LIFT AND TIGHTEN THE BREASTS TO RECLAIM A NATURAL YOUTHFULNESS FOR PALM DESERT, INDIO, AND LOS ANGELES
The number of women seeking cosmetic procedures to enhance the look of their breasts remains high in 2024, but contrary to a common misconception, implants aren’t the only way to improve their appearance. As you get older, your breasts will tend to droop or descend on the chest wall as they lose firmness and elasticity. Happily, there are options to restore them to a more youthful and perkier position. Breast lift surgery at Palm Desert’s Cosmetic Surgery Institute, serving Palm Springs and the greater Los Angeles area—a surgery also known as mastopexy—is beneficial for women who want to restore their breasts to a more upright and attractive position after pregnancy, aging, or weight loss. With a breast lift, the breasts can be restored to a more youthful and feminine position.
WHAT CAUSES BREASTS TO SAG?
There’s no definite age when someone may notice their breasts beginning to droop. Some people see this change in their 20s, while others only experience it for the first time during menopause. While volume changes caused by pregnancy, nursing, and weight loss are significant contributors to the problem, the most common factor associated with sagging breasts (known technically as “ptosis”) is reduced skin elasticity, which many women experience increasingly as they age.
Over time, a person’s skin becomes weaker and less able to provide support due to loss of collagen and elastin. When it comes to breasts, this change means a gradual “migration” as gravity pulls tissues downward. The ligaments that support the breasts may also become stretched out over time.
Some other factors thought to contribute to breast sagging include a high body mass index, rapid weight fluctuations, a larger breast size (more mass means more to pull down on the skin), the hormonal fluctuations and weight fluctuations associated with having multiple pregnancies or menopause, and smoking, which weakens the skin by damaging it with nicotine.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A BREAST LIFT?
Why would you need a breast lift? There are many types of cosmetic concerns a breast lift can treat. The goal of this type of surgery is to enhance the shape of the breasts along with the position of the areola and nipple. In addition to lifting the breasts higher on the chest wall, a breast lift can make the breasts more symmetrical or closer in appearance to each other, reduce areola size, remove extra skin, reshape the breasts to give them a rounder look, and provide better support for the nipples and areolas by tightening the skin.
Dr. Mo Zakhireh, a board-certified plastic surgeon, meticulously plans each breast lift to meet the individual needs of our patients while also respecting their physical anatomy.
This breast lift approach ensures that the breasts are sculpted for a result that is soft and subtle, yet noticeably improved.
WHO IS AN IDEAL BREAST LIFT CANDIDATE?
What determines if you need a breast lift? The only way to know for sure whether you could benefit from a breast lift is to consult with an experienced plastic surgeon. During the consultation, Dr. Mo Zakhireh works with you individually to assess your body type and medical history. This is to establish whether a breast lift would be the most appropriate way to help you achieve your goals, or another type of breast procedure would be best.
Ideal breast lift candidates include patients who are in a good state of health, maintain a stable weight, and don’t smoke. You may be a breast lift candidate if you’re dissatisfied with the sagging of your breasts and their loss of volume or shape.
Patients who choose to have a breast lift often have nipples and areolas that are pulled downward or are sitting at a level below the creases beneath their breasts. Their breasts may have a flattened, elongated, or pendulous appearance. They may have stretched skin or downward-pointing nipples that fall below the breast crease.
A breast lift can also correct breast asymmetry. As breast lift surgery won’t significantly alter the size of the breasts, patients who are hoping to dramatically increase or decrease their breast volume should choose augmentation or reduction, respectively. Either procedure can be paired with a lift in certain circumstances.
However, not everyone is a good breast lift candidate. It’s better to delay having a breast lift if you plan on becoming pregnant in the future. You might have better results if you have smaller breasts as the heaviness of large breasts may cause them to sag again at some point.
OUR APPROACH TO BREAST LIFTS
Dr. Mo Zakhireh believes that a good breast lift should look realistic, maintain functionality of the breasts, and provide long-lasting results. Cosmetic Surgery Institute accomplishes this goal in a variety of ways.
