Level 4, 18 North Tce, Adelaide SA

Breast Lift


A Mastopexy, otherwise known as a breast lift, is a skin only breast reduction to raise and tighten the breast. Over time, a number of factors can influence your breasts shape and volume, including weight loss, breastfeeding and the loss of skin laxity as a result of the natural ageing prosses. Mastopexy surgery may be a suitable option for those looking to correct these changes and alter the shape and position of their breasts, rather than alter their size.

Commonly, a breast lift can also be combined with another breast procedure to help achieve your desired breast results. By combining a mastopexy with a breast implant or fat grafting, your surgeon can tighten any excess skin as well as increase your breast volume. Similarly, if you are looking to reduce your breast size, you may consider having a breast reduction as well as a lift. Mastopexy can also be performed to help correct asymmetrical breasts resulting from unequal development, or to help match a natural breast with one that’s been reconstructed.

With over 150 years of knowledge and experience collectively, the Specialist Plastic Surgeons supported by Adelaide Plastic Surgery, have the skills and expertise to approach each patient journey uniquely, specific to your individual needs. If you’re considering breast surgery, the surgeons would be pleased to discuss your options in an initial consultation.

Procedure Video

Further Information

The Procedure and Surgical Techniques

The locations of incisions and the placement of implants will depend on your surgeon’s preferences and recommendations. The Specialist Plastic Surgeons generally prefer the ‘inframammary approach’ for incision sites, which is an incision in the fold of skin under the breast. The breast implant can be positioned either:

  • Between the breast tissue and the chest muscle
  • Behind the large chest muscle, called the pectoralis
  • Partially behind the chest muscle, or the ‘dual plane’ technique

Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and will eventuate in slightly varied final outcomes. These options can be discussed in your consultation, where your surgeon can recommend a technique best suited to your individual preferences. For further information on the procedure, we highly recommend you watch the animated video on our website, which outlines Breast Augmentation surgery in more detail.

Hospital Stay and Anaesthesia

For reasons of patient safety, this procedure is always performed under a general anaesthetic with an anaesthetist present. Surgery can take place as a day procedure but in some instances an overnight stay is required. Your plastic surgeon will discuss your choices in your initial consultation and determine which option is best for you.

Your Consultation

In order to keep your consultation as smooth and efficient as possible, we ask that you please bring all relevant documentation with you on the day. This includes your referral letter, Medicare card, private health insurance details, any third party or return to work insurance information, and any relevant scans i.e. x-ray or ultrasounds.

During your initial consultation with your Specialist Plastic Surgeon, you will have an extended opportunity to discuss expectations and desired outcomes. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the procedure.

You will then meet with one of our experienced breast care nurses, where you will have clinical images taken in our blue room as a before and after reference for both yourself and your surgeon (please note that all our images are confidential and are stored securely online pursuant to the current privacy act). During this time, you will also have measurements taken and sometimes will be fitted with a post-operative bra.

The final stage involves meeting with your surgeon’s personal assistant. You will be given an in-depth quote, outlining the surgeon, hospital and anaesthetist fees, along with some take home information on your procedure.

There is a lot of information to take in after your first consultation. We encourage our patients to go home and discuss their procedure with loved ones and come back for a second visit. We find patients almost always come back with additional questions they hadn’t previously thought of, and this second visit allows you to go into your surgery feeling confident and fully informed about your procedure.

We recommend that you allow an hour for this consultation. Please keep this in mind when organising parking so that you don’t feel the need to rush.

Before Your Procedure

There are a number of things you can start to implement before your procedure, to encourage a smooth recovery and ensure you are as comfortable as possible post-surgery.

It is important that you:

  • Exercise, having good physical health will significantly help your recovery process
  • Are not currently pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Provide a complete medical history for your specialist plastic surgeon, including all current medications, as some may need to be stopped prior to surgery.
  • Quit smoking
  • Because you’re having general anaesthesia, it is important that you pre-arrange someone to transport you too and from your surgery, as well as stay with you 48 hours after returning home.
  • Ensure you follow pre-operative instructions, such as fasting times, or your procedure may have to be cancelled.
  • We recommend having plenty of loose comfortable clothing that is easy to get in and out of post-surgery i.e. zip through jackets.>/li>
  • Prepare your recovery area! You’ll want to have everything you need to recover easily accessible and within arm’s reach. We suggest comfortable pillows, icepacks, prescribed medications, emergency contact details, a phone, as well as things to keep you entertained.

Recovery

Recovery time is highly individual and your time frame for recovery will vary depending on your individual surgery details, the nature of your employment and your overall level of health. Your surgeon will discuss this with you prior to surgery, and it is important to allow yourself the recommended recovery time. Vigorous activity and exercise should be avoided for the first six weeks, however gentle walking is encouraged after the first week.

On discharge, you will be given specific postoperative instructions to facilitate recovery, and a follow-up appointment will be made with your plastic surgeon. These instructions will cover everything you will need to know in order to make your recovery as smooth and comfortable as possible.

Post-surgery it is common to have some bruising and swelling, as well as a feeling of tightness across your chest. This is perfectly normal, and typically resolves within the first two weeks, however can persist for up to a month. A tape dressing is applied across the incision lines. You can shower as usual, leaving the tape intact. Pat the tape dry with a towel or blow dry with a hairdryer on a cool setting. If the tape comes off before your next appointment leave you can call us to arrange another appointment earlier with our nurses. Do not swim or have a bath during this time.

You may be required to wear your bra day and night for up to six weeks from the day of your surgery. The bra helps control the bruising and swelling, gives you support and helps reduce your pain. Patients often purchase two post-operative bras, to allow one to be laundered while the other is worn.

A plastic tube may be inserted into each breast to drain off any excess fluid. These will remain in place until the drainage is minimal, and are removed by a nurse usually a day or two after your surgery. Your sutures will be removed on day 10–14, occasionally half the sutures are removed and then the other half removed the following week, unless your surgeon has used dissolvable sutures.

We are dedicated to supporting you to make a swift, uncomplicated recovery. A 24/7 on-call medical assistance service is available for all post-operative patients.

View post-operation information here

Ready to book an initial consultation?


If you are ready to book your initial consultation, please book online or call us to book with one of our helpful team members. We’ll be pleased to help you start your journey.

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