One of the most commonly asked questions is “do I need a breast lift?” Some patients may experience drooping or sagging of the breasts. This may be due to a number of reasons such as:
- Pregnancy
- Weight Loss
- Ageing
- Breast feeding
Grades of Ptosis or Drooping
The degree of ptosis or sagging will determine whether an uplift is required. There are a number of grades of ptosis depending on the level pf the nipple and breast tissue in relation to the breast fold. Grade 1 ptosis is when the nipple position is about the same level as the breast fold. Grade 2 ptosis is when the nipple is located below the breast fold. Finally, grade 3 ptosis is when the nipple sits at the lowest point on the breast often pointing downwards.
In most cases, when the nipple is below the breast fold then an uplift will usually be necessary.
Types of Uplift or Mastopexy
There are a number of different ways of performing a mastopexy or uplift procedure. These can be combined with implants as part of an augmentation mastopexy procedure. These include:
Crescent Lift
This type of lift involves a scar at the upper half of the areolar. This technique can be used just to lift the nipple about 1-2cm in order to improve the symmetry of the nipple position.
Periareolar lift
This type of uplift procedure involves just having a scar around the whole nipple or areolar. This is useful when only a small amount of uplift is required. The degree of lift will usually be limited with this method.
Vertical lift
This technique has a scar around the areolar and then a vertical scar. This can be used to tighten the lower pole and lift the breast more. There may be some bunching up of the scar in the lower end which often settles. Sometimes a small horizontal scar may be required.
Full Anchor Lift
This uplift has a scar around the areolar, vertically down the breast and underneath. This is a full uplift and will result in the anchor shaped scar.
