Women who are unhappy with sagging in their breasts often choose to have a breast lift. Usually this sagging is a result of pregnancy and breast-feeding, but not always. Frequently a modest implant is used in conjunction with the lift to restore fullness in the upper part of the breast. Adding implants is completely optional and really depends on the look you want.
During a breast lift, also known as a mastopexy, the breast is lifted by removing the excess skin. In many women a delicate incision around the nipple area (areola) is all that is needed. In “medicalese” this is referred to as a peri-areolar mastopexy. In others, who have a large amount of excess skin, the incision will need to be extended (a full or extended mastopexy).
It is important to know that some women who come to our office for breast augmentation from the Knoxville area as well as Johnson City, Cookeville, Cleveland and beyond are surprised that Dr. Reath recommends a breast lift along with their augmentation to achieve a pleasing shape and perkiness. It happens most frequently with women who have had children, but not always.
David B. Reath, MD
Board-certified plastic surgeon David B. Reath, MD is renowned for his surgical skills and his commitment to public education. Practicing in Knoxville, Tennessee since 1986, his personal approach with patients is what truly sets him apart.
Will You Need A Breast Lift Along With Your Breast Augmentation? Here’s an Easy Way to Tell.
Standing in front of a mirror, look at your nipples in relation to the natural crease of your breasts. If your nipples are lower than your breast crease before surgery, adding implants without removing excess skin will make them more saggy. (Sad, but true.) The pictures below show the great results when a lift is performed along with an augmentation.
Breast Lift and Breast Enlargement- One Surgery or two?
Although some plastic surgeons recommend doing these procedures separately, Dr. Reath performs them together in the vast majority of cases. This not only achieves great results but saves patients money and recovery time. In this Truth-O-Meter Tuesday video Dr. Reath explains why this is so:
Before & After Photos
WARNING:
This feature contains nudity. Please click OK to confirm you are at least 18 years of age and are not offended by such material.
Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.
Before and After Full Mastopexy Augment: She is 5'9" and weighs 129 pounds. Here is a 31-year-old who was concerned with both the shape and size of her breasts. She had significant sagging as a result of pregnancies when her breasts increased to a DD. She told us that they shrunk back to a C cup after breast feeding. Dr. Reath used 325cc Mentor MemoryGel implants (cohesive silicone gel) implants on the right side and 350cc on the left side. They are placed underneath her chest muscle.
Before and After Mastopexy without Implants- She is 5’2” and weighs 120 pounds. Here is a 39-year-old mom who was concerned about the shape, but not the size of her breasts. They increased a cup size during breastfeeding, and settled back to their normal size with sagging she did not like. (Notice the nipple position is below her inframammary crease in her pictures before the surgery.) Since she was happy with the size, she elected to have a breast lift without implants and is pictured here 6 months later.
Before & After Full Mastopexy Augment: She is 5'4" and weighs 114 pounds. This is a 31-year-old student and mother of three. She told us that she was finished having children and she wanted her breasts to look the way they did before her pregnancies. Dr. Reath performed a full mastopexy augment with Mentor silicone cohesive gel implants placed underneath the chest muscles. The right side is 325cc and the left is 350cc. She is very happy with the size and natural feel with her choice of silicone implants.
Before & After Correction of Breast Asymmetry:
One side augmentation, one side peri-mastopexy augmentation (to correct asymmetry in size and nipple height) Patient is a 35-year old woman who lost significant breast volume after breast feeding her children. Dr. Reath performed an augmentation on one side and a peri-mastopexy augmentation on the other to address the asymmetry in her nipple height and breast size.
Before & After Full Mastopexy Augment: She is 5'8" and weighs 153. Here is a woman who told us that she spent her entire adult life hating the shape and sagginess of her breasts, in addition to the fact that they were two different sizes. Because her breasts were so narrow, Dr Reath performed a full mastopexy augment with silicone implants placed beneath her chest muscles. He used 325cc implants on the right and 350cc on the left to correct the asymmetry. What a transformation! She is thrilled with her results and told us that she wished she hadn't waited so long to have them done.
Before & After Full Mastopexy Augment: She is 5'3" and weighs 135 pounds. This mother-of-four came to us with concerns about her breasts. Through diet and exercise she lost over 30 pounds, which was great for her health but left her with some saggy skin which she wanted removed. Dr. Reath did a a full mastopexy augment with 350cc silicone cohesive gel implants placed on top of the chest muscles, (subglandular position).
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After
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After
Above photographs are actual patients of Dr. Reath's who have given consent for the use of their photographs for this website.
Before & After Full Mastopexy Augment: She is 5'5" and weighs 134. This 31-year-old had several children and breast fed them all. She was concerned about the size, shape and symmetry of her breasts. Dr. Reath performed a full mastopexy augment with 350cc saline implants placed underneath her chest muscles. She is so pleased with her lovely new figure!
Before & After Full Mastopexy Augmentation- She is 5' 2" and weighs 127 pounds. Here is a 29-year-old mother of two who told us that she currently was a B-cup but had been a D-cup while she was breast-feeding. She enjoyed the larger size and did not like the "sagging shape" as a result of her pregnancies. After working with sizers in our office, she chose a 300cc saline implant. Dr. Reath performed a full mastopexy-augment and placed the implants underneath her chest muscles and inflated the to 350cc. She was thrilled with both the size and shape of her breasts. Her scars will continue to lighten over the next several months.
