because the breast is moved to a higher position, it is possible that after the intervention it appears smaller, although the procedure does not remove the mammary gland but only excess skin. Breast ptosis can also be corrected with the help of a breast implant. Depending on its characteristics (how lax the skin is, the position of the areola in relation to the inframammary fold and the distribution of the mammary gland) your surgeon determines whether you are a candidate for the insertion of a breast implant or whether additional excisions of the breast tegument will be required.
Issues for which breast lifting is used:
- emotional insecurity due to sagging breasts
- Excessive perspiration and irritation of the inframammary fold
- dependent on bra
- unappealing cleavage
- nipple oriented downward or located below the level of the inframammary fold
- asymmetrical breasts
The problems you’re facing are discussed withing a consult, where you decide together with a plastic surgeon what intervention is appropriate for you.
For the sagging or very large breast there are different techniques to obtain a aesthetically pleasing result. Which techniques are best suited will be determined after taking some measurements (chest circumference under the breasts / over the breasts, the width of the breast, the position of the inframammary fold, etc.) and the goals you wish to achieve post-surgery.