As women grow older, their breasts lose firmness and elasticity. Changes in weight, pregnancy and breastfeeding often accentuate the changes in your breasts. To reverse these changes, you may consider mastopexy or breast lift surgery. This procedure is performed by a plastic surgeon and aims to change the shape of your breasts. The surgeon removes excess skin during the procedure and reshapes the tissues to raise and reshape the breasts.
Note: Most health insurance companies view mastopexy as a cosmetic procedure, so they don’t cover the medical expenses, meaning that you may have to cater to the overall costs.
Surgeons perform breast lift procedures using diverse techniques. The technique your surgeon chooses depends on the shape and size of your breasts. The amount of lift you need also dictates the ideal technique.
In general, the entire procedure involves the following steps:
Your surgeon will gather information about your medical history to begin the procedure. As such, prepare to answer questions about your past and current health conditions, including any history of breast cancer. It would help if you also told them about any surgeries you had and shared the results of breast biopsies and mammograms. You are also required to share information about medications you have recently taken or are currently taking.
To determine the best approach, your doctor will examine your breasts to see the position of the areolae and nipples. The examination will also help them determine whether the tone and quality of your skin will hold your breasts better after the procedure. They might also take pictures of your breasts for your medical records.
After the examination, your doctor will trigger a discussion where you will explain what you hope to achieve after the procedure. They will also ensure you understand the benefits and risks involved. These may include including scarring and changes in breast and nipple sensation.
Your surgeon will mark your breasts to determine your nipples’ position after the procedure. The marking is done with a skin marker pen, and you will have to stand for the surgeon to make accurate markings. Before any cuts are made, you will also get general anesthesia to help you relax and prevent you from feeling pain. You will also be asleep throughout the entire process.
During the surgery, your surgeon will make an incision around the areola. They will also make an incision from the bottom of your areola and extend it down the front of your breast. The cut will end in the aperture. Depending on the procedure, incisions may also be done on the sides of the areola. The cuts are made in a place they will be less visible.
After the cuts, your surgeon will reshape and lift your breasts into the designated position. They will also move the nipples and the areolas into the correct position of the new breast shape. Your surgeon will also eliminate the extra skin to give you a firmer look. Finally, your surgeon will close the cuts with stitches, skin adhesives, sutures, or surgical tape.
During this breast lift procedure, your surgeon may reduce the size of your breasts to gain the needed shape if you had made that request. An implant may also be added if you needed larger breasts or your breasts were of different sizes. However, depending on the extent and health situation, most surgeons choose not to increase or decrease breast sizes simultaneously as the lifting procedure. This is especially true if there’s a risk of loss or nipple necrosis.
Some men develop breast hypertrophy, which is called gynecomastia.
Gynecomastia is defined as the excessive development of the mammary glands in men, causing a real excess of breasts to feminize a male figure.
The development of the chest in men can have two causes: the concentration of fat or / and an excess of the mammary gland.
Male breast enlargement can be caused by the concentration of fat, it is an adipomastia. This type of male breast enlargement is often found in obese or overweight men. The correction of this excess of breast in men is done by a liposuction procedure.
The development of the male chest can be caused by an excess of the mammary gland. This is called glandular gynecomastia. This development of breast hypertrophy in men can be temporary or permanent. This excess of breast on a male figure is often badly experienced especially when it concerns young men in their teens. Gynecomastia is often found in men in their fifties. This state of affairs can be explained, among other things, by the decrease in testosterone secretion.
The surgeon will remove the excess of mammary glands responsible for the breast hypertrophy.
When gynecomastia persists and becomes permanent, only surgery can correct this aspect.
When the development of the male breast is caused by an excess of mammary glands accompanied by an excess of fat, the surgeon can, in the same operation time, proceed to the liposuction of the localized fat (adipomastia).
Breast hypertrophy exists when the volume of the breasts is too large for the patient’s morphology. This overloading of the breast volume often leads to pain, more or less, important at the level of the back, the shoulders or the neck. This pain is sometimes amplified by the stooped attitude that some patients take to mask, no doubt, their large breasts.
Excessive breast volume often leads to breast ptosis. Indeed, the weight of the breasts creates an alteration of the tissues, which causes the breasts to sag.
Breast reduction surgery consists of removing the excess fat and mammary gland that give the breasts a large volume. Then, the surgeon will remove the excess skin to reshape the breasts. Finally, the surgeon refocuses the areola and the nipple to harmonize them and adapt them to the new breasts.
The breast reduction procedure is a surgical repair operation. As such, it is partially covered by Social Security. The extra fees for a breast enlargement operation are covered by mutual insurance companies, depending on the contract.
