Breast Lift Question and Answers
Breast Lift Post-Operative Information
You Can Expect:
- To drive after you are completely off your pain medications,which is usually about 3 - 5 days.
- To resume normal activities after about a week or in some cases two weeks.
- To avoid strenuous and/or upper-body workouts for the first 3 - 4 weeks after surgery.
- To visit our office post-operatively at one day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month after surgery, with additional follow up visits as required.
- To drive after you are completely off your pain medications,which is usually about 3 - 5 days.
- To resume normal activities after about a week or in some cases two weeks.
- To avoid strenuous and/or upper-body workouts for the first 3 - 4 weeks after surgery.
- To visit our office post-operatively at one day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month after surgery, with additional follow up visits as required.
WHAT IF I NEED A BREAST AUGMENTATION AND A LIFT?
Breast Augmentation and a Breast Lift are two procedures that naturally go together and are commonly performed during the same operation. For those with minimal drooping breasts, sometimes the breast implants from a Breast Augmentation will provide sufficient lift all by itself.
WILL THE IMPLANTS HELP TO LIFT MY BREASTS UP?
Implants will cause some lifting. High projection, sometimes called High Profile implants, can cause more of a lifting effect. If you are concerned about drooping of your breasts, you should request the doctor to do an evaluation. A breast lift procedure can be added to an augmentation procedure if it is needed.
WHEN CAN I EXERCISE AND HOW MUCH?
This depends on how your body responds to surgery. Generally, it is safe to begin light activities such as walking and stationary bicycle in about one week. After four to six weks, you may resume full impact activity such as aerobics, tennis, swimming, etc.
HOW LONG AFTER MY SURGERY CAN I SUNBATHE TOPLESS OR GO IN A TANNING BED?
You should stay out of the sun and artificial tanning lights for anywhere from 6 - 12 months (and maybe even longer). When premature scars are exposed to the sun (or tanning bed lights), they will tan at a different rate than the surrounding skin and become redder or darker. This pigment can become permanent, like a tattoo. You should keep your scars out of the sun, until the scars are no longer red, indicating that the scar has matured. Again, this healing process typically takes anywhere from 6 - 12 months. Healing rates depend highly on skin thickness. The chest typically takes longer to heal since it is thicker skin.
WHEN CAN I RETURN TO WORK?
After your postoperative discomfort has subsided and you have been off pain medications for 24 hours, you may resume driving. You may work as long as you are not required to lift over your head or pick up objects which weigh up to ten pounds.
WHEN CAN I LIFT MY CHILD?
If your child weighs over ten pounds, you should refrain from lifting for two weeks.
HOW LONG AFTER SURGERY WILL MY BREASTS BE FIRM BEFORE THEY GET SOFT?
There may be an initial period of breast firmness for a few weeks. As you tissues relax and stretch, softening will progress and your breast will assume a natural contour.
WHEN CAN I SHOWER?
On the first day after surgery. Keep the sutures dry by showering as carefully as possible around the small adhesive strips of bandages and patting the area dry where any sutures are. You can use a hair dryer with no heat to dry the suture area more thoroughly if needed.
WILL BOTH MY BREASTS LOOK THE SAME?
There is some natural asymmetry that exists but with careful measurements, both your breasts are more likely to look the same in comparison to each other than they did before surgery. There may be some minor variance, but minor asymmetry usually corrects as the swelling after surgery subsides.
THE BREAST LIFT
When your breasts droop you may benefit from a Breast Lift. Breast droop or "Ptosis", is defined by the position of your nipple (Not the Areola), in relation to the fold where your breast meets your chest wall. If your nipple is above this fold, you do not have any significant breast droop.
Place a ruler underneath your breasts with the highest part of the ruler directly against the junction of the breast and ribcage.
This picture shows the nipple at the fold of the breast and the ribcage. If your nipple (not the areola) over-lies the fold, you have MILD DROOPING, or Grade 1 Ptosis. A CRESCENT LIFT may be what you need. 
MILD DROOP (Grade 1 Ptosis) 
MILD to MODERATE DROOP
(Grade 2 Ptosis)
This picture shows mild to moderate Droop, or Grade 2 Ptosis. Grade II ptosis is when your nipple is below the fold approximately 1-3 centimeters (1/2 to 1 ¼ inches). A BENELLI LIFT may be what you need.
Grade 3 ptosis is severe, and Grade 4 is when your nipple points towards the floor (like Snoopy's nose). Typically, surgery can be expected to correct breast droop by 1 grade (Grade 3 becomes Grade 2, Grade 2 becomes Grade 1 ptosis). It is unusual to see a Grade 3 ptosis convert to Grade 1 ptosis following surgery.
This picture shows a Severe Droop, or Grade 3 Ptosis. Grade 3 Ptosis is when your nipple is below the fold 3 centimeters or more (more than 1 ¼ inches). An ANCHOR or INVERTED-T Lift may be required, and can be improved with the additional use of an Breast Augmentation Implant.
SEVERE DROOP
(Grade 3 Ptosis)
VERY SEVERE DROOP
(Grade 4 Ptosis)
This picture shows Grade 4 Severe Ptosis.
The very severe droop will require an Inverted-T (Anchor or Keyhole) Lift and the most severe droop will require removal of breast tissue (Breast Reduction).
