Rancho Cucamonga Breast Lift Surgery
Reclaim your youthful breast shape with a little help from an experienced cosmetic surgeon
Pregnancy, weight loss, and the natural passing of time can all impact the way your breasts look—and these changes can make you feel self-conscious in certain clothes, uncomfortable being intimate with your partner, or even cause physical discomfort.
If you are bothered by breast sagging, an experienced cosmetic surgeon can help restore a more youthful breast appearance through breast lift surgery, also known as mastopexy. Dr. Jacob Haiavy, Dr. Irene Tower, and Dr. Emma Ryan recommend breast lift surgery to patients who are unhappy with drooping breasts or have noticed a “deflated” appearance after pregnancy and breast feeding—and our patients are thrilled with their results.
From the first time I met Dr. Tower, I was very comfortable. I found the fact that she is also a mom very comforting, she knew exactly what I was looking for from a breast lift surgery. She listened to exactly everything I had to say and she gave me some input on what she thought I would be happy with.Real Inland Cosmetic Surgery breast lift patient
Depending on your unique needs, our surgeons may use one or a combination of surgical procedures to help you receive your desired aesthetic result.
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Improved Breast Contour: A breast lift raises and reshapes sagging breasts, improving their overall appearance and contour.
- Restored Youthful Appearance: The procedure can give the breasts a more youthful and uplifted look.
- Reduction in Skin Irritation: By lifting the breasts and removing excess skin, it can reduce skin irritation under the breast crease.
- Correction of Nipple and Areola Position: A breast lift can reposition downward-pointing nipples and areolas to a more forward position.
- Enhanced Symmetry: The procedure can help correct asymmetry between the breasts.
- No Increase in Breast Size: Unlike augmentation, a breast lift doesn’t increase the size of the breasts, which can be a benefit for those who are content with their size but not their sagging.
- Possibility to Combine with Other Procedures: A breast lift can be combined with augmentation or reduction for those seeking size change as well as a lift.
- Anchor Technique: A method for breast lift that involves three incisions: around the areola, vertically down from the areola to the breast crease, and along the inframammary fold, forming an anchor-like pattern.
- Anesthesia: Medications used to prevent pain and consciousness during surgery; typically general anesthesia is used in a breast lift.
- Areola: The pigmented area surrounding the nipple, which may be resized or repositioned during a breast lift.
- Breast Profile: The outward projection and shape of the breast, which can be altered and improved in a breast lift procedure.
- Breast Ptosis: Medical term for sagging or drooping of the breasts, often addressed in a breast lift.
- Inframammary Fold (IMF): The natural crease under the breast, frequently used as an incision site in breast lift surgeries.
- Incisions: Surgical cuts made during a breast lift; their patterns and locations depend on the technique used and the degree of lift needed.
- Mammoplasty: General term for surgical modification of the breast, including lifts, augmentations, and reductions.
- Mastopexy: The medical term for a breast lift, a procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts.
- Nipple-Areola Complex (NAC): The nipple and surrounding areola, which can be repositioned or resized during a breast lift.
- Periareolar Incision: An incision made around the perimeter of the areola, often in breast lift procedures.
- Recovery Period: The time required after a breast lift for healing and return to normal activities; specifics can vary based on the extent of the surgery and the individual’s healing process.
- Skin Elasticity: The skin’s ability to return to its original state after being stretched, important in determining suitability and expected outcomes of a breast lift.
- Vertical Scar Technique: A breast lift method resulting in a scar around the areola and a vertical scar down the breast, known as a “lollipop” incision.
- Wise Pattern Technique: A technique for breast lift, resulting in an anchor-shaped scar around the areola, extending vertically down and horizontally along the IMF.
Breast lift benefits
You may consider undergoing a breast lift procedure if you are experiencing several or all of the following breast concerns:
- Your breasts sag or droop
- Your breasts have lost shape & volume
- You have irritated or chafed skin underneath the breasts
- There is excessive skin laxity around the breasts
- Your nipples and areolae point downward
- Your breasts appear flat or elongated
- One breast is lower than the other (asymmetry)
Keep in mind that the best candidates for breast lift surgery are women who are in good health, non-smokers, at a stable weight, and have finished breastfeeding.
Four main types of breast lift surgery
Depending on your personal goals, natural anatomy, and degree of sagging that needs to be corrected, our surgeons will recommend one of the following breast lift techniques:
Donut lift
A donut lift is a lift which involves removal of skin around the areola (more pigmented skin around the nipple) and therefore results in elevation of the nipple areola. The scarring is usually minimal, and it allows downsizing of the areola which is usually stretched with the rest of the breast skin. If a large amount of skin is removed around the areola a special purse string suture is placed around the incision to allow proper healing with minimal scarring. This special suture may result in some bunching of skin that usually resolves with time.
Lollipop lift
A lollipop lift, also called the vertical mastopexy, involves removal of skin around the areola and the lower portion of the breast. This results in a scar around the areola combined with a vertical scar at the lower portion of the breast. In women with large breasts a small portion of the breast tissue may be removed and internal sutures placed to achieve more fullness.
