Breast lift is the procedure that corrects sagging, such as that which occurs after pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is performed either with or without the use of silicone implants, with the simultaneous use of fat to replenish the volume.
At a glance
Breast lift is the procedure that corrects sagging, such as that which occurs after pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is performed either with or without the use of silicone implants, with the simultaneous use of fat to replenish the volume.
Severity
Medium
Type of Anaesthetic
Local / General
Clinic Stay
Same Day Discharge
Stitch removal
No
Recovery
4 - 6 weeks
Breast lift cost
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**Breast lift (mastopexy)** is one of the most common breast procedures in plastic surgery. It is a surgical technique performed by a plastic surgeon to reverse breast sagging and reshape the bust.
Breast sagging and tissue laxity are natural changes that occur over time. In some women, this laxity appears earlier—either due to the anatomical structure of their breasts or due to significant fluctuations in breast size, such as those experienced during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
In many cases, the breasts also show asymmetry, which may result from differing degrees of sagging or be present from the outset due to natural anatomy. It’s important to note that for breast lift surgery to deliver optimal results, it requires close collaboration between the patient and the surgeon.
What types of sagging does a Breast Lift correct?
A breast lift addresses various forms of breast ptosis (sagging), the most common of which include:
- Volume loss, particularly in the upper pole, which creates a “pseudo-ptosis” appearance.
- Skin laxity, often accompanied by stretch marks and excess skin.
- Loss of glandular support within the breast tissue.
As we can see, three key factors contribute to breast sagging and drooping. Accordingly, a breast lift aims to restore lost volume, remove excess skin, and reinforce support for the mammary gland.
The primary indications for breast lift surgery are as follows:
- After pregnancy and breastfeeding
- After weight loss
- In large, heavy and sagging breasts
- In breast asymmetry
- When the areola is too large
- After pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Following significant weight loss
- Premature sagging due to heavy breast weight
- Breast asymmetry or congenital deformities
- After unilateral mastectomy, to achieve symmetry between the breasts
The degree of breast sagging is divided into 4 stages:
1th stage: Slight sagging with the nipple above the inframammary fold.
2th stage: Moderate sagging and loss of volume with the nipple at the level of the inframammary fold.
3th stage: Great sagging with the entire nipple complex below the inframammary fold.
4th stage: Very much sagging with most of the breast below the areola.
When is a breast lift needed and when is plastic surgery needed?
We observe that many women who come to the clinic for consultation do not have a clear picture of the operation they want to perform and ask for a breast augmentation. Even women with relatively large breasts may initially seek a breast augmentation, because the main problem is the loss of volume in the upper pole and the décolleté.
There is a fine line between a breast augmentation that requires a lift and one that requires a plastic surgery with silicone implants or a combination. In general, there are several cases with minor or moderate sagging. In these cases, we can achieve a satisfactory breast lift only with the use of silicone implants, without the need for any further tightening of the chest, with the advantage of completely avoiding any scarring.
After a breast lift
In some cases it is clear that a lift of the gland and nipple is also needed with simultaneous correction of excess skin. This is usually necessary in 3rd and 4th degree sagging, where the entire nipple and breast parenchyma have significantly subsided and are below the height of the breast fold. Depending on the sagging and the quality of the tissues, we choose the appropriate breast lift technique, as we will see below.
The difficulty is in intermediate cases, where there is 2nd or 3rd degree sagging, but the quality of the tissues is relatively good. Such cases are, for example, after pregnancy in women who had relatively large breasts at a younger age, but which atrophied considerably after the pregnancies. The experience of the plastic surgeon plays a key role in choosing the technique here, in distinguishing whether an adequate correction can be made with silicone implants alone, or whether a breast lift is also needed. If we manage to achieve a good result without the scars that a lift leaves, it is always ideal.
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Techniques in Breast Lift
Depending on the degree of sagging, the breast lift technique that will offer us the best possible result with the smallest scars is chosen. Breast sagging is defined according to the height of the nipple in relation to the inframammary fold.
A plastic surgery clinic provides a wide variety of breast lift procedures. Each technique used by the plastic surgeon is fully adapted depending on the problem that needs to be addressed for each client individually. The choice of each method has as its primary goal the adequate treatment of breast sagging with as few scars as possible. Our goal with all of this? The best service for patients. So so that you too can have a clearer picture of the surgical procedure, let’s look at the main breast augmentation techniques. These can be distinguished as follows:
- Peri-areolar breast lift
- Lollipop breast lift
- Keyhole breast lift
- T-cut or anchor breast lift
Areolae Breast Lift
In cases of minor to moderate sagging, a peri-nipple breast lift is chosen, that is, with an incision around the nipple. In this case, the entire breast is mobilized and its projection is shifted upward with special stitches. Then, a special Goretex suture is used, which will give us the support we need so that the result is long-lasting.
This technique is preferable when breast augmentation is performed at the same time, and aims to correct sagging skin around the nipple. There are several limitations to this technique, because mechanically it cannot withstand much weight and if applied in inappropriate cases it can lead to excessive enlargement of the nipples or enlargement of the scars, therefore it is preferred only when only a relatively minor degree of breast lift is required.
