Mastopexy. How is the operation, photos before and after, without implants, with implants, endoprosthetics, analyzes, consequences, rehabilitation, price

Decreased elasticity and worsening of the shape of the mammary glands is a problem that does not depend on age and can affect any woman. Creams, sports, mesotherapy can temporarily improve the appearance of the breast, but will not relieve psychological discomfort. The only way out is a facelift surgery – mastopexy.

Photos before and after clearly confirm that even without implants it is possible to return the natural and beautiful shape of the breast.

What is mastopexy, what is

Mastopexy is a plastic surgery, a set of surgical measures to restore the natural shape and position of the mammary glands. The main indication for its implementation is prolapse of the breast (mastoptosis, ptosis), resulting from a lactation period or age-related changes.

Restoration of the position, shape and contour of the female breast includes:

• asymmetry correction;
• reduction in the size of the areola of the nipple;
• elimination of excess skin;
• redistribution of gland tissue to give a natural volume.

Causes of prolapse of the mammary glands

There are two reasons for ptosis of the mammary glands: this is a stretching of the skin of the breast and replacement of the volume of glandular tissue with adipose tissue.

This is facilitated by such factors:

• a sharp change in body weight (weight loss or weight gain);
• hormonal changes associated with pregnancy;
• too active classes in certain sports (running without sportswear is especially dangerous);
• decreased turgor and skin elasticity with age;
• gravity, under the influence of which the size of the breast, large by nature, sags.

Types and degrees of ptosis

In medicine, 4 degrees of gravitational ptosis are distinguished, depending on how much the nipple is lower than the breast fold:

1. Pseudoptosis The initial stage of prolapse, when the breast itself is already hanging over the fold, but the areola and nipple are higher.
2. First degree. The nipple is in line with the submarine fold or not more than 0’4 inch lower.
3. Second degree. The nipple falls below the main volume of breast tissue by 0’4 – 1’2 inch.
4. Third degree . The position of the nipple is 1’2 inch lower than the fold under the breast.

The following types of ptosis of mammary glands are distinguished:

• post-lactation, caused by the pregnancy of the woman and the process of natural breastfeeding;
• involutional, associated with age-related changes and loss of elasticity of the skin and ligaments.

Who needs mastopexy

Cosmetic plastic surgery is a voluntary operation. The decision to resort to her is made only by the woman. However, there are a number of indications that the plastic surgeon can tell the patient about, advising her to have mastopexy and showing the photos before and after, without implants and with them.

Potential clients of plastic surgery clinics are women who:

• completed the period of breastfeeding, after which there was little tissue left in the gland, but a lot of excess skin;
• sharply lost or gained weight, and the skin of the chest did not have time to restore elasticity;
• Significant prolapse of the chest was noted with age;
• they want to get a symmetrical and fit shape of the mammary glands without the use of implants.

Cons of the operation

In the same way as other plastic surgeries, mastopexy also has its drawbacks. Before and after photos without implants are good examples of those women whom the operation helped. The main disadvantage of a breast lift is the inability to increase its size and the risks of surgical complications.

Contraindications

Mastopexy is a rather complicated surgical operation, therefore, its implementation should be taken with the utmost seriousness, taking into account all the possible risks and prohibitions.

Absolute contraindications for surgical breast lift include:

• oncological and autoimmune diseases;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• diseases of the vascular system, heart, respiratory system;
• the presence of severe cystic fibrous neoplasms in the mammary glands;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases and acute form of acute respiratory viral infection, flu;
• diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis in the active stage;
• bronchial asthma;
• renal failure, liver disease;
• disturbances in the endocrine system;
• bleeding disorder;
• the presence of scar tissue in the chest area.

Surgery is advised to be postponed to those women who plan to have a baby in the near future, since hormonal changes in the body and the subsequent lactation period will negate the results of surgical restoration of the breast shape.

What is included in the preparation for the operation

Preparation for surgery to restore the shape of the breast takes a rather long period and includes:

1. Consultation with a plastic surgeon who will explain to the patient what mastopexy involves. Photos before and after without implants and with them will complement the woman’s idea of the operation.
2. Quitting alcohol, medications, and smoking.
3. Laboratory and hardware diagnostics.

