BREAST LIFT SURGERY IN SPAIN. HOW TO FIX SAGGING BREASTS?

This is one of the questions which most worry both patients and specialists.

A scar is not always left after breast lift surgery. In cases of pseudoptosis (the nipple is well situated and the breast alone is empty) the breasts can be lifted by means of a breast augmentation with an implant. The implant fills the breast and the breast recovers its firmness.

This intervention can be done using any of the known ways. However, the specialists at Antiaging Group Barcelona (Spain), whenever it is possible, prefer to use the new technique of subfascial augmentation through the armpit. This technique allows them to fill the empty breast and avoid the areolar approach. On many occasions the removal of skin is avoided and therefore the presence of scars.

In other cases of pseudoptosis (the nipple is well situated and the breast alone is empty) an excellent alternative to an implant is to infiltrate fatty tissue into the upper pole to fill it up. Another of the consequences of pregnancy is the accumulation of fat. For that reason, in the case of patients who want to have a breast lift after one or several pregnancies, the most requested intervention is liposuction of certain parts of the body and the breast lift done with grafts of the patient’s own fat. Again, this technique avoids removing skin and hence, the presence of scars.

The fat obtained by liposuction from other parts of the patient’s own body usually comes from the abdomen, thighs, hips and double chin.

By using own fat any possible rejection or incompatibility is avoided. The result is less harmful to the body. Another of the great advantages of breast lifts using own fat is that the grafted fat cells form part of the breast and they end up having a completely natural look.

The postoperative period is less painful than if an implant is used. What could probably give more discomfort is the donor zone which has been aspirated to obtain fat. It is evident that breast augmentation using the patient’s own fat is contraindicated for thin patients who have no body fat.

Antiaging Group Barcelona (Spain) is a pioneering centre in Spain in the introduction of the technique of Dr. Coleman which guarantees a greater survival rate of the grafted fat and minimizes the incidence of cysts.

Breast lift is not a simple surgery. Of all the cosmetic surgery operations on the breasts it is probably the most difficult for the plastic surgeon as it can be complicated to fulfil the expectations of the patient.

A mastopexy (breast lift) is done when the nipple is sagging. To be able to put the nipple back in its place and raise it higher, it is necessary to remove skin. Currently there are various techniques for breast lifts. Evidently, the objective is to leave the breast firm and well-shaped, reducing scarring to a minimum. It is useful to note that the patient has to wait at least 3 to 6 months after having finished breastfeeding before proposing this type of cosmetic plastic surgery.

Breast lift surgery is done under general anaesthetic, it lasts between 90 and 120 minutes and it usually requires one night in hospital. After the intervention a bra must be worn day and night for a month so that the gland heals in its new position. After three or four days the patient can return to her normal working life.

If the woman has an adequate breast volume and doesn’t want much more, the intervention that is normally performed is periareolar mastopexy. A circle of skin is removed around the areola, so that the skin is tighter. This technique is indicated for women who have breast volume but who have pseudoptosis or in those women with any size breast but who have grade I ptosis (the areola is at the level of the crease).

If the areola has ended up facing downwards and it is beneath the level of the crease (ptosis II and III) the only option that we have is to remove skin and adjust the gland leaving a scar around the areola and another vertical one or in a T-shape (mastopexy)

This is a recurring question that patients tend to ask. It’s logical that when a person decides to go in for breast lift surgery there is a feeling of uncertainty. And here is where computer simulations come into play as they let you see a before & after result. Recent progress in photography software allows the patient to get an idea of what will be the final result that they are trying to get after the surgery.

When the surgeons use the computer simulation, it is usually so that the patient and surgeon reach an agreement on the result that they want to achieve with the surgery. But the computer simulation should in no way be considered as what the final result will be.

Undoubtedly the surgeons and the patients are the most interested in getting the desired result. But we should not forget that the plastic surgery involves working with living tissue. To change the appearance of something specific on the computer is a matter of seconds, but the computer doesn’t take into account the quality of the tissue, the thickness of the skin, how aged the skin is, and the wound healing of the tissues during the procedure nor the possible complications.

In this regard, the majority of the scientific societies don’t recommend the publication of before/after images on web pages, as there is always the question as to whether they have been manipulated. It is precisely for the adherence to these ethical principles and to avoid speculation that we don’t show photos on our website.