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Lollipop Breast Lift
In cases of breasts where the sagging is more pronounced, the peri-areolar incision is not sufficient for this and an extension is made downwards, with an additional vertical scar, which in the end looks like a lollipop. Due to this peculiarity, the technique is also known as the “lollipop” breast lift. This method combines the peri-areolar lift with a tightening of the central and lower pole of the breast.
If the scar needs to be extended further to remove more excess skin, an extension of the vertical scar downwards can be made, in which case we are talking about the “Lejour” technique. A different but equally effective technique.
Keyhole Breast Lift
In cases of moderate breast ptosis (sagging), a breast lift can be performed using the “keyhole” (periareolar) technique or the Lejour technique. In the first approach, the incision circles the nipple and extends downward in an inverted “T” shape, while in the Lejour method, the vertical incision is straight.
During a breast lift, the mammary gland is secured to the chest wall so that the lift is not supported solely by tightened skin. The choice between techniques depends on how we plan to manage excess skin and on the nipple’s position relative to the inframammary fold.
Breast Lift with Anchor (Inverted “T”) Incision
Finally, when there is significant skin excess, a breast lift with an anchor-shaped (“T”) incision may be used. This approach extends further laterally beyond the “keyhole” pattern and closely resembles the technique used in reduction mammoplasty (breast reduction surgery).
The above techniques primarily describe the scar pattern and how excess skin is managed—but they do not define how internal breast tissues are handled. Since breast sagging involves not just the skin but primarily the deeper tissues, internal repositioning and support are essential to ensure long-lasting results.
If a breast lift relied only on skin tightening, the result would deteriorate significantly within a few months. Therefore, the mammary gland must be repositioned higher and internally stabilized. This can be achieved through various methods—for example, by folding the central glandular tissue upward, removing a portion of the gland, using an internal “bra” support technique (inner bra breast lift), or even placing specialized supportive mesh.
Additional methods to achieve Breast Lift
In cases of large, severely sagging breasts, the lift may be performed in combination with breast reduction to lighten the breast volume for both functional and aesthetic reasons. This procedure can be carried out using either the anchor (“T”) incision or the Lejour technique, depending on the amount of excess skin.
In every breast lift case, we carefully assess the degree of upper-pole volume loss and determine whether additional volume restoration—beyond gland repositioning or folding—is needed. In many cases, combining a lift with silicone implant placement yields the most satisfying and harmonious correction.
Augmentation Mastopexy
This combined approach is known as augmentation mastopexy. Its goal is not necessarily to significantly enlarge the breasts; rather, relatively small, low-profile silicone implants are used primarily to restore fullness to the upper pole and décolletage.
When this method is chosen, we can also remove excess glandular tissue from the lower pole—where sagging is most pronounced—to fully reverse the breast shape and redistribute weight more naturally. A major advantage of performing augmentation and lift simultaneously is the significantly longer-lasting result compared to a lift alone. If silicone implants are not desired or contraindicated, we can alternatively use fat grafting to the upper pole during the lift to achieve a similar, though more subtle, rejuvenating effect.
We recommend the solution that best suits you—for a perfect, long-lasting result.
Recovery After Breast Lift Surgery
Recovery following breast lift surgery depends on the technique used and whether implants are placed simultaneously. All breast lift procedures are performed under general anesthesia, except for minor periareolar lifts, which can sometimes be done under local anesthesia. Lift surgeries typically last 1.5 to 2.5 hours and involve minimal postoperative pain—except in the case of augmentation mastopexy (combined lift and implant placement), where mild discomfort may persist for 3–4 days.
No surgical drains are used in any of these procedures. After surgery, patients wear either a compression bandage or a specialized postoperative surgical bra. Sutures are internal and absorbable, so no suture removal is required.
Most patients take 3–10 days off work and avoid exercise for 4 weeks. Scars typically fade significantly and become nearly invisible within 4–6 months.
Results after breast lift
The final shape of the breast after breast augmentation is usually formed in the first 6 months. Because some degree of sagging always inevitably occurs along the way, we always prefer to do a super-correction, so that after the 6 months when the breast relaxes again, the result is very satisfactory and natural. Unless a simultaneous breast augmentation is performed, the bra size remains the same, however, reinforcements are not needed because the breast remains firm, even without a bra at all. In the case of augmentation mastopexy, the results are much more spectacular, especially in people who have very intense sagging after weight loss. In this case, choosing the appropriate silicone prosthesis ensures adequate filling of the upper pole and generally a better shape and size of the breast, while breast augmentation addresses sagging of the skin, nipples and parenchyma.
How does a breast lift differ from plastic surgery?
I'm afraid of the scars after a possible breast lift. What will they be like?
Can a breast lift be done without surgery?
How soon can I have a breast lift after pregnancy?
What will happen to my breasts if I get pregnant again?
Dr. Prodromos Papaioannou
He completed his plastic surgery specialization in Germany, at the Pirmasens Hospital, the Asklepios Wandsbek Hospitals in Hamburg, the University Hospital in Magdeburg and the Braunschweig Clinic. He worked as a specialist-deputy director at the Braunschweig Clinic (specializing in breast reconstruction after cancer and cosmetic surgery). He also participated in scientific research and completed his doctoral thesis (Dr. Med.) at the Magdeburg Clinic.