Before & After Breast Lift with a Slight Breast Reduction: She is 5'4" and weighs 152. Here is a 45-year-old woman who was unhappy with the sagginess of her breasts. She was starting to get neck and back pain and her shoulders were sore where her bra hit them. She had lost 30 pounds and with the weight loss her breasts became more saggy. Since she wanted her breasts to be smaller, Dr. Reath performed a slight reduction along with her breast lift and she is pictured before and six months after her surgery.
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After
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Above photographs are actual patients of Dr. Reath's who have given consent for the use of their photographs for this website.
Before & After Full Mastopexy Augment: This is a 33-year-old who lost over 60 pounds with diet and exercise. She was unhappy about the sagging in her breasts as a result of her weight loss. Dr. Reath performed a full mastopexy (breast lift) and also used a small 175cc implant to give her the size and shape she wanted. She is very comfortable with her new figure and is able to be a lot more physically active than before her surgery.
Before & After Full Mastopexy Augment: This is a 23-year-old woman who wanted to improve the size and shape of her breasts. She told us that even before her pregnancy, she did not like the tubular shape of her breasts. After breastfeeding, she lost breast tissue and began to have more sagging. Dr. Reath performed a full mastopexy augment with 350cc saline implants placed beneath her chest muscles.
Now available:“SoftTouch” silicone implants
All of the silicone implants plastic surgeons work with are cohesive gel implants, but some are more cohesive than others. Breast implant manufacturers have been using cross-linking technology to create more implant options that may work well in different circumstances.
Recently, Allergan has introduced round implants with greater cohesivity. Dr. Reath’s favorite of these are the SoftTouch implants. The advantage of this increased cohesivity is to have greater fullness in the upper breast (referred to in medicalese as “upper pole fullness.”)
In breast lift patients, maintaining this upper pole fullness is always a challenge depending upon the amount of natural breast tissue present. These newer implants may well help with this desired fullness, which is why he has started using them in most breast lift patients.
Breast Lift Pricing
One thing that nearly everyone asks is how much breast lifts cost, so we include our surgery prices right here on our website. Amazing, right? Here’s what you’ll want to know:
The cost of a breast lift depends on several factors: the incision site, the amount of skin to be removed and whether or not implants are used. If you’ve undergone significant weight changes, your breast lift will be more expensive because there is more skin to be removed, which takes more time in the operating room.
The cost of a breast lift with Dr. Reath includes both surgical and anesthesia fees, post-surgical bra, implants if you want them, our exclusive recovery kit and all follow-up visits.
Note: The pricing below is for breast lifts with no implants and breast lifts with silicone implants because they are by far the most popular. If you want saline implants, just subtract $1,000 from the silicone implant price. If you want SoftTouch silicone gel implants you’ll add $500 to the silicone implant price.
Breast Lift Procedure
Cost
Cash Price
Full Mastopexy No Implants
$6,383
$6,064
Full Mastopexy Silicone Implants
$8,636
$8,204
Peri-Mastopexy Silicone Implants
$7,186
$6,827
Extended Mastopexy No Implants
$6,888
$6,544
Extended Mastopexy Silicone Implants
$9,119
$8,663
Cash Discount: Great news! We offer a 5% discount for our patients who would like to pay with cash or check instead of using a credit card or financing.
The Operation
The good news is that breast lifts are done as an outpatient procedure and do not involve an overnight stay in the hospital. The entire operation is done under general anesthesia (you will be put to sleep) and takes about an hour or a bit longer if breast implants are used. At the end of the operation, you are placed in a special bra to support your breasts. After recovery from the anesthesia, you’ll go home in the care of your family.
Recovery
Helping our patients manage a speedy recovery is one of our primary missions. Most patients are up and about the day after a breast lift but instructed to rest and avoid any lifting. About a week after the operation patients are seen in the office to check their surgical sites and instruct them in massage and stretching exercises. Expect the stitches to be removed in about a week.
Most women are able to return to normal activities in 7 to 10 days and usually need no more than a week off from work.
Our Surgical Recovery Kits are a great personal touch. Patients tell us that the recovery kits we include with their surgeries are an area that really sets us apart. Each recovery kit contains items hand-picked to make your recovery faster and more pleasant. We put together everything you’ll need after surgery so you don’t have to. People who have had surgery with other doctors are amazed that we include these kits at no charge for all of our surgery patients.
New! We now include medical-grade silicone shapes (which are medically proven to aid in healing and reduce the appearance of scars) in all of our breast lift recovery kits. (an $80 value)
Not our patient? No problem! We will be happy to ship you your very own recovery kit to make recovering so much easier. Just visit our online store.
Breast Procedures Leave Women Extremely Satisfied according to a new study.
A new study presented at the ASPS Meeting in Chicago confirms our experience with breast lift patients. In the study breast lift (mastopexy), the combination of breast lift with augmentation, breast augmentation, and breast reduction achieve high satisfaction rates, enhance self-esteem and improve quality of life. Moreover, 99 percent of women would have their surgery again.
The study found breast lift and lift/augmentation to have a high level of patient satisfaction that rivals breast augmentation and reduction. “Many studies have shown breast augmentation and reduction are highly gratifying procedures for women, but until now we’ve had limited information on patient satisfaction for breast lift or combination lift/ augmentation. This data fills in the gap,” said Eric Swanson, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and study author. “When the vertical technique is used in the augmentation/lift procedure, patient satisfaction is high.” (Dr. Reath agrees with the study’s findings and uses the vertical technique whenever possible.)
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Women who are unhappy with sagging in their breasts often choose to have a breast lift. Usually this sagging is a result of pregnancy and breast-feeding, but not always. Frequently a modest implant is used in conjunction with the lift to restore fullness in the upper part of the breast. Adding implants is completely optional and really depends on the look you want.
