San Diego Breast Lift (Mastopexy) Surgeon

Scarless Breast Lift, Beautiful & Natural Results

What is a Breast Lift?

Lifting breasts and restoring youthful fullness is a common procedure because of changes that occur with aging and after pregnancy.

Breast shape is complex, but the breast skin surface area to breast gland volume relationship greatly influence breast appearance.  If pregnancy, nursing, weight loss, and/or aging have deflated, loosened, or lowered your breasts to a sagging position,  mastopexy (breast lift) elevates them higher on the chest and fills them to a naturally round shape. Implants can be added to increase size and fullness. Areola size and nipple size can be adjusted if desired. Inverted nipples may be everted.

Breast Lift (mastopexy: masto=breast, pexy=lift, stabilize) surgery lifts sagging breasts to a more youthful position, higher on your chest.  The procedure  rounds and re-shapes your breast for more fullness and projection.  Some women believe they naturally have “floppy” or “sagging” breasts, but most experience this change after nursing children and/or losing weight. If you want breasts that look like they do in your bra, but you don’t want to have to wear a bra, then breast lift may be for you.  Breast lift is a well established common procedure, is safe, and offers consistently good results.  If your breasts have settled down over the bottom of your ribs and are widening your waist, they may be creating a heavy appearance.  Breast lift may be particularly beneficial not only for position of your breasts, but also by restoring your feminine “hourglass” shape.

 

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How much does a breast lift cost in San Diego?

The breast lift at Feel Beautiful Plastic Surgery is between $8,900-$11,600

*Mastopexy with Implant $12,500 to $14,500*

Like many beautiful forms of nature, the adult female breast shape is complex.

It is not a cone, not a dome, and not exactly a combination of these two.  The shape varies among women, and in any given woman, varies over time and with body posture and position.  Although it defies simple mathematical and geometric description, in general, breast shape is in large measure determined by the ratio of breast skin surface area to breast volume.  During adolescence and during pregnancy, the breast gland is growing rapidly.  Its enlarging volume stretches overlying skin surface area to expand.  This maintains a high volume to skin surface area ratio, and the breast maintains a full, robust shape. (High volume to surface = full breasts).

After giving birth, breast feeding, or weight loss, breast volume diminishes.  Depending on skin elasticity, overlying skin may contract along with the shrinking breast volume and maintain its high volume to surface ratio, or the breast skin may not shrink as much as the gland.  In these cases, like a plastic bag initially full of water, when you let half of the water out, the bag wrinkles and sags.  When breast skin surface area is too large for the reduced breast volume, the breast sags.

Breast Lift Procedure at Feel Beautiful San Diego

Depending on the degree of sagging and your preferences, several approaches to restore beautiful and youthful breasts are possible.  Generally, restoring a high volume to surface ratio will improve breast shape, and lift the breasts.  This can be done by increasing breast volume, by decreasing breast skin surface area, or by both increasing volume AND decreasing surface area.

Breast lift procedures are conceptually simple, but technically sophisticated.

There are three basic approaches to breast lift:

  • For mild sagging in a small breasted woman, augmentation with implants alone (volume increase) may suffice.
  • For more significant sagging in the small breasted woman, augmentation with implants  AND simultaneous breast lift (volume increase AND surface area decrease) is the usual choice.
  • For significant sagging in women with ample breast volume, breast lift (mastopexy) alone without implants (surface area decrease) is usually the best choice.

If sagging is minor, the low volume to high surface area relationship can be improved by increasing breast volume with an implant.    An implant placed behind the breast pushes out and fills up skin across the upper portion of the breast, thus lifting the nipple-areola complex, and filling up loose, collapsed, mobile skin.  Breast augmentation alone may be enough to lift the breasts and feminize your figure.

If the breasts are sagging too much for an implant alone to accomplish sufficient lift and the breasts are small, then volume increase (implant) can be combined with a surgical breast lift procedure (mastopexy).  The breast lift procedure removes excess skin from the lower breast surface, and tightens remaining skin around the breast gland and the implant to improve breast shape and to lift the breast.  This procedure restores a high volume to surface ratio both by increasing volume (implant insertion) and by diminishing breast surface area (mastopexy).  The combined procedure is called breast augmentation-lift, or “augmentation-mastopexy.”

If breasts are sagging and are already large enough that implants are unwanted or unnecessary, (e.g. the woman is pleased with her breast size and just wants them lifted), then breast lift alone (mastopexy) without implants is indicated.  This is a three hour procedure during which the breasts are sculptured to a round youthful shape and the nipples are raised from their low sagging position to a more central and prominent position on the breast, and the entire breast gland is secured higher on the chest.

Because there are several ways to lift your breasts, a personal consultation is the first step to deciding what is best for you.  The procedure chosen in any given situation should achieve, as closely as possible, a beautiful breast with good nipple projection and sensation, minimal scars, proportionate breast size, the symmetry between right and left breasts, and a long-lasting result. Breast lift results- before and after gallery

Types of breast lift (mastopexy) procedures performed by Dr. Laverson
in San Diego

 

Dr. Laverson approaches each breast lift procedure with the surgical techniques best suited for the individual. During the breast lift consultation, he assesses the breast size and shape, the degree of sagging and the elasticity of the skin, as well as the position and size of the nipple and areola. This consultation is an important step toward achieving beautiful, proportionate, and youthful feminine contours.

