How Long Does It Take To Heal From Breast Lift

How Long Does It Take To Heal From Breast Lift

Breast lift surgery can be risky. If you are considering breast lift the next question you might have is how long does it take for breast lift surgery to heal? We have all heard stories about celebrities who underwent breast lift and their nipple got positioned on their chest. When Hilary Duff had her Breast Lift done, her nipples were raised on her chest which made people question whether she had breast lift surgery or not.

Have you had a breast lift? If so, you’re probably wondering how long it will take to heal from this procedure. The first days are going to be a bit iffy for you. You’ll know if you have an issue of some kind by the pain you feel. Your breasts will ache and the bumps at the site of your stitches might hurt or else cause itchiness. This is natural and won’t last longer than a few days .read more about Breast Lift Scar and How Long For Breast Lift Incisions To Heal.

The process of a breast lift is pretty simple: two incisions are made on either side of the nipple, and excess skin is removed to tighten the breast tissue. However, the recovery time for this procedure can be long and uncomfortable.

First, you will have to wear a compression vest for six weeks following your surgery. This vest helps reduce swelling and bruising, but it also limits your ability to move around freely. You may have trouble sleeping because of the vest, which can cause neck pain and headaches. You may also experience soreness in your chest area as well as some numbness or tingling in your nipples or breasts during this time period.

You may need help from friends or family members while recovering from a breast lift surgery because of how much you need to take care of yourself during the first few weeks after having this procedure done on yourself! If possible, try not to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds right away—you’ll probably want someone else around when doing housework or grocery shopping until at least three weeks after surgery so they can help out with those things instead!

The pain after a breast lift is caused by the tension on your skin and tissues as they heal. The amount of discomfort you have will depend on how much your surgeon had to remove from your breasts in order to achieve the results you were looking for.

You can expect to experience some pain and swelling that lasts for up to two weeks after the surgery. You may need pain medication, but be sure to follow the instructions given by your surgeon about when and how much medication is appropriate for use during this time period.

If you decide that you’re not ready for surgery yet, don’t worry! You can always come back later if you change your mind, but remember that once the wounds are closed there’s no turning back!

Breast lift recovery is a painful process, and it’s important to know what to expect.

Anesthesia:

Breast lift surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia, so the patient will be unconscious for the operation. This will prevent any pain from being felt during surgery, but it also means that many of the side effects of anesthesia—nausea, vomiting, dizziness—can occur after surgery.

Infection:

Any type of surgery carries a risk of infection. This can be minimized by avoiding contact with people who are ill and washing hands frequently while in recovery. Infections can also be treated with antibiotics if necessary.

Bleeding:

There is always a chance of bleeding after any type of surgery, and this risk is especially high in breast lift patients because they have had skin removed from their chest area in order to tighten their breasts. Usually bleeding doesn’t require treatment unless it becomes excessive or starts to interfere with other aspects of recovery (such as breathing). In most cases it can be controlled by pressure dressings on the wound until it stops on its own. If needed, small amounts of blood transfusions may be given if there’s not enough oxygen getting through due to blood loss; otherwise your surgeon will provide instructions about how often you should come.

Breast Lift Scar

As with any surgery, a breast lift involves incisions in the skin. Incisions put you at risk for scarring — your skin’s way of building new tissues and healing the wound.

However, there are ways to minimize scarring before, during, and after a breast lift.

Your first step is to find an experienced and certified plastic surgeon. Portfolio shopping can help you see the work a surgeon is capable of, as well as identify the results you’re going for.

Working with an experienced surgeon can ultimately reduce your risk of complications known to cause scarring. They can also teach you how to protect and treat your skin postsurgery.

Are scars avoidable?

As with any surgery, a breast lift involves incisions in the skin. Incisions put you at risk for scarring — your skin’s way of building new tissues and healing the wound.

However, there are ways to minimize scarring before, during, and after a breast lift.

Your first step is to find an experienced and certified plastic surgeon. Portfolio shopping can help you see the work a surgeon is capable of, as well as identify the results you’re going for.

