Women who are unhappy with sagging in their breasts often choose to have a breast lift at our Knoxville practice. Usually, this sagging is a result of pregnancy and breastfeeding, 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.
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.
requesting a consultationStanding 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:
This feature contains nudity. Please click OK to confirm you are at least 18 years of age and are not offended by such material.
OKKeep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.
Keep in mind that each patient is unique and your results may vary.
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 | $6,611 | $6,280 |
Full Mastopexy Silicone Implants | $9,205 | $8,744 |
Peri-Mastopexy Silicone Implants | $7,411 | $7,040 |
Extended Mastopexy No Implants | $7,115 | $6,760 |
Extended Mastopexy Silicone Implants | $9,388 | $8,918 |
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
From the Blog
For the last 35 years, I have enjoyed the practice of plastic surgery in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is my pleasure and privilege to have been entrusted with your care. In order for my practice to move ahead, I am partnering with a group of plastic surgeons in Charlotte, whom I respect and admire. This change … Read moreFrom the Blog
The majority of my plastic surgery practice here in Knoxville is body contouring surgery, which is changing the shape of my patient’s bodies. Inevitably this means dealing with fat. We all have it. We all need it. Some have less than they want; most of us have more than we want. Frequently we get questions … Read moreFrom the Blog
As I continue to practice plastic surgery, I look for ways to improve the operations I have been doing for years to achieve better results. One such procedure is the breast lift (mastopexy), most often using breast implants (augmentation mastopexy). Several aspects of how I perform a breast augmentation and lift at my Knoxville, TN, … Read more