Breast Lift in Alpharetta, GA
Consultation
There are different types of breast lift procedures that may be utilized in breast lift surgery. Dr. Graivier will explain what procedure will work best with your breast shape and body type.
Women that have ptosis (drooping) of the breasts have the following in common:
- Bottom heavy / bottomed out breasts
- Nipple / areola too low or aiming downward
- Flattened upper breasts
A breast lift will correct these complaints. If you are happy with your current breast size or desire smaller breasts, then you are a candidate for a lift alone. If you desire larger breasts, then an implant in addition to a lift will be necessary.
Breast Lift Alone (or Breast Reduction)
If you are happy with your breast size, or desire slightly smaller or much smaller breasts, then a breast lift (with or without reduction) alone will be offered. Most breast lifts are done by taking off the bottom portion of the breast tissue and closing the long anchor incisions. This results in a shorter, yet still bottom heavy breast without fullness in the upper portion of the breast and with incisions that are too long.
Dr. Graivier has designed his techniques to avoid these problems. He dissects the skin off of the breast tissue, and then sutures the breast tissue to the upper chest wall. This gives nice fullness to the upper breast, takes tension off of the skin for finer line healing and has a high probability of maintaining the sensitivity of the nipples. Incisions in the crease are shorter and liposuction of the outer breast and axillae are also performed. In Dr. Graivier’s technique, breast tissue supports skin as opposed to skin supporting breast tissue. Most people are at work in 5-7 days.
Breast Lift with Augmentation
If you have breast ptosis (drooping) and desire a larger breast size, then a breast implant will be performed at the same time as the lift. Pictures of your desired shape and size are again an important part of your consultation. The implants, after using sizers to determine the correct size implants, are placed most commonly behind the chest muscle. An incision is made around the areola (nipple), and the breast tissue and nipple are elevated. In some cases, this is the only incision necessary. In cases with more drooping, an additional vertical incision is added. This vertical incision is decided upon during surgery when the skin and breast tissue is temporarily “tacked” to see if it improves the results. The incisions heal well and the majority of the time the sensitivity of the nipple is preserved.
Recovery
After breast lift surgery, you may experience initial discomfort and swelling during the first two weeks. Dr. Graivier will prescribe pain medication and antibiotics for you during this time to make sure you are comfortable and to decrease the risk of infection. After surgery, you will wear a surgical bra for several weeks to protect your sutures and support your newly-lifted breasts.