Recovery After a Breast Lift with Implants

Is breast augmentation recovery longer when it includes a lift?

Patients are concerned as to whether or not adding a simulataneous breast lift (mastopexy) increases the downtime and duration of recovery. In my patients, I am not seeing much difference between breast augmentation alone and augmentation with mastopexy (lift) in terms of recovery time. Even though a breast lift performed at the same time as a breast augmentation requires longer incisions in total, the incisions only go down to the superficial tissues of the breast which heal quickly and with little discomfort. However, it is important to your recovery that you ambulate frequently during that time. I use a specialized "Recipe for Recovery" to hasten your recovery. After the procedure, it is often possible to return to work within one to three days.

Strenuous physical activity should be avoided for at least the first three weeks following surgery.

How your breasts will look and feel after a breast lift with implants?

Breast implants will add to the overall results of the breast lift procedure by lifting the breast and increasing your bust size in a single step*. Some discoloration and swelling may occur initially after the procedure, but this will disappear quickly.

After recovery, many women equate the feel of their breasts implants to that of a teenage girl with young, healthy, firm breasts. And when you undergo the breast augmentation combined with a breast lift, your breasts will typically remain full and perky for longer. It is important to understand that no surgery will change the quality of your breast tissue, so you will be feeling the breast tissue on top of the implant. The more natural tissue that you have, and the firmer that tissue is, the less you will be able to feel the implant itself. As today's silicone gel implants are designed to mimic the feel of natural breast tissue, it becomes difficult at times to even feel the implant at all in some cases.

Risks And Complications Associated With A Breast Lift With Implants

All the risks applicable to a breast augmentation exist as well when augmentation is combined with implants. The main additional risks are that when the procedures are combined together, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to accurately predict where on the breast (at what height) the nipple will be positioned at after the breasts heal and the new shape stabilizes. This is due to the fact that tissue stretches after surgery and neither surgeon nor patient can either predict or control the amount of stretch that will occur. The reality is that the vast majority of such surgeries have excellent results with very happy patients (and surgeon!), but the patient still needs to understand this risk*. Another consideration is that there often will be some loss of correction of sagging, again due to tissue stretching (under the influence of gravity on the breast and implant) after surgery. Sometimes, I find that placing a piece of absorbable surgical mesh (Galaflex) on the lower part of the breast helps to reduce this problem.

Scarring After A Breast Lift With Implants

Scars are a part of the breast augmentation and mastopexy process. Fortunately, breast augmentation and mastopexy scars, regardless of where they are located, tend to heal extremely well. Scars following breast augmentation are usually small and inconspicuous, and Dr. Epstein will make sure the scar is as unnoticeable as possible. A mastopexy does add additional scars such as around the areola, and usually a vertical scar from the bottom of the areola down towards the lower breast crease. In some occasions, an incision is made in this crease, as well.

Breast Feeding After A Breast Lift With Implants

You will most likely be able to breastfeed after the breast lift with implants procedure, but it may depend on the kind of surgery you had and the type of incisions required.