The list of mandatory analyzes includes:

1. General, biochemical and specific blood tests.
2. General urine analysis.

These tests will need to be submitted again a maximum of 3 days immediately before the operation.

Also, the patient must do:

1. Fluorography (if not done during the year).
2. Electrocardiogram.
3. Ultrasound of the veins (ultrasound).

Before the final decision on mastopexy, the patient should receive an opinion from a mammologist about the absence of benign or malignant neoplasms in the chest. For this, in addition to the palpation procedure, it will be necessary to do a mammogram and ultrasound of the mammary glands.

Be sure to visit and consult doctors: gynecologist, phlebologist, therapist.

Stages of holding a breast lift

Mastopexy includes the following stages:

1. Breast skin is treated with a special antiseptic solution with cleansing an
   d disinfecting properties.
2. The scheme of future sections and excisions of the dermis is marked directly on the mammary glands.
3. Incisions are made, the areoles, gland tissues are moved, and the necessary shape and contour of the chest are given.
4. Implants are inserted under the pectoral muscle through incisions, if necessary.
5. Drainage tubes are inserted to drain tissue fluid and blood residues.
6. Cosmetic stitches are applied.
7. The stitches are fixed with a surgical patch.

Anesthesia and duration

In the normal mode without complications, reconstructive surgery to improve the shape and contour of the breast is carried out for 1.5-3.5 hours under anesthesia.

The following types of anesthesia can be used:

• intravenous;
• inhalation.

Breast plastic surgery without implant

Doctors call the plastic surgery of the breast without the use of endoprostheses a lipomodelling procedure. Its essence lies in the fact that surgeons restore the volume and shape of the mammary glands not using implants, but using the adipose tissue of the patient herself.

Lipofilling is performed without large incisions and eliminates the risk of rejection of foreign material.

Such a method will not work for very thin girls who do not have subcutaneous fat for breast modeling, as well as with a high degree of ptosis.

Breast Lift

A thread lift of the glands is indicated for patients with an initial degree of ptosis, when sagging only appears and will be most effective only for small breasts. Such threads will not lift a large heavy gland.

The mesothreads consist of polydioxanone, a biocompatible material with human tissues that does not cause allergies and is used to stitch tissues in surgery. Each mammary gland takes from 7 to 10 mesothreads up to 2’8 inch long.

They are injected into the gland by injection to a depth of 4/32 – 5/32 inch under the skin, where they form a kind of skeleton and eventually grow with collagen and elastin. The maximum effect is noticeable after 3 months.

For the procedure, local anesthesia is used and the entire lift takes place in 60–90 minutes. The effect persists for 2–2.5 years.

Technique: periareolar

Periareolar mastopexy (it is also called concentric or sickle-shaped) involves the implementation of an incision along the upper semicircle of the areola. The nipple is not cut off, but is transferred slightly above the current position, no more than 0’8 inch.

Excess skin around the areola is removed and small-sized stitches are applied. Operation time – no more than 2 hours.

The main advantages of this method is that the scar after the operation is almost imperceptible, it can be used when lifting without implants and with them.

However, it is suitable only for women with an initial or first degree of mastoptosis. Among the disadvantages of the method are the likelihood of stretching the joints and a decrease in the sensitivity of the nipples.

Technique: vertical

With vertical mastopexy according to the Benelli – Lollipop method, in addition to the incision around the nipple, a vertical dissection is made along the line from the areola to the pectoral fold. A lift takes 3 hours, during which excess skin is removed, areoles are reduced and transferred upward with subsequent installation of drainage.

The technique allows you to move the nipple much higher than the original position, without losing their sensitivity, but after surgical intervention there are large and noticeable scars. The technique is shown to patients with the first and second degrees of ptosis.

Technique: Reduction

Reduction mastopexy or anchor breast lift is indicated for breast restoration with the second and third degrees of ptosis. The result that reduction mastopexy gives, photos before and after without implants, confirm the high efficiency of this method.

During the operation, not only the nipple-areolar apparatus is transferred above, but also part of the breast tissue. Not only the skin around the nipple is excised, but two incisions are made: vertical from the nipple to the submarine fold and horizontal, directly under the breast. The technique is indicated for patients with the second and third degrees of ptosis.

