A breast lift is a surgical breast procedure designed to lift and reshape sagging breasts. If your breasts droop, they may detract from your silhouette, making you look and feel older, lowering your self-esteem. Elevated, perky breasts can give your figure a curvy, youthful appearance, enhancing both your self-confidence and feminine appeal.
If you are considering a breast lift in San Luis Obispo County and would like to learn more about the procedure, call today to arrange a confidential consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Charles Chalekson. We welcome patients from throughout California, including Paso Robles & Atascadero, Templeton, Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, Cambria, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria.
Mastopexy is the medical term for a breast lift. The procedure is performed to raise the breasts to a more youthful position and minimize the appearance of sagging. Mastopexy can provide:
A breast lift can create the illusion of more breast volume as a result of an elevated position and removal of excess skin. However, many women elect to combine their mastopexy procedure in San Luis Obispo County with breast augmentation to achieve their ideal breast size, shape and position.
If you are bothered by sagging, drooping breasts, are in good overall health, close to your ideal weight and don’t smoke, you are likely a good candidate for breast lift surgery.
Women choose to undergo breast surgery for a variety of reasons. You may consider a breast lift due to:
The best way to determine if a breast lift is right for you is to schedule a personal consultation with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Charles Chalekson in San Luis Obispo County. As a seasoned breast lift surgeon with more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Chalekson has the knowledge and skill needed to create beautiful, balanced results. During your initial consultation, he will discuss your concerns and what you would like to accomplish with mastopexy. He will assess your candidacy and explain all of your treatment options
No woman is immune to the effects of time and gravity. Over time, the connective tissue that keeps the breasts elevated begins to deteriorate, causing the breasts to sag. Additionally, sagging is more likely to occur as the dense glandular tissue of the breast is replaced by fat during menopause.
Ptosis is the medical term for sagging breasts. The condition is defined by four separate grades, representing different degrees of sagging. The best surgical approach to correct your ptosis will be based on your unique anatomy, goals and level of sagging. These levels include:
There are several benefits associated with breast lift surgery. Following the procedure, most San Luis Obispo County patients report the following improvements:
These are some of the most common benefits that women notice after their breast lift surgery.
There are a few ways you can prepare for your breast lift procedure in San Luis Obispo County. First, ask someone, ideally a friend or family member, to be your caretaker during the first few days of recovery. Since the procedure requires general anesthesia, you will need somebody to drive you home following the surgery. Ask them to watch you for 24-48 hours to make sure you don’t have any complications.
Second, make a recovery area somewhere in your home where you can rest. You may be too tired to get out of bed constantly, so keep any essentials like medication, water, or snacks within reach.
Finally, find some loose clothing to wear during and after your surgery. To avoid irritating the incision areas, we suggest wearing a zip-up hoodie or buttoned shirt so you don’t have to lift your arms over your head.
For most patients, a breast lift procedure takes approximately 3 hours to complete. However, for patients who decide to combine their breast lift with another procedure like a breast augmentation, the amount of time can vary.
Immediately following the procedure, you will be placed in a surgical bra, which must be worn for about four weeks. During the first week, you will need some time off of work to take it easy. You may also experience some discomfort due to swelling. This will gradually dissipate over three weeks. Dr. Chalekson will ask you to abstain from moderate or intense exercise for a few weeks to help keep swelling down and avoid disturbing the incision sites. Overall, most patients find that they can return to their day-to-day activities after 4-6 weeks.
The amount of scarring after a mastopexy in San Luis Obispo County will depend on the type of incision used. For example, women who have mild sagging could have their breast lift performed with a donut incision, which runs around the areola, blending in with the tissue. For those who have moderate or severe sagging, as well as excess breast tissue, a lollipop or anchor incision may be necessary. The lollipop method includes one incision around the areola and another from the bottom of the areola down to the breast crease. In contrast, the anchor method includes a third incision across the breast crease.
Generally, scars will be covered by most bras and will reduce in size over time. Following surgery, they will appear slightly raised and dark pink, but they eventually flatten out and fade to a light pink color.
Like any form of surgery, there are a few risks associated with a breast lift. This includes:
For this reason, it is best to have your breast lift performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Chalekson who will closely examine your medical history to help minimize the risk of complications.
If you wish to learn more about breast lift in San Luis Obispo County, or if you wish to determine whether you are a candidate for the procedure, please be sure to arrange a personalized consult with Dr. Charles Chalekson. Call us today. Our practice serves Templeton, and the surrounding areas of California.