Working with an experienced surgeon can ultimately reduce your risk of complications known to cause scarring. They can also teach you how to protect and treat your skin postsurgery.

Keep reading to learn more about the different techniques available, the scars they might leave, and how to minimize their appearance.

Different techniques leave different scars

When it comes to scarring, not all breast lifts are the same. Your surgeon can recommend a specific lift according to what you want addressed, including sagging, size, and shape.

As a rule of thumb, the less you’re trying to correct, the fewer incisions and subsequent scars you’ll have. You can gain a better idea of what a surgery looks like by going through your surgeon’s portfolio of work.

Scarless lift

A scarless lift is the least invasive lift available. Instead of making incisions into your skin, your surgeon will use a system of electrical currents or ultrasound to heat up the fat cells and skin of your breasts. This causes the tissue to tighten and firm, creating the desired lift.

Although it’s technically scar-free, this procedure only works for women who have minimal sagging.

Crescent lift

The crescent lift also results in minimal scarring. One small incision is made with this surgery. It runs halfway across the top edge of the areola.

It works best for women who have minimal sagging and don’t have excessive breast tissue leftover from a recent pregnancy or weight loss.

However, the procedure is typically reserved for women who are also getting a breast augmentation. The lift will help boost sagginess, while augmentation directly increases the size of your breasts. It also fills out the often deflated skin that occurs with aging and weight loss and after pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Donut lift

If you have more moderate sagging, your doctor might recommend a donut lift. Like a crescent lift, there’s only one incision made, so the scar is somewhat minimized.

The incision is made in a circle around the areola.

Donut lifts are often done in conjunction with a breast augmentation. They’re also beneficial for women who are looking to reduce the size of the areola. Because of this, the procedure is also called a periareolar lift.

Lollipop lift

A lollipop (vertical) lift is designed for women who want some reshaping done while also correcting any sag. It’s one of the most common types of lifts.

During the procedure, your surgeon will make two incisions in each breast to help remove extra skin and reshape them. The first incision is made from the bottom of the areola to the crease below the breast. The second incision is done around the areola. This is where the “lollipop” shape comes from.

Anchor lift

If you have significant sagging, your surgeon may recommend an anchor lift. This type of lift involves the greatest degree of scars, but also yields the most significant sagging and reshaping transformation.

During surgery, your doctor will make one horizontal incision along the breast crease. One incision is in between the crease and the areola. The other is around the areola edge. Because this surgery is more extensive, it may result in more significant scarring.

Horizontal mastopexy

A horizontal mastopexy involves horizontal incisions only. In theory, this helps minimize visible scarring along the areola and breast line. Once the incision is made, your surgeon will pull excess tissue from the bottom up through the breast and out through the incision.

This procedure works well for extensive sagging. It also works well for women who want to move their nipples upward.

What will the scarring look like?

Incisions made during cosmetic surgery are usually thin. Shortly after the wounds heal, you may be left with a red, raised line along the edges of the incision. Over time, the scar color should fade to pink and then to white. They should also flatten out in texture. This scar lightening will take several months up to a year after surgery.

Scarring tends to be most visible in people with extremely dark or light skin. The scars may also become more noticeable if they’re subject to direct sun exposure. Be sure to wear sunscreen every day.

Breast lifts that involve incisions around the areola are perhaps the easiest to conceal. You won’t see these scars even if you’re wearing a bikini top. Most breast lift scars are easily concealed with low-cut tops, too.

As a rule of thumb, horizontal scars made along the breast crease are usually less noticeable than incisions made vertically along the breasts.

Will the scars change over time?

As the healing process continues, your scars will inevitably change over time. With proper care, they should continue to fade and flatten.

It’s also important to avoid behaviors that can make breast lift scars worse. Avoid the following:

• Excessive exfoliation or scrubbing. This is especially the case as the wound is healing.
• Heavy lifting. Avoid heavy lifting in the first six weeks postsurgery.
• Scratching the incisions.
• Smoking. The Mayo Clinic recommends quitting smoking at least one month before surgery to reduce complications.
• Tanning. This will darken scar tissue and make your scars more noticeable.

