Breast Lift: help for natural or excessive sagging

Some women come to us with what they think is a relatively uncommon request, "can you put my breasts back where they were?" It is one of the most common issue we help solve.

Breast lift is a procedure the can be done in many ways, adapted to each woman's requests. Provide more projection, cleavage, upper pole fullness. Restore the nipples to the front of the breasts. Move the glandular tissue back to the upper chest (and off the lower ribs). There a variety of ways surgeons use to accomplish these goals.

As plastic surgeons, we want to achieve the best look and function with the least visible incision scars. All breast lifts leave a scar around the areola (except when a woman's goals can be accomplished by implant augmentation alone - no actual lift). When doing a small amount of tightening of the lower gland, a vertical incision is needed. This may be called the vertical mastopexy, key-hole, or lollipop pattern. When there is even more looseness of the gland or skin, we also remove an ellipse of skin beneath the breast, so that this scar is hidden along the inframammary (under-breast) fold. This scar pattern is called the inverted-T or Wise pattern. The latter is most often used when reducing the size of large, heavy breasts.

Numerous visual examples are provided in our gallery, which is updated regularly. http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/breast-lift-mastopexy-4796

For more information, see our website at http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/breast-lift-reduction.html

Sutton Graham, MD, FACS is an experienced, trusted, board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast and cosmetic surgery. His practice serves South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Breast Lift Quality in South Carolina; With or Without Implants

Sutton Graham, MD, FACS has an excellent reputation in our region for quality breast lift (mastopexy) surgery.

We have the pleasure of treating a variety of women seeking breast lift. For example, many women are healthy and active following child-bearing and breast-feeding. They look good in many of their clothes, but need effective bra support to maintain attractive breast shape. They have trouble wearing bathing suits, sundresses, plain tee-shirts, gowns and evening wear; all because they feel they need good support.

Breast lift can change that. You can look better when your outfit is braless, or look even better wearing a bra. Firm support will be unnecessary. Finally, after a breast lift, you will find that sports bras give you more effective support and comfort when jogging, playing tennis, or other vigorous sports.

Another common breast lift patient is a woman who has succeeded in loosing considerable excess weight. She may have done this by diet & exercise, or weight-loss (bariatric) surgery. While she may be pleased with her slimmer physique, she may report dramatic loss of breast shape. Mastopexy breast lift is capable of removing large amounts of loose skin, while preserving all natural breast glandular tissue.


Many breast lift patients want a lift and a larger breast size. Mastopexy is often combined with augmentation (implants). This can give an excellent youthful look to your breasts. It can restore pre-pregnancy breast size and shape. Or it may improve on what you already have.

Breast lift operations are designed to preserve your nipple and areola sensation. There may be temporary decreases, but normal sensation usually returns, with most procedures. Similarly, women usually maintain the ability to breast-feed, although breast lift is not commonly indicated before having children. We will recommend the procedure that gives you the least scar, most effective improvement, and maintains safety. We usually recommend 5-7 days off work, and 3 weeks before resuming exercise work-outs. We'll advise you about shopping for new bras, etc. Breast lift plus tummy tuck or liposuction may be referred to as a "mommy make-over."

Our procedures are performed in our nationally accredited office surgical facility, with a board-certified physician (MD) anesthesiologist. Our nurses and staff are very experienced in caring for and advising breast lift patients, and they'll make your recovery smooth. We think you'll say we provide the best surgery experience you'll ever have.

For more information, check our website http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/breast-lift-reduction.html#breast-lift. There you'll find an extensive before & after photo gallery. You'll also find a link to our E-mail (info@expertplasticsurgeon.com). We would love to hear from you!

Sutton Graham, MD, FACS is an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast and cosmetic surgery. The Aesthetic Center serves patients throughout South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.

Breast lift in South Carolina by Dr. Sutton Graham

In South Carolina, a very common patient request is breast lift. Women consult Dr. Graham about changes they have gone through. Their breasts have changed by their 30's to 40's, due to having children, nursing children, loosing weight, or simply time & gravity. They notice how good they look in supportive bras, but not without good support. They notice how sports bras and tight, fitted clothing flattens the breast. We often hear, "I'm only 30 and my breasts look like my grandmother's." (My apologies to beautiful grandmothers everywhere.)

Several before & after examples can be seen at our photo gallery: http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/breast-lift-mastopexy-4796

Mastopexy means to lift or tack up the breast. It is the operation we perform to improve breast sagging. There are a variety of types based on the issues that patients are experiencing. Mastopexy does not make breasts larger or smaller because it preserves your natural breast tissue. Only skin is removed.

If we simply remove skin above a low areola and nipple, the operation is called peri-areolar mastopexy. If we remove some of the loose skin beneath the breast, the operation is called a vertical-pattern, key-hole, or lollipop mastopexy. If we remove more skin from the breast, the operation is called a standard or Wise-pattern mastopexy. Incisions will fade over time and can be easily covered under swim suits, bra tops, plunging necklines, etc.

In addition to the skin removal, important internal tightening is done. The breast gland tissue and normal fat is often suspended or supported internally to improve breast projection and upper pole fullness. Many patients request the addition of a breast implant to increase breast size and enhance projection and fullness. Some patients request a size decrease, removal of a portion of their breast tissue. This is called a breast reduction. When a patient has two different sized breasts, different procedures improve symmetry.

If you are interested in more information, and live in the Greenville / Spartanburg / Asheville / Anderson / Columbia areas, please call 864-676-1707 or send an e-mail through our website. http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/breast-lift-reduction.html

Breast + Tummy (times 30s - 40s) = Mommy Make-0ver: That's the formula

Families cherish their children. Their birth brings us innumerable joys. Pregnancy also effects women's bodies in many ways. Sometimes there are minimal visible after-effects, however women with more pronounced changes consult Dr. Graham to improve their situation.

