Mastopexy surgery

What is mastopexy?

Mastopexy, or breast lift, is a cosmetic surgery aimed at correcting breast ptosis, i.e. sagging and drooping of the breasts. The procedure aims to lift and reshape the breasts, restoring a younger and more toned appearance.

Factors Contributing to Sagging Breasts

Breast ptosis can be affected by several elements:

• Pregnancies and breastfeeding: Hormonal changes and increased breast volume during pregnancy and breastfeeding can stretch the Cooper’s ligaments, causing a loss of elasticity and firmness.
• Weight changes: Significant increases and decreases in body weight can affect the structure of the breasts, leading to sagging skin and loss of support.
• Aging: With age, the skin loses elasticity and the breast tissue tends to sag, contributing to ptosis.
• Genetic factors: hereditary predisposition can lead to a greater propensity to sagging breasts.
• Bad habits: sedentary lifestyle, unbalanced diet, smoking (tobacco harms the skin, which is less and less elastic and gradually more wrinkled), lack of protection from UV rays, incorrect posture.

Mastopexy techniques

There are several surgical techniques for mastopexy, selected according to the degree of breast ptosis and the individual characteristics of the patient:

• Mastopexy with periareolar incision (Round Block): indicated for mild ptosis, it involves a circular incision around the areola, allowing the breast to be lifted with less visible scars.
• Mastopexy with vertical incision: used for moderate ptosis, it involves an incision around the areola and a vertical one up to the submammary fold, allowing for more significant remodeling.
• Mastopexy with inverted T-incision: suitable for severe ptosis, it involves an anchor-shaped incision, combining the previous incisions with one along the submammary fold, allowing greater removal of excess skin and a more complete remodeling.

In some cases, mastopexy may be associated with the insertion of breast implants to restore or increase breast volume, a technique known as additive mastopexy.

Mastopexy without scarring (visible)

Among the innovative solutions for firmer and more harmonious breasts without obvious scars, the multiplane technique stands out, particularly suitable for patients who need minimal breast lift and want an increase in size. This approach involves a small incision in the submammary fold, through which a hyperprojected prosthesis is inserted. The same incision used for breast augmentation also allows for the application of internal stitches, which contribute to the lifting and reshaping of the breast. The multiplane technique therefore combines volume augmentation with a mild lifting effect, offering natural results and almost imperceptible scarring.

On the other hand, mastopexy with elastic threads raises several concerns. Although proposed as a minimally invasive procedure, this technique has significant limitations: the results can be asymmetrical, difficult to control and short-lived. In addition, the presence of wires can interfere with essential diagnostic tests, such as mammograms and ultrasounds, which are essential for the prevention of breast cancer. For these reasons, cordless mastopexy is generally not recommended and is not an optimal solution to obtain satisfactory and safe results.

Benefits of mastopexy

The main benefits of mastopexy include:

• Improvement of the aesthetic appearance: more raised, firm and proportionate breasts.
• Increased self-esteem: Many patients report improved self-confidence and quality of life after surgery.
• Possibility of correcting asymmetries: the surgery allows you to harmonize any differences between the breasts.

Post-operative considerations

Recovery varies according to the technique used and the individual characteristics of the patient. It is essential to follow the surgeon’s instructions regarding the use of containment bras during the post-operative course, wound hygiene and the gradual resumption of daily activities. Scars tend to improve over time, becoming less noticeable, especially if appropriate post-operative care is adopted.

The pre-operative visit: a fundamental moment

The pre-operative visit is a crucial phase in determining the most suitable path for each patient. During this consultation, the surgeon carefully assesses several elements: the patient’s expectations , the level of breast ptosis , body weight and whether it is necessary to stabilize it before surgery.

It is also considered whether it is the right time in the patient’s life to undergo a mastopexy, for example by evaluating possible future pregnancies or lifestyle, such as playing sports. In some cases, it may be advisable to wait for optimal conditions and a long-lasting result.

Only a surgeon with great experience is able to analyze all these variables and propose the most appropriate surgical technique, customizing the intervention to best meet the unique needs of each patient.