Mastopexy: Breast Lift in Thailand

Women’s breasts often change in size and shape due to the aging process or to the loss of skin elasticity and firmness. Breast lift surgery, also known as Mastopexy surgery, helps women to renew breast firmness and remove the excess skin.

This surgery helps uplift, reshape, and tighten the breasts. It can also address areolae that have become too large by reducing their shape. However, while the surgery can lift the breasts, it can’t make the upper breast fuller. 

Mastopexy is often done in tandem with breast augmentation to create fuller, tighter, and more youthful-looking breasts, which can significantly boost a patient’s self-confidence.

Technique for Breast Lift

The incision pattern for breast lift surgery is determined by a patient’s existing breast size, shape, and position of their areolae. Sometimes skin elasticity and the level of ptosis also contributes to where the incision will be made. 

There are 3 potential incision patterns:

Incision around the areola (O-Scar) – This incision goes around the areola.

Breast Lift by Keyhole Scar – In this procedure, the incision is made around the areola and it extends vertically downward from the areolar to the breast crease – similar to a keyhole shape.

• Breast Lift by Inverted T-Scar – The incision is made around the areola and it continues down to the breast crease horizontally, like an inverted T.

Who is a good candidate for Breast Lift in Thailand?

The best candidates for the Mastopexy surgery are:

• Patients who have sagging breasts or breasts that have lost shape after weight loss.
• People with droopy breasts or smaller breasts
• Patients whose breasts are flat and elongated.
• Patients whose nipples fall underneath the breast crease.
• Patients with enlarged areolas or unevenly positioned nipples
• Patients who have uneven breast shape.
• Patients with stretched skin or excess skin at the chest area.
• Patients must be in good physical health.
• Patients must have realistic expectations of the surgery.
• Patients must not be pregnant or currently nursing.
• Patients must be mentally stable.
• Patients must not be pregnant or currently breast-feeding.
• Patients who are physically healthy.

Preparing for Breast Lift Surgery

Important steps to take before the Breast Implant surgery:

• Patients should consult with their surgeon to discuss their goals.
• Lab tests and a medical evaluation is required
• Patients must stop smoking 2 weeks before the procedure.
• All blood-thinning medications like Aspirin, Ibuprofen, hormones, and herbal supplements must be stopped 2 weeks before the surgery.

Breast Lift Surgery Procedure

• The operation is performed under general anesthesia.
• The surgeon will make the predetermined incision.
•  After creating the incision, the surgeon lifts the breast tissue and adjusts the shape. Nipples and the areolae are moved up as well
• If a patient has enlarged areolae, they are reduced by excising the areola skin.
• Excess breast tissue is removed to tighten
• Sutures are made on the breast tissue when the desired shape is achieved with absorbable sutures.
•  The incision is then closed with stitches.

Post-Procedure care for Breast Lift Surgery

Post-operative care tips for Breast Lift Surgery are similar to the previous Breast Augmentation post-op care tips. Things to remember are:

•  Keep the wound clean and dry.
• Sleep with the torso elevated slightly to help with bruising and swelling.
• Take pain medications as needed.
• Stitches will be removed 7 to 10 days after the surgery.
• Keep every follow-up appointment with the surgeon.
• Patients should wear a compression bra or a support bra to control the swelling
• Patients should not lift anything over 2-3 kilograms within the first six weeks after the surgery
• Patients must avoid all strenuous activities for at least 2 weeks after the surgery.

In some cases, the doctor may require an overnight stay at the hospital. This is so the doctor/doctors could observe the patient for any possible risk following the surgery.

Potential risks and complications for Breast Lift Surgery

Rare complications include:

• Keloid scars from incisions
• Bleeding
• Itching
• Bruising
• Poor healing
• Soreness
• Asymmetry
• Shortness of breath
• A decrease in sensation or loss of sensation
• Potential infection (if patients feel any warmth or see any redness in the breast with fever, it may be a sign of infection and they should contact the surgeon right away)
• Skin waves or sagging
• Capsular contracture if the Breast Lifting surgery is also done with a Breast Augmentation procedure  (this may require another surgery)
• Risks associated with anesthesia
• Skin Loss / Permanent loss of skin

Questions To Ask Plastic Surgeons Before Breast Lift in Bangkok, Thailand

Dedicated plastic surgeons will take care to answer every question that a patient may pose before and after performing plastic surgery. It is often advised for a patient to list the questions on a paper in advance of the consultation.

Some key questions to ask Breast Lift surgeons include:

• Are you a board-certified plastic surgeon?
• Are you a member of an international society for plastic surgeons?
• How many years of experience do you have in cosmetic surgery?
• Do you have specific experiences with plastic surgery, such as altering the breast composition, removing excess tissue in other body parts or enhancing smaller breast?
• Are the results I am seeking realistic?
• What are the limitations of this surgery?
• Will there be visible scarring?
• Would I need pain medications to relieve pain during my recovery period? If so, until when would I need to take pain medication?
• What type of implants would be most appropriate to achieve my desired breast size?
• What is the treatment plan? 

Breast Lift Surgery Recovery

The recovery time for breast lift surgery is similar to that of Breast Implant revision. There is usually minimal discomfort that can be managed with painkillers.

In most Mastopexy cases, patients will experience some discomfort but they can return to work within a few days. However, the actual length of the recovery depends on the type of surgery performed.

• Patients who had the Breast Lift surgery with the O-scar technique, may feel mild discomfort after the surgery but they may return to work within a few days from the procedure.
• Patients who had a Breast Lift procedure with a keyhole scar or inverted T technique, may need more time to fully recover, approximately 1 week. Additional discomfort may include pain, swelling, stiffness or bruising. It may take several weeks or months for breasts to settle and reveal the final result.
• – Patients who had a Breast Lift surgery with Breast Implants may experience more discomfort and a one week off from work is required for better healing. These patients need to continuously wear the compression bra to support and improve the positioning of the implants and to control the swelling.
  

During the recovery after a Breast Lifting surgical procedure, patients must avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activity for at least six weeks.