Breast size, shape and firmness can change. For some women, breasts become much larger and uncomfortable; breast reduction is in order. For others, breasts sag, become much smaller, and loose their firm texture. In these situations clothes don't fit well. It becomes harder to find dresses, summer tops, and bathing suits that flatter the figure. Breast lift (mastopexy) or breast augmentation (implants) can help these situations. The two may be combined, known as augmentation mastopexy. Some of our patients tell us they look better than they did before children! http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/breast-lift-reduction.html#breast-lift

We are impressed by how trim, toned and fit some celebrities look after bearing children, but we know they have the best help and perhaps PhotoShop enhancement. Normal women's abdomens become stretched by pregnancies, some with prominent stretch marks (known as striae). Metabolism changes and body fat accumulates in different places such as the central / lower tummy and the "love handles" or flanks and iliac regions.

Liposuction addresses localised fat that does not respond to diet and exercise. It can produce great improvement when skin elasticity is good. http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/body.html#liposuction

Tummy tuck is also known as abdominoplasty - reshaping the abdomen. It is capable of removing stretch marks, removing loose (even overhanging) skin, tightening lax muscle tone, improving posture, and excising fat from the lower abdomen. There are modifications of the tummy tuck in which the incision is smaller and the skin and fat removal are less, for selected patients. http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/tummy-tuck.html

In conclusion, breast plus tummy (in your thirties or forties) equals mommy make-over. Therefore symbolically, B + T (30 - 40) = MMO
http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/tummy-tuck-abdominoplasty-4814/case-3-10730-16337

Dr. Graham frequently performs both breast enhancement and tummy procedures at our nationally accredited surgical facility in Greenville, SC. We serve patients from Columbia to Asheville and Charlotte to Atlanta. Upstate South Carolina, Western North Carolina, Northeast Georgia.

Mommy Make-over is such a cute term: thoughts by Sutton Graham, MD

I don't know came up with the term, but it is certainly cleaver, "mommy-make-over." For over 15 years, we have been addressing women's concerns about their post-pregnancy changes (post-partum) with a variety of solutions for the breast and body, plus measures for the facial pigmentation, etc.

We have solutions for the breast sagging, loss of breast firmness, decrease or unwanted increase in breast size, stretch marks, loose tummy skin, loose tummy muscles, indented c-section scars, new fat accumulations about the hips, thighs, abdomen and buttocks.

Mommy make-over isn't a particular operation, but rather a combination of procedures to address each woman's concerns. They are done as an out-patient and you recover at home with you family and friends. Special anesthesia techniques are used to minimize discomfort and speed recovery.

Dr. Graham address the tummy by non-surgical skin tightening, stretch mark removal, liposuction, short-scar abdominoplasty, standard tummy tuck, and often adds liposuction of the love handles. These can reshape the torso, define the waist, flatten the stomach, firm abdominal tone, and smooth the skin. http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/tummy-tuck.html

He addresses the breast by implant augmentation, breast lift alone, breast lift with implants (augmentation mastopexy). If pregnancies have left you with uncomfortably larger breasts, then we offer breast reduction (standard of shot-scar techniques). http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/augmentation.html

Patients love our independent, private office and nationally accredited office surgical facility located on Halton Road in Greenville, SC. They come to us from throughout Upstate South Carolina, Western North Carolina and Georgia. Take a photo tour of our office by this link: http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/about.html#office-tour

We welcome you and look forward to hearing from you.

Breast Lift / Mastopexy in Greenville, South Carolina, by Dr. Sutton Graham

One of the most common concerns women bring to our practice is sagging or drooping of their breasts. Often they report starting with nice breasts, but time, pregnancies and breast feeding have caused their breasts to loose their once-perky contour. Sometimes, this has been associated with loosing volume in their breasts too.

Down-ward pointing nipples, flattening of the upper contour, loss of upper fullness, hanging skin, etc. We hear about not being able to find attractive bathing suits (needing more support), not being able to wear sundresses or other tops that lack support, looking saggy or older, etc.

Breast lift surgery can be a solution. You achieve more youthful contour, better projection, more upper fullness, and less breast hanging onto your upper ribcage. And the nipples can point forward again. If you have lost volume or want more fullness, a moderate sized breast implant can be added as well. (Known as mastopexy with augmentation)

The procedure is done as an out-patient, with return to work in 4-7 days for most patients. You can resume work-outs in about 3 weeks. Healing takes place over time and scars fade over several months (you can see this in the photo above).


For more information follow the links to our website or our photo gallery.
http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/photogallery/breast-lift-mastopexy-4796
http://www.expertplasticsurgeon.com/html/breast-lift-reduction.html

The Aesthetic Center for Breast & Cosmetic Surgery has an excellent reputation for attractive breast lifts, breast augmentation, breast implants, breast reduction, correction of uneven breasts, and major weight loss (bariatric surgery) breast restoration. We assist patients from South and North Carolina, Georgia, and the surrounding areas. Major cities include Greenville, Asheville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Columbia, and Greenwood.

Silicone Breast Implant Update

A recently published Danish study of 190 implant patients, with 19 years follow-up showed 62% with contracture however the majority reported satisfaction and evaluated themselves positively. (Ann Plast Surg 2007;59:597-604). This corresponds to my experience doing revision procedures (replacement of gel with saline implants, breast lift [mastopexy], etc.). My practice uses saline implants for both initial augmentation and secondary procedures on patients with prior / old implants desiring another operation.