How to care for your scars and minimize their appearance

One of the best ways to prevent breast lift scars is to help minimize excessive scar tissue from forming. But before you try any home or over-the-counter (OTC) remedies, talk to your surgeon. They can advise you on best practices and further guide your care.

Scar massage

A scar massage is exactly what the name implies. With a scar massage, you gently massage the scars in circular motions, both horizontally and vertically. This is said to help decrease inflammation and pain, while also increasing collagen fibers to flatten out the scars.

According to recommendations set forth by the Moffitt Cancer Center, you can start massaging your scars two weeks after your surgery. You can repeat the massage a couple of times per day, generally for 10 minutes at a time. Once the scar flattens and fades, you likely won’t need to massage it any longer.

Silicone sheets or scar gels

For an OTC remedy, you might consider silicone sheets or scar gels.

Silicone sheets are silicone-containing bandages that help hydrate recent incisions. In theory, this helps prevent overdrying and excessive scar tissue. These bandages may be used to reduce itchiness and pain right after surgery. You can continue use until the incisions heal.

Scar gels, on the other hand, are silicone-based OTC products that don’t have bandages with them. You use these after the incisions heal, and for several weeks afterward. The main purpose is to reduce the size and coloring of the scars.

Embrace dressings

Like silicone sheets, embrace dressings are silicone-containing bandages. These are applied right after your surgeon closes the incisions. The embrace dressing will help pull the edges of the incision together to minimize scar tissue buildup. They’re worn every day for up to 12 months.

Fractionated lasers

Once your incision has completely healed, you may consider professional treatments for any scarring that’s occurred. Laser therapy can reach the top (epidermis) and inner (dermis) layers of your skin to reduce pigmentation variations.

However, you’ll need more than one treatment to achieve your desired results. For optimal results, your scar may be treated once every other month over the course of a year or longer.

Sunscreen

Even if your incisions aren’t directly exposed, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can still seep through your shirt or bikini top. Wearing sunscreen can help prevent scars from darkening in the sun.

You can start wearing sunscreen as soon as the incisions are completely healed. Until then, limit sun exposure.

For best results, wear sunscreen every day and reapply as needed. Wear a minimum SPF of 30. Be sure to opt for “broad-spectrum” sunscreen. These products can protect against the most UV rays.

Can you get the scars removed

Home remedies can help minimize the appearance of breast lift scars, but the scars won’t completely go away. The scars may even become more visible if you discontinue your home or OTC therapies.

Your dermatologist may recommend professional scar removal treatments if your breast lift scars are severe.

Some of these procedures leave new scars in place of the breast lift scars. In theory, the newly formed scars will be less severe.

This is usually done by:

• Punch grafting. This involves taking a small part of skin from another area of your body and putting it in place of the breast lift scar.
• Tissue expansion. Like punch grafting, this procedure utilizes other tissues to help fill in scars. It works by stretching out the skin surrounding the breast lift scar to even out the area.

How Long For Breast Lift Incisions To Heal

After a breast lift, you’ll have some discomfort, swelling and bruising. Your skin may feel tight. These effects get better over time and last about two weeks. If you had drains near the incisions, your healthcare team will remove them a few days after the procedure.

Breasts may lose elasticity and sag over time because of age, pregnancy and weight changes. Breast lift, or mastopexy, is surgery to lift, reshape and tighten them. It can also improve asymmetry and other imperfections. Breast lift can be combined with breast augmentation or reduction. Results are noticeable immediately, but there are risks.

Why do people get breast lift surgery?

As we age, our breasts change. They may lose elasticity, causing your breasts to stretch, sag or droop. Causes include:

• Aging.
• Breastfeeding (chestfeeding).
• Genetics, or sagging breasts “run in the family.”
• Gravity.
• Pregnancy.
• Significant weight loss.

Mastopexy can make your breasts look firmer and more youthful. A breast lift can also correct perceived imperfections, such as:

• Areolas that face downward.
• Nipples that point in different directions.
• Uneven or asymmetrical breasts.

