# Breast Lift

> Citation bundle for Breast Lift on The Treatment Registry.
> URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/procedures/breast-lift
> Bundle URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/api/citations/procedures/breast-lift

- Category: cosmetic-surgery

## Description

Mastopexy is the plastic surgery mammoplasty procedure for raising sagging breasts upon the chest of the woman, by changing and modifying the size, contour, and elevation of the breasts. In a breast-lift surgery to re-establish an aesthetically proportionate bust for the woman, the critical corrective consideration is the tissue viability of the nipple-areola complex (NAC), to ensure the functional sensitivity of the breasts for lactation and breast-feeding.

## Overview

Mastopexy, commonly called a breast lift, is a plastic surgery mammoplasty procedure that raises and reshapes sagging breasts (breast ptosis) on the chest by changing their size, contour and elevation. A central technical consideration is preserving the tissue viability of the nipple-areola complex (NAC), so that the functional sensitivity of the breast, including its role in lactation and breast-feeding, is maintained. In a breast-lift operation the surgeon cuts and removes excess tissue, comprising glandular tissue, fat and skin, together with overstretched suspensory ligaments and surplus skin from the skin envelope, and transposes the nipple-areola complex to a higher position on the breast. Mastopexy can be performed on its own as a discrete breast-lift, or as part of a combined mastopexy and breast augmentation procedure when added volume is also wanted. The same surgical techniques used in mastopexy are also applied in reduction mammoplasty, the correction of oversized breasts. Unlike some breast operations, a breast lift is generally not indicated by a medical cause or physical necessity; instead it is driven by the woman's self-image, the combination of her physical, aesthetic and mental-health considerations. Because it repositions the breast tissue and the nipple-areola complex rather than simply adding an implant, mastopexy specifically addresses sagging rather than a lack of volume, which is why it is sometimes combined with augmentation when both concerns are present.

## FAQs

### What does a breast lift do?

A breast lift, or mastopexy, raises sagging breasts and reshapes them by changing their size, contour and elevation. It removes excess tissue and overstretched skin and repositions the nipple-areola complex higher on the breast.

### Is a breast lift the same as breast augmentation?

No. A breast lift repositions and removes tissue and lifts the nipple-areola complex to correct sagging, whereas augmentation adds volume with an implant. The two can be combined in a single mastopexy and augmentation procedure when added volume is also desired.

### Will a breast lift affect breast-feeding or nipple sensation?

A key priority of the surgery is preserving the tissue viability of the nipple-areola complex, which is what maintains the functional sensitivity of the breast and its capacity for lactation and breast-feeding. This is a central consideration when the operation is planned.

### Is a breast lift done for medical reasons?

Generally it is not indicated by a medical cause or physical necessity. The decision to correct breast ptosis is driven by the patient's self-image, reflecting a combination of physical, aesthetic and mental-health considerations.

### Can a breast lift also reduce very large breasts?

Reducing oversized breasts is a related but distinct procedure called reduction mammoplasty. The same surgical techniques used in a breast lift are also applied in reduction mammoplasty.

### Can a lift and implants be done at the same time?

Yes. Mastopexy can be performed as a discrete breast-lift, or combined with breast augmentation in a single procedure when the patient wants both a lift and additional volume.