This coverage is possible when the weight removed is at least 300 g. per breast. If, on the other hand, the surgeon removes less than 300 g per breast, the breast reduction procedure is cosmetic in nature. In the latter case, the patient is responsible for the entire cost. It is the surgeon who, at the time of the consultation, decides if he can remove 300g per breast or not.
The surgeon’s goal is to give back to the patient a breast in harmony with her figure: reduced, lifted, symmetrical and reshaped breasts.
Drooping” breasts or breast ptosis are a common phenomenon in many women. The drooping of the breasts is due to a sagging of the mammary gland. This sagging of the mammary gland will lead to a distension of the skin that envelops the breasts.
The sagging of the breasts is therefore the consequence of elastic or morphological disorders of the skin. Indeed, the elasticity of the skin of the breasts is an important factor for the maintenance of the breast.
These problems can appear after a significant weight loss or after one or more breastfeedings.
The fall of the breasts can also be of genetic origin. This is the case when drooping breasts are the result of breast hypertrophy (large breast volume).
The goal of breast surgery is to give or restore harmony to the breasts, a nice curve.
Breast lift surgery distinguishes between breast ptosis with insufficient volume and breast ptosis resulting from excess breast volume.
In the case of breast ptosis with insufficient breast volume (breast ptosis with breast atrophy), it is possible to use breast implants.
Indeed, the correction of breast loss can be accompanied by the placement of breast implants to restore volume to a chest that has been “stripped” in its upper part. The breast implants are chosen with the surgeon during the first consultation, for the volume and shape of the breast implants.
When breast ptosis is moderate, the placement of breast implants is sufficient to restore volume to the breasts by adding volume to the upper part of the chest. Thus, the placement of breast implants is sufficient in itself to correct sagging breasts.
On the other hand, when breast ptosis is more or less important, the placement of breast implants is not enough to reshape the chest. In fact, breast implants alone cannot correct sagging breasts and excess skin.
In this case, the placement of breast implants will be associated with a breast lift. In fact, breast plastic surgery allows the skin envelope to be adapted and the areola to be raised or repositioned.
The correction of breast ptosis can also consist of removing the excess skin and repositioning the areola plate without the installation of breast implants. This is known as a breast lift or breast plastic surgery to correct ptosis.
Finally, when breast ptosis is the result of breast hypertrophy (large volume of the breast), the principle of the procedure is the same as for breast reduction surgery.
The breast lift procedure includes different surgical procedures depending on the extent of the breast loss.
These different breast reshaping procedures involve different scars:
The results can be appreciated from the day after the breast lift procedure. Indeed, the breast regains its natural and harmonious shape. However, the final results can be judged from the first year, which is the time necessary for perfect healing.
The breast lift or the correction of sagging breasts is a beneficial procedure for all women suffering from discomfort due to unsightly breasts or at least felt as such.
The correction of tuberous breasts is covered by Social Security and the extra fees may be covered by mutual insurance companies, depending on the contract.
A woman’s breasts are an essential part of her femininity. Beautifully shaped, harmonious breasts give every woman a sense of well-being.
In this perspective, cosmetic surgery in general and breast surgery in particular are available to all women who wish to find or rediscover breasts that are in keeping with their image and femininity.
Breast surgery consists of reshaping the breasts in order to give each woman breasts that correspond to her aspirations of femininity.
From adolescence to menopause and beyond, women experience many hormonal fluctuations. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight gain, weight loss, all of these upheavals have an impact on the shape of the breasts, on their volume.
Breast surgery corrects the lack of volume by placing breast implants. It relieves the woman who suffers in particular from the back by the existence of a strong breast: it is the intervention for a breast hypertrophy. It is also indicated for the correction of breast ptosis, i.e., the correction of sagging breasts, but also for the correction of invaginated nipples.
In the context of reconstructive surgery, breast surgery is used to treat tuberous or asymmetrical breasts or for breast reconstruction following breast cancer.
Let’s not forget the male gender with the intervention of gynecomastia, a term used when we want to designate a benign enlargement of the breasts in men.
Breast augmentation surgery by placing breast implants consists of restoring volume to breasts that are considered too small or underdeveloped. The lack of breast volume can exist from puberty or appear later in life after a pregnancy with breastfeeding or after a significant weight loss.
Breast augmentation surgery can be performed to correct asymmetrical breasts.
For breast augmentation, breast implants remain the only solution to correct a defect in breast volume. Indeed, breasts do not contain any muscle tissue, which is why physical exercises and sports creams have no effect on the volume and the shape of the breasts.
During the first consultation, the patient expresses the shape and volume of the breast she wants. The surgeon listens to the patient. However, the choice of the breast prosthesis must be made in harmony with the rest of the figure.