First, to create a teardrop shape, Dr. Mo Zakhireh reconstructs the breast crease with internal stitching so that the breast maintains projection and a natural slope. This breast lift technique also prevents the breast from “bottoming out” (distorting in shape) in the long term. In addition, our surgeons pay special attention to small details during surgery in order to create delicate enhancements. One such area of focus is the shaping of the nipple-areola complex. Using very methodical surgical techniques, Dr. Mo Zakhireh crafts a natural shape without sacrificing nipple sensation.
To view real results from some of our breast lift patients, visit our photo gallery.
YOUR BREAST SURGERY CHOICES
There are many reasons a patient may choose a breast lift, from addressing post-baby sagging to restoring an appearance of symmetry to breasts that have grown uneven looking over time. Some patients want to correct breasts that have been pulled down by large implants—and then want smaller implants put in place to ensure that the problem doesn’t happen the same way again. Still other patients have had “droopy”-looking breasts their whole life and finally want to do something about it.
The right technique for you will depend on your goals and degree of sagging. It is important to understand, however, that a breast lift is designed to alter the breasts’ position and “perkiness”—not their volume. Patients who want bigger breasts that project more should consider a different approach.
HOW DOES BREAST LIFT COMPARE TO BREAST AUGMENTATION?
Some patients may be asking themselves, “Should I get breast augmentation or a breast lift?” For breast augmentation, implants are placed in the breasts to increase their size and improve their shape for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. However, breast augmentation isn’t designed to address sagging or drooping breasts. Unlike breast augmentation, a breast lift on its own won’t change the size of the breasts in a significant way. It does not involve implants in of itself, though it can be combined with augmentation. Sometimes you may not be sure which surgery or combination of surgeries will be best suited for helping you achieve your desired aesthetic. During your consultation, we will work with you to tailor a treatment that is best for your unique body type and goals.
HOW CAN I INCREASE THE FULLNESS OF MY BREASTS?
While some of our breast lift patients want to improve their breast shape only, many others also want to enhance the size of their breasts. In this case, a breast lift is often combined with breast augmentation to create a fuller and perkier look. These procedures can be performed simultaneously for your convenience.
During your consultation, implant sizers are placed inside the bra to show the different levels of enhancement that can be achieved. We encourage you to bring several outfits to try on during the sizing process. Additionally, friends or loved ones are also welcome during this time to provide multiple perspectives.
Discover everything you need to know about breast lift surgery from Palm Desert′s Cosmetic Surgery Institute. Fill out a contact form to request a complimentary consultation online or call (760) 837-03644 to find out more.
WHAT IF I WANT TO REDUCE THE FULLNESS OF MY BREASTS?
Breast reduction surgery is also a possibility at Cosmetic Surgery Institute, with many patients choosing the procedure in order to relieve the physical burden overly large breasts can be—as well as to make them less of an eye-catching source of emotional discomfort.
We typically perform a breast lift along with our reduction surgeries so that we can ensure that the newly smaller breasts sit in a natural-looking position on the chest and that the nipples are also properly situated.
Meet the doctor
At Cosmetic Surgery Institute of Palm Desert, we approach each patient with imagination and artistry in mind.
Our team of board-certified plastic surgeons and health care professionals offer the latest treatments for beauty and aesthetic enhancements in a safe, welcoming atmosphere.
Meet the doctor
At Cosmetic Surgery Institute of Palm Desert, we approach each patient with imagination and artistry in mind.
Our team of board-certified plastic surgeons and health care professionals offer the latest treatments for beauty and aesthetic enhancements in a safe, welcoming atmosphere.
WHERE WILL MY BREAST LIFT SCARS BE LOCATED?
Dr. Mo Zakhireh will determine the proper breast lift incision placement based on individual factors, such as the amount of breast sag and volume loss present. However, most breast lift procedures are performed using some combination of three approaches: a circular incision around the areola, a vertical incision from the areola to the breast crease, and a horizontal incision in the breast crease itself.
