Having children is one of the greatest joys and happiness in the life of a woman, but what many women do not foresee is that their breasts will have taken the toll of breast feeding when raising their children. Breast feeding or weight loss can make the breasts sag after pregnancy, however, there are ways to reduce the sag and give the breasts a more youthful appearance after breast feeding. Time and gravity can also cause breasts to sag and an uplift is perfect in these cases. The factors which influence the degree of droopiness that develops over time include:
- Gravity is less kind to larger breasted women
- Normal changes in breast volume and tissue elasticity over time
- Lifestyle
- Genetics
- Pregnancy and weight gain during pregnancy
- Breastfeeding and the duration of breastfeeding
- Body weight fluctuations over time.
A breast lift (or mastopexy) is performed to correct droopy or saggy appearing breasts, creating fuller and perkier breasts. It involves lifting the position of the nipple and often increasing the breast volume, especially in the upper part of the breasts.
WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR CONSULTATION WITH DR ALI HUSSAIN.
You will have a face to face consultation with Dr Ali Hussain, either in person or via video chat if you live outside the Greater Brisbane region. You should reserve one hour for this consultation. Dr Ali Hussain will discuss the surgery with you and all your personal needs and expectations, this will be followed by an examination and measurements. Depending on your desired outcome, you may require a breast lift only or a breast lift and implants (augmentation).
In this consultation it is very important that you feel you have time to adequately explain to Dr Ali Hussain your aims from breast lift surgery. Aims will vary from person to person and will depend very much on your type of physique, the clothes you would like to wear and the aesthetic outcome you would like following your operation.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MY FIRST CONSULTATION?
You will be given an information pack regarding your surgery. You will be advised to go home to go through the paperwork thoroughly, and return for a second complimentary consultation to answer any additional questions you have. Finally, you can contact Dr Ali Hussain’s team to book a date for the surgery.
WHAT SUPPORT CAN I EXPECT WHEN MAKING THE DECISION TO HAVE SURGERY?
You can expect ongoing support and access to our team at all stages of your surgery, from the first time you call us and after your procedure. Dr Ali Hussain and his team are happy to answer any questions you may have and Dr Ali Hussain gives his contact details in the immediate post-operative period to all his patients to be contacted 24/7, if needed.
WHAT DOES THE PROCEDURE INVOLVE?
The procedure is done under general anaesthetic and performed in a day hospital setting using a rapid recovery technique. This means that you will be able to return to your own home shortly after your procedure. No overnight hospital stay is required in most circumstances.
When the breasts have sagged but have good volume, a mastopexy alone will restore shape and projection. In most cases there has also been a loss of volume, and this is most noticeable in the upper half of the breasts. These women will achieve a better result if an implant is used in conjunction with a mastopexy.
A mastopexy involves removing overstretched sagging skin from beneath the breast and repositioning the nipple and breast tissue to a more youthful perky position. During breast lift procedures the nipples and areolas remain attached to their blood and nerve supply while they are repositioned.
Depending on the size and shape of your breasts, the amount of skin to be removed, quality of skin and positioning of the nipples, Dr Ali Hussain can recommend one of the following techniques:
Circumareolar or “doughnut” technique – involves a circular incision made around the areola. This technique is a minimally invasive procedure that achieves a small degree of lift. It results in a scar around the areolar and is also suitable for reducing the size of the areolar, you can also see the information regarding Areolar Reduction.
Vertical or lollipop technique – named so because of the type of scar it leaves. It results in a scar that extends around the areola and down the midline of the breast to the lower breast fold. Although this procedure is slightly more invasive, it achieves a large degree of lift.
Anchor technique – involves an anchor-shaped scar that extends around the areola, down the lower midline of the breast and along the lower breast fold. This is required in those who require a significant lift.
WHAT IS THE BEST SURGICAL OPTION FOR ME?
There are a number of factors that Dr Ali Hussain needs to consider when deciding which surgical option is most appropriate. These include:
- Degree of ptosis (sagging) of the breast and how much does the nipple need to be lifted
- Skin quality – loose with many stretch marks or thick and firm without stretch marks.
- Breast tissue quality – firm or soft. Soft breast tissue is very difficult to handle and typically always wants to sag! Furthermore, soft breast tissue will always be soft – it can’t be made “firm”.
- Breast tissue volume – the greater the amount of natural breast tissue the more difficult the surgery.
- How “detached” your breast tissue is from the chest wall muscles The distance from the nipple to the lower breast fold.
- Your desires
WHAT RECOVERY SHOULD I EXPECT?
There will be swelling and bruising after the surgery and you can expect to feel pain and discomfort between 3-7 days. You should take between 1-2 weeks away from work and refrain from running for up to 4 weeks.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SURGERY?
As a general rule, you will receive follow up appointments with Dr Ali Hussain at 24-48 hours post-operative as well as, 7 days, 2 weeks and 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. These may vary from patient to patient as this is a very personalised surgery, you can of course contact the clinic at any time for additional appointments.
WHAT RESULTS CAN I EXPECT?
Initially, you will notice some swelling and upper fullness to your breasts. This will slowly settle and most of the swelling has settled after six weeks. However, the “final” results take 3-6 months. The normal process of ageing, gravity, weight gain, weight loss, childbirth, breastfeeding or hormonal factors will continue to affect the size and shape of your breasts.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH BREAST SURGERY?
As with any surgery there are always risks but these will be fully explained by Dr Ali Hussain in your consultation. Some common risks include bruising, swelling and temporary numbness and more uncommon risks can be infection, bad scarring, asymmetry and bleeding.
A detailed consent form will be discussed with you in the consultation.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH BREAST UPLIFT SURGERY?
Our cost for a breast uplift or mastopexy will be discussed in your consultation as it is a very individualised surgery. This price can vary if you choose to also opt for an augmentation. Cost should not be the only factor in deciding your surgeon. It is equally important to consider their experience in performing the procedure and how comfortable you are with the surgeon.
HOW TO BOOK A CONSULTATION
You can book a consultation to discuss your suitability for this procedure by phoning us on 0420 488 105 or by emailing info@dralihussain.com.au. Alternatively, you can fill out the contact form on our home page and we will phone you back to organise a suitable appointment time.
Disclaimer: All surgical procedures carry risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