Technique: dermal

Dermal lift is well suited for those patients who have a lot of excess skin around the areola due to rapid changes in body weight and sagging skin. The operation consists in removing the excess epidermis and attaching the gland tissues directly to the chest. At the same time, a scar in the shape of the letter “T” remains on the chest.

Mastopexy with endoprosthetics

Breast lift simultaneously with the installation of implants – endoprosthesis replacement – is a complex surgical intervention aimed not only at restoring the position of the breast, but also its shape.

In a situation where neither the shape nor the volume of the breast is preserved, it is mastopexy with endoprosthetics that can help restore the female breast to its beauty and tightened contour.

During the operation, the skin around the areoles is excised, its location changes, and prostheses are installed under the pectoral muscle.

Implants are silicone, salt, gel and are divided into:

• round;
• anatomical;
• asymmetric;
• anatomical with high profile.

The patient selects the endoprosthesis, but a qualified recommendation is made by the plastic surgeon, which kind of implant is best used, depending on the structure of the woman’s body, the properties and characteristics of the prosthesis.

Proper rehabilitation

The duration of the rehabilitation period after surgery for each individual patient is individual and depends on the complexity of the surgical intervention, age, health status and psychological mood of the woman.

On average, patients fully recover and return to normal life within 50–65 days after mastopexy.

Proper rehabilitation can be divided into chronological stages:

1. Since the operation, the patient is under the supervision of doctors in hospital for several days.
2. On the second day after the successful completion of the operation, drainage is removed. The chest area cannot be wetted for a week.
3. In the first few weeks, pain in the chest area may be noted, complaints about swelling, hematomas and discomfort appear. By the decision of the doctor, a woman can be prescribed pain medications.
4. On days 12-15, the stitches are removed.
5. Over the next 4-6 weeks, do not remove the compression br
   a.

   

6. The first visible results of the operation will be noticeable no earlier than after 60–90 days.
7. The final new look and profile of the breast will be visible in 6 months or a year, when the scars become less noticeable, you can resort to their laser resurfacing.

After the operation, within 120-150 days, the following restrictions should be adhered to:

1. Do not visit the sauna, pool, solarium.
2. Limit sun exposure.
3. Limit physical activity and active sports.
4. Refrain from the use of potent drugs and alcohol.

Possible complications after surgery

With correctly performed mastopexy, the risk of complications is minimal. Photos before and after without implants or using endoprosthetics confirms the fact that, as a rule, operations to tighten and restore an attractive breast shape take place without negative consequences.

Possible complications include:

1. Blood loss.
2. Asymmetry of the mammary glands.
3. Decreased nipple sensitivity or its complete loss.
4. Violation of healing processes, divergence of sutures.
5. The formation of ugly folds of excess skin.

Side effects

There are few side effects, among them the main ones:

1. Aesthetic defects (scars, scars) that can subsequently be removed by laser resurfacing.
2. Internal bruising – hematomas that occur due to damage to blood vessels.
3. Swelling associated with impaired lymph flow.
4. Cyanosis of the skin during the first few weeks.
5. Risk of blood clots.

Operation cost

The average cost of mastopexy is not only the cost of surgical intervention, but also includes specialist consultations, laboratory and hardware studies, postoperative rehabilitation, the purchase of special compression garments and other expenses.

Costs may vary depending on the city where the operation is performed, the authority of the clinic and the professionalism of the surgeon.

The following prices can be called average:

1. Consultation – $ 20 – $ 27.
2. Tests and examinations – $ 68 – $ 272.
3. Thread lift – from $ 1292.
4. Periareolar mastopexy – $ 1428 – $ 1700.
5. Circular mastopexy – $ 2040 – $ 2176.
6. Vertical mastopexy – $ 1904 – $ 2040.
7. Mastopexy with endoprosthetics – $ 4080 – $ 4760.

The possibilities of modern aesthetic surgery enable women to regain the beauty and attractiveness of breasts at any age. It is important to remember that the decision to choose a technique for breast lift and in general the need for mastopexy should not be made on the basis of photos before and after, without implants and with them, but after consultation with a qualified specialist.

Useful videos about different types of breast mastopexy

Carrying out reduction breast mastopexy:

Rehabilitation after a breast lift: