Elevate Your Beauty with Breast Lift Benefits
Breast lift surgery is more than just an aesthetic procedure—it’s a transformative journey. Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva, with her unmatched expertise, offers benefits that go beyond appearance.
Elevated Confidence
Lifted contours mean uplifted spirits. Radiate newfound confidence every day.
Enhanced Comfort
Say goodbye to discomfort. Enjoy the ease of movement and clothing that fits.
Youthful Beauty Restored
Turn back time. Achieve youthful firmness and a naturally rejuvenated silhouette.
Breast Lift Transformation
Factors such as childbirth, weight loss, and aging can lead the breasts to change, resulting in sagging and deflation over time. While some women choose to live with sagging breasts, others prefer to seek options for breast enhancement and rejuvenation. A breast lift, or mastopexy, is a surgical procedure that is performed to contour the breast tissue and raise the breasts to a more youthful position.
What is a Breast Lift?
A mastopexy or breast lift is a surgical procedure that raises and reshapes the breasts according to the patient’s unique needs. This procedure involves the removal of excess skin and tightening and lifting of the breast tissue. The nipples and areolas are repositioned and sometimes resized, if necessary. The external and internal breast tissue is then reshaped.
Sometimes, a breast implant is used to add volume to each breast during a mastopexy.
Many breast lift patients choose to pair their surgery with another enhancement procedure, and augmentation with breast implants to give the breasts a fuller appearance is the most popular option. Women with extremely large breasts, however, may choose to pair this treatment with breast reduction, instead, to reduce the size of their breasts which may be causing them discomfort or self-consciousness.
Why Choose a Breast Lift?
Women whose breasts have gotten flatter or longer over the years or whose nipples now come down below the breast crease and/or point downward may be candidates for a mastopexy.
Age, pregnancy, and weight fluctuations take a toll on a woman’s body, and on her breasts in particular. Stretching and sagging from childbirth occur whether a woman chooses to breastfeed or not. Weight loss or gain can cause the breast skin to lose elasticity. Lastly, gravity can cause the breast ligaments (yes, there are ligaments in the breasts!) to sag.
The physical and emotional benefits of the procedure make mastopexy a great choice for many women.
Can I Get a Breast Lift?
A mastopexy surgery should always be done for the patient, never to fulfill someone else’s expectations. Ideal candidates for mastopexy are non-smokers in good physical and psychological health who are at a stable weight.
Good breast lift candidates will have realistic expectations for what the surgery can do for them and should aim for improvement, rather than perfection. Women who have recently given birth should wait at least three months after they are done breastfeeding their last child before undergoing a breast lift.
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The Breast Lift Consultation
A mastoplexy consultation with plastic surgeon Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva at our Orange County plastic surgery center is an important part of the process. During this meeting, your surgical goals will be discussed, along with any current medical conditions and medications. You should be prepared to discuss your full medical history with the surgeon, including any pre-existing conditions and risk factors.
Dr. Ho Taghva will examine your breasts, take measurements, and assess your skin quality. The surgeon may discuss potential accommodations and supplemental or alternative treatment options, based on the information gathered during the consultation.
It is important to come to the consultation prepared with a list of questions for Dr. Ho Taghva. She can ease any concerns you have and provide you with all the information you need to decide on your treatment plan.
Breast Lift with Augmentation Before-and-After Pictures
Preparation for a Mastopexy
Depending on what was discussed during the initial consultation, a mammogram and/or physical exam may be required before surgery, to help ensure the patient’s safety. Patients who smoke should quit at least six weeks before surgery, as smoking blocks blood flow and can impede healing. Certain medications should be avoided in the weeks leading up to a mastopexy — including aspirin, which can increase bleeding.
Patients should arrange for someone to drive them to and from their surgical appointment in Newport Beach and should ensure that they have help with everyday tasks during recovery. Daily activities such as hair washing and cooking can be a struggle in the days following surgery.
Before surgery, patients should make any necessary dietary changes and should consider following a regular exercise regimen to maintain a stable weight.
The Breast Lift Procedure
Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva is committed to her patient’s safety and well-being, which is why she operates out of the GALEA Center for Advanced Surgery, a Medicare-accredited facility. Breast lifts are performed on an outpatient basis at the Center, which is located adjacent to LEA Plastic Surgery.
Breast lift surgeries can be performed using one of several incision pattern options. There will be a minimal scar on or near each breast, regardless of the breast lift technique used, but most patients find the results to be worth this inevitable downside of surgery.
The right technique for your cosmetic procedure will depend on your breast size and shape, the size and position of your areolas, the amount of sagging present, and the elasticity of your skin.
During your consultation, Dr. Ho Taghva will discuss which incision option is right for you and will make every effort to minimize scarring during the procedure.
General anesthesia is typically used, but in some cases, local anesthesia with intravenous sedation is preferable. Incisions can be made around the nipple/areola, around the areola with a vertical incision down to the crease, or around the areola with a vertical incision and a horizontal incision along the crease.
After the incisions are made, the sagging breast tissue is lifted and shaped. If necessary, Dr. Ho Taghva reduces the size of the areola on each breast and repositions it upward. Any excess skin is trimmed and tightened. Finally, the incisions are sutured closed and stitches are placed deep within the breast tissue to support the new breast contour.
The Breast Lift Recovery
Immediately After Mastopexy
After surgery, the breasts will be wrapped in gauze and a compression bandage or surgical bra will help to keep swelling down and support proper healing.
Right after surgery, patients are taken to a recovery room where they will remain for about an hour before being discharged. Detailed postoperative instructions will be provided before surgery. It is important to follow the breast surgeon’s orders closely and to take all the medications she prescribes, including pain medication and antibiotics to prevent infection.
The First Few Days After Mastopexy
In the first few days after surgery, it is important to rest and take any medication prescribed by the surgeon to manage pain and keep swelling down. Avoid any strenuous activity, like straining or lifting, and avoid putting any pressure on the healing breasts by sleeping on your back or side.
The First One to Two Weeks After Mastopexy
Be patient while your newly shaped breasts heal, as swelling and bruising will remain for about two weeks. Soreness around the incision sites is normal for a couple of months after surgery. Some numbness of the breast tissue and around the nipples is normal for up to two months post-surgery. Final results will emerge in six months to a year, once all residual swelling has subsided.
What Are the Possible Side Effects or Risks of a Mastopexy?
As with any cosmetic surgery, mastopexy carries some risks. Choosing a reputable, board-certified plastic surgeon for your procedure keeps any risks to a minimum. Possible side effects and complications of mastopexy include:
- Scarring
- Changes in nipple sensation
- Asymmetry or irregular breast shape and size
- Partial or total loss of the areolae
- Breastfeeding difficulty
- Poor reaction to anesthesia
- Bleeding
- Infection
Why Should I Choose Dr. Goretti Ho Taghva?
- Board-certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Received additional post-residency training in Korea for Asian Aesthetic Surgery
- Experienced in a diverse range of surgeries including both Western and Asian rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, breast lift, full facial rejuvenation, facelifts, and endoscopic brow lifts
- Understands both Western and Asian cultural background
- Highly skilled in cosmetic surgery and provides natural-looking changes that match each patient’s goals, add beauty, and bring facial harmony while preserving unique aesthetics
- Keenly attuned to the delicate complexities of the nose and facial features