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Mastopexy
Mastopexy surgery is a procedure performed to correct breast sagging that occurs over time due to gravity. Also known as breast lift or breast reshaping surgery, mastopexy is a safe operation that any woman concerned about sagging breasts can undergo, and its results are highly satisfying. You can check the questions and answers below for detailed information about mastopexy surgery.
Mastopexy is a breast lift surgery. It is performed to make sagging breasts firm, upright, and well-shaped.
The firmness or sagging of breast tissue is determined by the position of the nipple. Contrary to popular belief, whether breast tissue is sagging or not is not a relative visual concept, but rather a mathematically measurable phenomenon. The concepts of ptosis (sagging) and firmness are surgical terms. They are determined by the location of the nipple. Ideally, the nipple should be roughly 19-21 cm below the collarbone. The height of the patient is also a determining factor in this measurement. Another measurement is the distance from the nipple to the inframammary fold. Depending on the size of the breast, this distance is expected to be a maximum of 10 cm, though around 7 cm is ideal. Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the nipple should be positioned slightly above the level of the inframammary fold and angled slightly upward by about 20 degrees. For breasts outside these measurements, we can say there is sagging that needs to be surgically corrected. However, in normal breast anatomy, the upper pole is always less full than the lower pole. This is normal breast structure. Mistakenly, this appearance is often defined as sagging. Upper pole fullness can only be achieved with silicone breast implants. Breast lift surgery may not always create upper fullness; most of the time, the natural breast tissue is insufficient for this. A breast structure where the nipple is in the correct position but the lower fullness is more prominent is defined as pseudo-sagging (pseudoptosis). These types of breasts are classified as pseudoptotic. These concepts are frequently confused.
For breasts to be categorized as "sagging", the nipple generally needs to be more than 22 cm down from the collarbone. However, the patient's height is also important here. If a person is shorter, even 20 cm can create a sagging appearance. True ptosis (sagging) is present if the nipple lies below the inframammary fold level and points downward. Emptiness in the upper breast alone does not mean breast sagging. Often, for satisfying results, silicone implants should also be included in the surgery, as upper fullness can only be provided with silicone implants.
The surgery is performed in a hospital setting under general anesthesia. The method used during surgery varies depending on the degree of breast sagging. If sagging is minimal and a 1-2 cm correction is sufficient, the surgery can be performed around the areola. In this case, scars remain only around the nipple area. This procedure is called CIRCUMAREOLAR MASTOPEXY (periareolar lift). If slightly more correction is needed, an incision around the nipple and along the vertical midline may be sufficient; this is called VERTICAL MASTOPEXY. Depending on the size of the breast, a short or long inframammary fold incision can be added, known as ANCHOR / INVERTED T-SCAR MASTOPEXY. This last procedure crosses over into breast reduction territory. While the boundary between them is subtle, technically more tissue is removed in reduction and no implant is inserted.
Dissolvable sutures are usually used in these surgeries. Over time, these scars fade and become barely noticeable. When examining our post-operative patients over time, we observe that the scars fade significantly. We can state that after approximately 1 year, the scars will have largely faded.
Mastopexy surgery takes approximately 2 to 3 hours, depending on the planned procedure.
During consultation, rough sketches can demonstrate how the breasts will look after surgery. This is usually sufficient and satisfying for patients. Additionally, from our patient archive, a visual case similar to your own breast structure can be shown to demonstrate what the post-surgery outcome looks like.
Aside from standard general surgery and anesthesia risks, there are no specific extra risks.
Before any surgery requiring general anesthesia, routine laboratory tests are performed. If the patient has any known chronic illness, additional targeted tests may be requested. Specifically for breast surgery, as the general structure of the breast will change with mastopexy, a pre-operative BREAST ULTRASOUND examination is recommended. This is important for the patient's long-term breast health monitoring.
When the nipple is in the correct position but the breast tissue below the nipple is fuller at the bottom rather than the top, this is called pseudoptosis (false sagging). This appearance can create the illusion that the breasts are sagging, when in fact it is a normal anatomical variation. Sagging is measured by the position of the nipple, so this condition is not technically classified as breast ptosis. However, individuals dissatisfied with this appearance can certainly opt for aesthetic procedures.
In cases where the distance between your collarbone and nipple is more than 22 cm, correcting sagging through exercise is unfortunately not possible. Mastopexy surgery is required.
Yes, long-term use of a supportive bra is a factor that helps prevent or delay sagging.
For breast sagging to occur in men, the individual usually must be significantly overweight, have experienced major weight loss, or suffer from severe gynecomastia. To resolve breast sagging, mastopexy surgery can also be performed on men. In conjunction, gynecomastia surgery may also be required.
Women experiencing breast sagging after pregnancy and breastfeeding should consider mastopexy surgery. Breast lift / reshaping surgery is essentially the only effective solution to correct breast sagging.
Although the recovery time varies from person to person, it is on average 2 weeks.
The results of aesthetic surgery are long-lasting. Over the years, the nipple may descend at most 1 cm down. Major recurring sagging is unlikely to happen. However, breast tissue may shift downward slightly over time, and upper pole fullness may decrease. If an implant was used, it may settle slightly lower over time, but these changes are generally minimal and easily tolerable. This is a process that occurs over many years, and maintaining a stable weight can delay it further.
For pricing information regarding mastopexy surgery, you can contact us at +90 534 888 99 16 or via our Instagram account. You can click here to visit our Instagram account.