In terms of breast augmentation, there are several types of implants:
During a consultation before the breast augmentation procedure, the surgeon will discuss the implantation of the prostheses (in front of or behind the muscle). He will also discuss the location of the incisions for the placement of the breast implants.
Depending on the size of the pre-existing breast gland and the thickness of the skin, the surgeon will place the breast implants either in front of the muscle or behind the muscle.
The retro-muscular or retropectoral position means that the breast implant will be placed behind the muscle. This location is suitable for slim patients with a small pre-existing mammary gland. The retroglandular or pre-pectoral position means that the breast prosthesis will be placed in front of the muscle. This location is suitable for patients with an already developed bust.
Each surgeon adapts his or her own technique for breast augmentation surgery by placing breast implants (breast prostheses). The goal is to obtain the best results for the patient. The location of the incision will be decided with the patient during the pre-operative consultation. The insertion of the implants can be done either in the pigmented area of the areola (areolar route), or in the fold under the breast (sub mammary route), or in the hollow of the armpit (axillary route).
The results of a breast augmentation procedure with breast implants can be appreciated immediately as long as the volume is visible. However, the final result can be appreciated from the third month, the time needed for the breast implants to soften.
Umbilical or invaginated nipples are a malformation that affects one in ten women. This malformation of the nipples can concern one or both breasts.
Umbilical nipples or invaginated nipples are a malformation that affects one in ten women. This malformation of the nipples can concern one or both breasts. The invagination of the nipples is often congenital. This deformity results in the visual absence of the nipples. There is a traction for the galactophore ducts in depth due to their brevity. This malformation of the nipples does not interfere with the physiological functions of the breast. However, a woman with invaginated nipples will not be able to breastfeed her child or will do so with difficulty.
In addition, women with inverted nipples are often embarrassed in their intimate life.
The malformation of the nipples can be corrected by a surgical intervention. This procedure to correct invaginated nipples is covered by Social Security and mutual insurance companies.
The breast is a strong symbol of femininity. This is why an abnormality in the breasts is often a major handicap for a woman, especially when she is a teenager.
The breast deformity that is the most difficult for women to accept is tuberous breasts. Tuberous breasts are a malformation of the breast which, in their most severe form, take on a tubular appearance. The diagnosis of tuberous breasts is usually made during adolescence.
Tuberous breasts are distinguished from normal breasts by their cylindrical shape and often insufficient volume. Tuberous breasts can also be distinguished by their often very enlarged aeromandibular plate, by a reduced and asymmetrical mammary base.
All of these characteristics specific to tuberous breasts contribute to giving the breast a particularly unattractive appearance.
Tuberous breasts are an abnormality that results in a tubular appearance of one or both breasts. Tuberous breasts are classified according to their stage of development:
The intervention of correction of tuberous breasts bring a considerable benefit to women. This benefit is all the greater since it is usually performed on young women who have grown up with this rather difficult breast deformity.
Interventions by plastic surgeon Philippe Letertre, Mozart Clinic in Nice
Depending on the grade, the surgeon uses many techniques. This operation for the correction of breast malformation can combine the fitting of breast prostheses, breast plastic surgery, nipple reduction…
The correction of tuberous breasts is covered by the Social Security and the extra fees may be covered by the mutual insurance companies, depending on the contracts.
When there is a difference in volume and or shape between the two breasts, it is called breast asymmetry. Breast asymmetry can be more or less important. When breast asymmetry is important, it can cause significant discomfort that is amplified during pregnancy or weight gain.
An important breast asymmetry can cause an important embarrassment on the clothing level, on the cleavage level, and especially on the psychological level.
Depending on the shape and volume of your breasts and your expectations, we recommend 2 surgical techniques to correct breast asymmetry: the placement of prostheses or breast reduction.
When breast asymmetry is accompanied by hypotrophy (underdeveloped breasts), the placement of breast implants of different sizes can be performed to give harmony and symmetry to the breast.
When the asymmetry of the breasts is accompanied by hypertrophy (breasts with a large volume compared to the morphology), a breast reduction procedure is performed to adjust the volume of the breasts and thus obtain a symmetrical and nicely shaped breast.
Poland syndrome is a rare disease that affects one in 30,000 births in France. This malformation affects more little boys than girls.
Among the characteristics of the disease, there is a total or partial absence of the pectoralis major muscle, the muscle that is located at the level of the chest, as well as breast hypotrophy.
On the upper limbs, abnormalities of the phalanges and fingers may be associated.
The absence of the pectoralis major muscle in young women results in breasts without volume and projection. In most cases, the breast deformity affects only one breast.
The operation consists of correcting the lack of breast volume with a breast prosthesis or a muscle flap. The axillary notch can be improved by fat injections (lipofilling).