The specific surgical techniques Dr. Laverson uses to lift and reshape the breast depends on the anatomy of the patient and the desired outcome. In cases of mild sagging, an implant may be enough to fill and lift the upper portion of the deflated breast, enhancing the cleavage and returning the areola to a more forward position. A scarless breast lift can also be performed to address mild ptosis, using an electric current to tighten the tissue and firm up the breasts. A number of different surgical techniques can also be employed to lift the breast, decrease sagging, raise the position of the areolae and nipples, or reshape the breast for a fuller, firmer look and feel.  the most common procedures include:

For mild sagging, if you want to be larger, an internal breast lift without any additional scars (scarless breast lift) can be performed.

The peri-areolar breast lift, also known as the “donut” lift, involves an incision around the areola. It can be used to lift the breast and elevate and reduce the size of the areola. The peri-areolar lift is often combined with breast augmentation to increase volume and achieve a full, sensuous shape.

The alternative is conventional mastopexy (breast lift), with a “circumvertical” scar pattern, both around the areola and vertically below the areola down to the lowest point of the inframammary fold at the bottom of the breast.  This usually produces the most nipple projection, and a very nice breast shape.  Dr. Laverson no longer places a scar in the inframammary fold, although this is a traditional technique that some surgeons still prefer.   In any case, breast lift scars fade over time, and in most cases, the change in breast position and shape are worth the usually obscure scars that few will ever see.

Surgery Happens in One Day, But Your Result Develops Over Months.

To support your breasts until the lift becomes strong enough to support itself (about three to six months), Dr. Laverson supplies breast lift and breast augmentation-lift patients with specialized post surgical support bras.  Sometimes a waist trainer pushing up from below adds uplift and helps prevent breast settling during the early post-surgical period of supportive collagen synthesis and stabilization. Sometimes, we add  a six or nine inch “breast wrap” to wear snugly around the  lower breasts for several months as able.  Breast wraps are thicker than most bras and offer more security until your own breast tissue becomes solid, assuring you a better long term result.  Dr. Laverson recommends months of post-surgical support and lower breast taping for the best quality scar and to maintain your new, lifted breast position. 

Breast lift FAQ

Recovery time for each breast lift patient depends on the  procedure performed and the woman’s individual healing process.  Every breast lift recovery experience is unique, but there are a few post-surgery  instructions that Dr. Laverson provides after  breast lift and/or breast augmentation to optimize the results and promote rapid healing. Most important is post surgical lower breast Hypafix or similar tape application and continuous breast support from below.  One to two weeks off of work and avoidance of high impact exercise and strenuous activity until cleared by Dr. Laverson, usually several weeks. Most women return to normal activities by six weeks.

Avoid breast lift immediately after nursing until breast size and shape are stable.  Complications after breast lift are rare.  When issues arise, they are usually aesthetic, such as a visible or disappointing scar, areola size or shape asymmetries, a puffy areola related to purse-string suture, skin rippling around the areola, difference between right and left breasts, disappointment in the amount of breast settling one year or longer after breast lift.  These are all aesthetic issues that Dr. Laverson improves when they arise, usually by a brief office procedure one year following breast lift.  Adverse reactions to anesthesia, problems with bleeding, infection, and/or problems with healing are rarely encountered.   

At Feel Beautiful Plastic Surgery in Rancho Santa Fe, you are in the hands of an excellent and experienced surgeon with an honest approach. During your consultation, Dr. Laverson will go over your medical history, discuss your lifestyle, and work with you to minimize risks and to optimize your health prior to breast-lift (mastopexy) surgery. If there is a possibility that your current health condition could interfere with your healing process, Dr. Laverson will recommend that you postpone your best breast lift San Diego until your health is more stable. 

Patients Reviews

Dr. Laverson put me at ease after our first meeting. I came to his office from a recommendation of a patient of his. I was very nervous and skeptical about my issue. Dr. Laverson and his wonderful nurse, Ashley made me feel comfortable. Dr. Laverson was very understanding of my concerns and issue. I would recommend Dr. Laverson and wonderful staff 100%.
Play the video to hear from a real patient!

Looking for the best breast lift surgeon in San Diego? Come see Dr. Laverson!

At Feel Beautiful in San Diego, your trust is justified.  Dr. Laverson is a skilled and compassionate surgeon with exceptional aesthetic sense for natural beauty and proportion. His extensive training, decades of experience, and commitment to your beautiful result have earned him a position as one of the best plastic surgeons in the country.  Whether you’re looking for a breast lift with breast augmentation or a breast lift alone, Dr. Laverson applies surgical techniques to lift and reshape your breasts for the appearance, lifestyle, impressions, and bodywear you want.  For more, call 858-295-4001 today. 

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