Will a breast lift procedure change the size of my breasts?

A breast lift alone won’t change the size of your breasts. But the procedure is often combined with other surgeries to make them larger or smaller. If you want to increase breast size, consider breast augmentation (implants). For smaller breasts, consider breast reduction.

How much does a breast lift cost?

Most insurance plans don’t cover the costs of cosmetic surgery. Check with your insurance plan, and ask your healthcare provider about specific costs.

PROCEDURE DETAILS

What happens before breast lift surgery?

Before you have mastopexy, you’ll meet with a plastic surgeon. You and the surgeon will discuss:

• Your goals.
• Your medical history, including health conditions, allergies, previous surgeries and mammogram results.
• Whether you or anyone in your family has a history of breast cancer.
• Any medications you’re taking, including blood thinners, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs.
• Use of alcohol, tobacco or recreational drugs.

Your surgeon will also:

• Examine and measure your breasts.
• Draw on the area with a marker or pen.
• Take pictures of your breasts.
• Review your options for mastopexy and make recommendations.
• Talk about anesthesia to control pain and discuss the risks of surgery.

If you’re a good candidate for a breast lift and decide to move forward, your surgeon’s team will ask you to sign a consent form. By signing it, you give permission to your surgeon to perform the procedure. You also agree that you understand the risks of the procedure and have realistic expectations.

Before surgery, your plastic surgeon may ask you to:

• Get blood work or have a physical exam with your primary care provider.
• Have a mammogram.
• Stop smoking and using tobacco products.
• Stop taking certain medications (for example, aspirin, NSAIDs and herbal supplements).

What happens during mastopexy?

Most breast lifts take place in a surgical center or hospital. The procedure usually lasts an hour or two, depending on how much work is being done.

The surgical team will:

• Give you a hospital gown to wear.
• Position you on a surgical table.
• Administer anesthesia to control pain.
• Clean and prep your skin in the surgical area.
• Mark your skin with a pen or marker.
• Make incisions (cuts) around your areolas and possibly downward or outward from there.
• Cut, reposition or shape tissue and excess fat to create the look you want.
• Lift and tighten muscles by sewing them.
• Move your areola and nipple higher.
• Trim away extra skin, tissue or muscle as needed.
• Close any incisions when the procedure is complete.
• Apply bandages and possibly a surgical bra to support your breasts as they heal.

What does a breast lift incision look like?

Your surgeon will recommend the type of incision for you based on:

• Breast size and shape.
• How elastic or stretched your skin is, and how much extra skin you have.
• How much your breasts sag.
• Areola size and placement.

Incision types include:

• Crescent: This incision is a half-circle along the top half of your areola. It’s usually only used for breast augmentation in women who have little sagging.
• Donut: This common incision circles your entire areola.
• Vertical or lollipop lift: This incision goes in a circle around the entire areola, then vertically down from your areola to your breast crease. This is another common incision type.
• Inverted T or anchor: This incision circles your areola, then goes vertically down to your breast crease, then horizontally along your breast crease. It’s often used in people with more sagging or who are also having breast reduction.

What do breast lift scars look like?

Breast lift scars depend on the type of incision your surgeon used. Almost all mastopexy scars are hidden in the:

• Borders of your areolas.
• Breast crease.
• Natural contours of your breasts.

Yet you may see some scars on the surface of your breast. They’re permanent but fade a lot over time.

What happens after breast lift surgery?

Most people who have mastopexy go home the same day. You should have someone drive you home and stay with you the first night.

You may have a thin tube near one or more incisions to drain fluid and prevent swelling.

Your surgical team will give you recovery instructions. They may include:

• Caring for the drains and changing the bandages.
• Moving carefully. They may ask that you not bring your arms above your head. Keeping your elbows by your sides will allow you to perform you activities of daily living with minimal discomfort.
• Reporting any complications.
• Sleeping on your back.
• Using medications (for example, ointments or pills) to control pain or prevent infection.
• Wearing a special bra to reduce swelling and support your breasts as they heal.