Breast Lift (Mastopexy) Surgery

With time, breast tissue (as with any other human tissue), succumbs to the effects of aging and gravity. The human breast, being suspended only by soft tissue and not structurally reinforced by bone as are many other parts of human anatomy may be more susceptible to these forces. Aging of these tissues, accentuated by the engorgement of pregnancy, tends to accelerate this process.

Mastopexy Surgery (Breast Lift Surgery) addresses these issues by surgically restoring the mature breast into a position more commonly associated with youth. Dr. Jellinek’s study and assessment of this issue boils down to a comparison of volume and surface area relationships. For instance, if the volume (size) of the breast remains constant and the breast skin stretches as a result gravity and time, then the breast “sags” on the patient’s chest wall. If the volume of the breast tissue decreases with the effects of pregnancy and aging and the skin maintains its tone, the result is essentially the same as the ratio of volume to skin surface area has again decreased. The most common scenario is that with progressive maturity and multiple pregnancies, that both the breast volume eventually decreases and the skin surface area increases as stretching occurs; accelerating the “sagging” which can be distressing to many women.

Just as in tailoring clothing, when a seamstress takes in a dart or pleat she leaves a seam on the garment, the same holds true for any “skin reduction surgery!”  The plastic surgeon cannot remove skin without leaving a scar! Hence any breast lifting operation is going to leave a scar on the lifted breast.

Traditionally breast lift surgery was accomplished by just removing skin from the breasts and then forcing the breasts into a more elevated position on the chest wall as the resulting wounds were closed. This operative technique placed a considerable amount of tension on the resulting surgical scars, which in turn produced scars which could commonly become heavy or “ropy.” In fact with this commonly utilized method, the reduced “skin supported the breast tissue.”

The technique that Dr. Jellinek employs at Tahoe Plastic Surgery is more involved and actually rearranges the breast tissue internally so that the rearranged breast tissue in fact supports the skin. This procedure results in shorter scars on the breast, and scars which generally tend not to become as prominent, and which also results in a very nice shape to the lifted breast.

In Dr. Jellinek’s hands mastopexy surgery is an outpatient procedure which generally requires a general anesthetic. Post operative discomfort is generally controlled by prescribed medications. With Dr. Jellinek’s technique, most of the sutures used are self absorbing. Most patients can return to gainful employment a week or so after surgery and resume an active lifestyle after two weeks.

In some cases a breast lift combined with the insertion of breast implants may be indicated to reverse the atrophy (or loss of breast tissue) which may have occurred.

Prospective patient’s must understand that surgical “scars are forever,” but with Dr. Jellinek’s short scar techniques that the scars are covered by even scanty clothing and that they do fade with time.

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