J lift
A J type lift involves removal of skin around the areola and at the lower portion of the breast. It is essentially like the lollipop lift with an additional ellipse of skin removed to one side of the fold under the breast. We use this lift very commonly since it gives the patients more fullness at the cleavage area with less scarring than the inverted T lift.
Inverted T lift
Inverted T lift also involves removal of skin around the areola and the lower portion of the breast. But unlike a J type lift, skin is removed from both sides of the fold underneath the breast. Another name for the inverted T lift is “anchor lift,” since incisions are placed along the base of the breast in the shape of an anchor.
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View Breast Lift Results and Save your Favorites >What to expect on the day of surgery
All surgical procedures are performed in our state-of-the-art, private accredited surgery center located in Rancho Cucamonga, in the heart of the Inland Empire and convenient to Upland, Ontario, Fontana, Montclair, Claremont, and Riverside, California. We also see cosmetic surgery patients at our satellite office located in Victorville, convenient to Apple Valley and Hesperia.
The morning of surgery, you and your designated driver will arrive at our private, surgery center in Rancho Cucamonga for pre-op. After meeting briefly with your surgeon and operation room staff to review the procedure and discuss any concerns you may have, your surgery will begin. Breast lifts are performed under general anesthesia, so you won’t feel a thing as your cosmetic surgeon gets to work.
Your surgeon will begin by making the agreed upon incisions (depending on what technique you opt for), through which they will carefully and precisely remove the excess breast skin and tissue. After expertly lifting and reshaping your breasts, your incisions will be sutured and bandaged—and you’ll be wheeled the recovery area to begin your initial healing process.
Immediately after your surgery, it’s normal to feel groggy and uncomfortable as your body starts recovering both from your procedure and the anesthesia medication. After most of the effects of anesthesia wear off, you will be able to return home, though you will not be able to drive yourself and will need a little extra help around the house for the remainder of the day.
Recovery following your breast surgery
The first day or two after surgery, it’s important to take it easy and allow a friend or loved one to take care of you while you recover. Your chest and shoulders will feel sore, tight, and difficult to move, so you may need assistance getting dressed. While getting up occasionally to walk and keep circulation going is important, you won’t feel like being up and around for long. Most of our patients feel comfortable switching prescription medication to an OTC pain reliever within 3-5 days.
Healing times vary by patient, but it is important to be ready to take some time before returning to work. Typically, our patients can start driving and return to their non-physical jobs after about a week, once they’ve stopped taking prescription pain medication. This can vary based on your individual ability to heal and how involved your breast procedure was.
While you’ll start feeling more normal over the first two weeks or so, you’ll still need to avoid strenuous activity—no exercise for at least three to four weeks! Your surgeons will give you a specific timeline for when you can resume normal activities. Please follow all post-op instructions precisely to ensure your recovery period goes smoothly and your results are optimal.
Since the cause of saggy breasts is poor skin elasticity adding more weight to the breast may cause them to sag again at a faster rate. Therefore, postoperative support with a bra is essential to maintaining a breast lift result.
Frequently Asked Questions about Breast Surgery Options
Do I need a breast lift with augmentation?
Sometimes, the best option is a combination of procedures. We often combine breast lift with a breast augmentation to achieve more fullness in the upper portion of the breasts. Since the lift and the augmentation are two negating forces (the lift is pulling the breasts up and the implant is pushing the breasts back down) we encourage our patients to be very conservative with the implant size.
While you may have been hoping to avoid the additional scars associated with a breast lift and prefer to get away with breast augmentation alone, chances are you’ll be much happier with your results in the long-term if you correct breast sagging when adding fullness.
A combination breast augmentation with lift is a great way to address multiple concerns and truly reshape your breasts. On the other hand, if you have breast implants and are looking to have them removed, a breast lift may also be implemented during breast implant removal to address any remaining sagging skin that can occur as a result in the sudden loss of volume.
Do I need a breast reduction?
Women that are large-breasted will benefit more from a breast reduction rather than a lift. This will successfully remove excess breast tissue.
In some cases, both a breast reduction and a lift might be the best option. This is usually if you’re not only looking to reduce the size of your breasts for comfort and health reasons, but also wish to improve their overall shape and position.
The decision to undergo a breast lift, a reduction, or both should can be discussed with one of our cosmetic surgeons during your consultation. They can evaluate your unique anatomy and help you make the decision that best meets your personal goals and needs.
Can I combine my breast surgery with body contouring procedures?
Yes, it’s quite common for patients to combine breast surgery with body contouring procedures. This is often referred to as a “mommy makeover,” though it’s not exclusive to mothers. The most common body contouring procedures to combine with cosmetic breast surgery are liposuction and a tummy tuck. Liposuction is the gold-standard for fat removal, as it is incredibly versatile and effective for removing fat in many areas of the body. A tummy tuck is a popular procedure in which excess skin and fat in abdomen to create a beautiful hourglass shape.
Let us make your dream breasts a reality!
To learn more about breast lift surgery, contact our Inland Empire office to schedule a consultation. One of our experienced cosmetic surgeons can help you understand the ins and outs of the mastopexy procedure, answer any questions you may have, and recommend the best treatment plan for addressing your concerns.