Women’s breasts over time change with loss of the youthful shape, loss  of firmness and a change to a lower position on the chest. These changes and loss of skin elasticity can result from pregnancy, weight fluctuation, age, gravity and heredity. The breast lift, or Mastopexy, performed at ALABAMA PLASTIC SURGERY, does not change the breast volume. The more youthful shape and position is achieved by removing the excess breast skin, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing look. The breast lift is an integral part in the Mommy Makeover and can be combined with other cosmetic procedures.

Breast Lift: Mastopexy by ALABAMA PLASTIC SURGERY
formerly Moor Plastic Surgery
Mountain Brook, Alabama
Dr. Gene Moor

You will be invited in our living room in our Mountain Brook office (2850 Cahaba Road, Suite 120, 35223) where you and Dr. Moor have a comfortable, in depth discussion. Parking is conveniently right in front.

Dr. Moor discusses the goals of your breast lift and guides you towards realistic expectations. He will discuss a variety of surgical techniques and help you choose one that fits you best. The goal is to create an aesthetically pleasing breast with the nipple areolar complex in the center of your breast. There are varying degrees of the sagging breast (ptosis). The degree of sagging influences which surgical technique Dr. Moor decides to use. For breasts with very minimal sagging a breast augmentation may be all that is needed if your nipple is in the center of your breast. Augmentation may be all that is necessary, and this avoids additional breast incisions.

For more advanced sagging or ‘ptosis’, the techniques can range from a peri-areolar (around the nipple) excision, to a peri-areolar incision plus a vertical excision to the natural breast crease (“lollipop”). For the more severe cases, an additional incision in the normal breast crease is needed.

Breast Lift (Mastopexy)

Mastopexy is a procedure used to raise and reshape sagging breasts. It is a cosmetic procedure.    Dr. Gene Moor performs this procedure often in conjunction with a Breast Augmentation with the goal of a fuller, longer-lasting shape.   

Breasts of any size can be lifted, though the best candidates for this surgery are healthy non-smokers who are not planning to have additional children.  Pregnancy and other factors may increase sagging even after surgery because of  the stretching of the skin. Your Mastopexy will be outpatient at Grandview Medical Center or Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama and usually will be under general anesthesia.Before surgery Dr. Moor will give you specific pre and post operative instructions.  The surgery last a couple of hours and your stitches will dissolve. You will be advised to wear a surgical bra  (that Dr. Moor’s nurses fit you with in the operating room and which is free at Grandview Medical Center and Brookwood Medical Center,) around the clock for about three to four weeks. For a day or two after surgery, your breast will be bruised and swollen and you will feel some discomfort that can be managed with pain medication.  After a few months, the swelling and numbness should subside.  You can resume light activity at one to two weeks after surgery; however, any overhead lifting should be avoided for three to four weeks.

Over time your breast will continue to change due to aging and gravity.

A Mastopexy, breast lift procedure combined with the wearing of a good, well-supporting bra, maintaining your weight, and keeping a healthy life style will provide you with the best chance of a long lasting, youthful looking breast.

The Breast Lift is commonly performed with other plastic surgery procedures and is then sometimes referred to as Mommy Makeover.

The quote for your cosmetic procedure is for the surgeon’s fee, the outpatient surgery facility and anesthesia. Alabama Plastic Surgery participates in financing plans.

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“Dr. Moor and Staff, Just a short note to personally thank you for the warm hospitality & gracious service while under your care.I found your office surroundings very welcoming and your office staff extremely cordial. And you, Dr. Moor a great surgeon & perfect gentleman.  It will be my pleasure to recommend you for any of my friends' cosmetic desires.  I am feeling great and recovering on schedule. Hopefully I’ll see you Monday depending on your schedule. I want to discuss the ”upper eyelid” procedure with you. Regards…….”

