COSMETIC SURGERY
Breast reduction / lift
Breast reduction
Of all aesthetic surgery, breast reduction has a very high level of patient satisfaction, not least because large and heavy breasts can be difficult to live with, causing shoulder and back pain, and limit the ability to wear fashionable clothing and engage in sports. In order to achieve smaller attractive breasts, the breast reduction operation does leave scars, around the nipple and under the breast. These are not visible even when wearing a bikini or evening dress and invariably fade within 18 months (although never entirely invisible).
The breast reduction operation is now considered to be relatively minor and only requires an overnight stay in hospital.
Breast Lift
Whether the result of weight loss, breastfeeding or simply gravity over the years, droopy breasts result from the fibrous bands, which when younger support and shape the breasts, breaking down and stretching. This natural support cannot be recreated with surgery but the breast can be reshaped into a more youthful, firmer profile. The best results are achieved in women with small sagging breast although breasts of any size can be lifted. The results may not last as long with heavy breasts. If the breasts are too small as well as droopy, their size can be increased during the operation by placing silicone breast implants underneath the tightened breasts. If augmentation with implants is necessary, this has to be done at the same time as breast lift (Mastopexy augmentation).
Mastopexy involves folds of excess skin being removed from underneath the breast. The breast is then remodelled into a tighter cone, with the nipples repositioned higher to lie at the points of the tightened breasts. Mastopexy can also reduce the size of the areola (the darker skin surrounding the nipple).