Breast Lift in Medellín

Breast lift and mastopexy are two names for the same surgery. In Colombia you'll also hear it called mastopexia or mamopexia. It raises a sagging breast, removes extra skin, reshapes the tissue, and moves the areola and nipple higher. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), a lift on its own doesn't significantly change breast size or fill out the upper breast. So if you also want volume, it can be combined with implants. The reverse is also true: an implant alone doesn't correct sagging.

The ASPS describes three common incision patterns:

• Around the areola only.
• Around the areola and straight down to the crease beneath the breast, often called a lollipop incision.
• Around the areola, straight down, and along the crease.

The last one is known as the anchor scar. If your areolas are enlarged, they can also be made smaller. Which pattern you need depends on how much lift is required and on your anatomy, and your surgeon decides this after examining you. The scars are permanent. In most cases they fade over time, and they keep fading for up to a year.

A breast lift on its own isn't always the answer.

• If your breasts don't sag and what you want is volume, we look at breast augmentation.
• If you want smaller breasts, the ASPS suggests combining the lift with a breast reduction.
• If you already have implants and want to replace or remove them, implant exchange or removal can be done along with the lift.
• If you're also concerned about your stomach after pregnancy, we look at a mommy makeover.
• If you've lost a lot of weight, the lift can be part of body contouring after major weight loss, which is planned in stages.

At your consultation, we'll tell you what makes sense for you.

According to the ASPS, results are usually long-lasting, although your breasts keep changing with age and gravity. It's better to wait or think it over carefully if:

• You're planning more pregnancies: pregnancy changes can reduce or undo the lift.
• Your weight isn't stable: losing a significant amount of weight after surgery can affect how your breasts look.
• You smoke: the ASPS says candidates should be nonsmokers.
• You're doing it to please someone else: it should be your own decision.

Your surgeon makes the final call at your consultation.

Every surgery has risks, and this one does too. The ASPS lists these, among others:

• Anesthesia risks.
• Bleeding or hematoma, infection, and fluid buildup.
• Asymmetry or irregularities in breast shape.
• Changes in nipple or breast sensation, which may be temporary or permanent.
• Poor wound healing.
• Fat necrosis, meaning some of the fatty tissue under the skin dies.
• Partial or total loss of the nipple and areola.
• Deep vein thrombosis, and heart and lung complications.
• The possibility of revision surgery.

Before you decide, we go over each one with you, and you sign an informed consent form.

Before surgery, you get your pre-op tests, stop smoking, and review everything you take with your specialist: according to the ASPS, aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, and herbal supplements can increase bleeding. The ASPS also notes that you may be asked to get a baseline mammogram before surgery and another one afterward. We'll tell you what to stop taking and what to bring. You need an adult to take you home and stay with you for at least the first night.

You leave wearing a post-surgical bra, which, according to the ASPS, reduces swelling and supports your breasts while they heal. You go home with clear instructions: how to care for your incisions, which medications to take, which warning signs to watch for, and when your follow-up visit is. We see you for follow-up visits until you're cleared.