Photos of Mastopexy

Correction of Sagging Breasts

Age, gravity, heredity, swelling of breast tissue, pregnancy with its sudden weight gain and subsequent weight loss can contribute to saggy breast. The surgical procedure that addresses the excess breast skin is called a Mastopexy, Breast Lift. ( link to mastopexy) The goal of a Mastopexy is to establish the appropriate relationship of the breast mound (the body of the breast itself), with the nipple areolar complex in the center of your breast, and the nipple to the infra mammary fold on the chest wall.

The degrees of Ptosis ( i.e. the degree of sagging of the breasts)

• Pseudoptosis- means that the nipple is above the infra mammary fold with loose, saggy skin and atrophy of breast tissue. This means the nipple is above the fold under the breast, this is not considered  a true sagging or ptosis.

• Ptosis or sagging is measured in degrees: 1,2,3 degree ptosis, dependent upon the nipple relationship below the infra mammary fold.

• Pseudoptosis and Grade One Ptosis both, may be treated with a Breast Augmentation only.

For a more severe degree of ptosis, a skin excision of the breast with nipple reposition is necessary. This is the case when the patient is not satisfied with her breast shape. The more severe the ptosis, the more skin that has to be excised to achieve the desired result. The skin incision may only be periareolar or around the areolar and vertically down from the areolar to the breast crease, lollipop.

For the most severe cases the incision goes around the areolar, vertically down to the breast crease and horizontally along the breast crease. The breast tissue is lifted, reshaped to provide better contour and firmness. The nipple and areolar are repositioned to the youthful center of the breast- the areolar may be reduced in size. The excess skin is excised. The incisions are sutured in multiple layers using dissolvable sutures.

After the swelling has resolved the end result is a lifted, better contoured, firmer breast with the nipple areolar complex in the center of the breast. Occasionally after the mastopexy there may be a flattening-depression in the upper pole of the breast.

Pre operatively Dr. Moor may suggest a small implant at the time of the mastopexy to reduce the chance of developing the flatness or hollowness of the upper pole. Dr. Moor may suggest an augmentation/mastopexy, an implant is added to give upper pole fullness, not necessarily to make the breast larger.  A 200-300cc implant may be inserted.

For the patient who desires to correct her sag and wants to be larger as well, a second cosmetic procedure, a Breast Augmentation with larger implants can be added to the Mastopexy/breast lift. In more severe cases of sagging such as in massive weight loss cases, best results maybe achieved by staging the procedures. The breast augmentation or breast lift is done first followed by the other procedure at another time .

Augmentation-Mastopexy for Lifting the Breast
ALABAMA PLASTIC SURGERY
formerly Moor Plastic Surgery
Mountain Brook, Alabama
Dr. Gene Moor

The augmentation mastopexy is performed to solve several different complicated breast concerns. For the patient who wants her youthful look and shape back, tightening of the lower pole of the breast and elevation of the nipple areolar complex may not be satisfactory because of the possible upper pole flattening of the breast. More volume (breast enhancement) is needed in addition to the lift to fill out the breast and make it more youthful.

You should notice a new shape and position of your breast immediately. This shape will change and settle over the subsequent weeks into a more natural position. Of course your body always continues to age and the forces of gravity are always at work.  Dr. Moor recommends that you wear a comfortable bra at night as well as during the day, maintain your weight, and keep a healthy lifestyle.

The patient who wants to get rid of her sag and wants to be larger, a full mastopexy and a larger breast implant is needed. Usually the breast augmentation and mastopexy are done at the same time at the patient’s request. There are surgeons who prefer to stage the procedures, especially in the more complicated massive weight loss patients. Which procedure is done first (mastopexy or augmentation) is up to the individual patient and surgeon. Months after the first procedure the second procedure is done.

When doing the mastopexy/ augmentation as a single procedure a small revision surgery later may be necessary to get the desired final result. The augmentation/mastopexy can be done in combination with other cosmetic procedures (abdominoplasty, liposuction). 

Photo of Augmentation-Mastopexy