The circular incision is known as a “peri-areolar” incision for the way it surrounds the nipple by following the line of the areola, where the skin color typically changes from darker to lighter.
The vertical incision is commonly referred to as the “lollipop” when combined with the peri-areolar approach, because the straight line descending from the circle creates the look of the popular candy treat.
Adding the horizontal incision, which curves upward at either end, makes what is known as an “anchor” incision—also named for the shape the lines resemble.
While great care is taken to minimize the scarring that occurs from any incision, we prefer to place the implant through the shortest, most direct route possible in order to optimize outcomes. Typically, this is through the breast crease or inframammary fold.
Unlike incisions made through the nipple or areola, an incision made in the inframammary fold avoids damage to major blood vessels and nerves, preserves sensation and functionality of the nipple, and uses a natural body crease to hide the resulting signs of the breast lift incision.
I AM CONSIDERING A TUMMY TUCK. CAN A BREAST LIFT BE PERFORMED SIMULTANEOUSLY?
Absolutely. Many patients who have breast lift surgery also choose a body contouring procedure such as liposuction or a tummy tuck for a more dramatic transformation. These procedures can be performed at the same time to minimize the risk of complications from a second surgery, as well as consolidate post-procedural recovery time.
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR A BREAST LIFT?
Breast lift surgery is most often performed with the patient under general anesthesia. For some patients, local anesthesia with sedation will be more appropriate.
Dr. Mo Zakhireh will make the appropriate incisions, then lift the breast tissue to a more youthful position and reshape it as necessary. If a breast augmentation is being performed along with the breast lift, he will place the implants beneath the chest muscle before tightening the skin around the newly placed implant.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT DURING BREAST LIFT RECOVERY?
Dressings or bandages may be applied after your breast lift procedure to help reduce swelling and support the new shape while your breasts heal.
Breast lift patients will be given advice on how to care for their breasts, including which medications they should take, signs of complications to look out for, and when they should attend a follow-up appointment.
During your recovery after a breast lift, some soreness and swelling is to be expected. These sensations should resolve within a few days or weeks. Most breast lift patients can return to work within one to two weeks of their procedure.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM THE RESULTS OF A BREAST LIFT?
Patients who are planning this procedure may have questions on their mind, such as “What results can I expect from a breast lift?” or “What is the effect of the breast lift?” Breast lift surgery results are noticeable right away, but the breasts’ shape will change as they settle over time. The enhancements to the shape of the breasts will evolve and finalize within a few months as swelling goes down and incisions heal. The improvements from a breast lift will be affected by significant weight fluctuations and pregnancy. Some patients will notice that their breasts seem smaller after the breast lift procedure even if they haven’t had a breast reduction.
WHICH OTHER COSMETIC PROCEDURES ENHANCE THE BREASTS AND BODY?
Breast augmentation is often chosen in addition to breast lift surgery in Palm Desert and Riverside County to increase the fullness of the breasts.
Patients who want to improve their body shape can also choose a tummy tuck or liposuction for their overall benefits. These procedures can improve the balance of the lower and upper body by addressing other areas. A tummy tuck is used to improve the appearance of the midsection by tightening or removing excess skin or repairing weakened or stretched muscles. Liposuction is a way of surgically removing excess fat from isolated areas on the body to provide slimmer, more streamlined body contours. A breast lift could also be included in a Mommy Makeover, which is a procedure that combines breast and body surgeries to enhance the body shape after pregnancy.
Cosmetic Surgery Institute frequently suggests nonsurgical procedures, such as laser skin resurfacing, as a “finishing touch” to reduce scarring on the breasts.
Find out more about breast lift surgery from Palm Desert′s Cosmetic Surgery Institute, serving Palm Springs and the greater Los Angeles area. Fill out a contact form to request a complimentary consultation online or call (760) 837-0364 to discuss your options.
THE TIME IS NOW
The best time to take the first step on your path to transformation is now. Reach out to us today so together we can start on your journey toward a beautiful new look for you.