Breast Lift Fort Worth (Mastopexy)
A breast lift, or mastopexy, elevates breast tissue on the chest wall, revealing a more firm, rounded, youthful breast. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, aging, and changes in weight contribute to drooping of the breast tissue over time. Stretched areolas (the pigmented area surrounding the nipple) can be resized during a breast lift as well. Depending on your breast exam and your goals, breast augmentation may be recommended in addition to your breast lift.
What symptoms and conditions are treated with a breast lift?
Breast lift is a surgery that is used to treat drooping or sagging breast tissue (breast ptosis). This includes patients who are experiencing:
- Breast ptosis (drooping breasts)
- Tubular breasts
- Breast asymmetry where one breast droops more than the other
- Sagging breasts after breast feeding
- Breasts that sag as a result of the aging process
Female Plastic Surgeon Fort Worth
- Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
- Over 12 years of experience in private practice
- Founder and Medical Director of Kirby Plastic Surgery, Kalos Medical Spa, and City Surgery Center—a Quad A-accredited, state-of-the-art facility located onsite
- Specialist in breast surgery and body contouring, including postpartum
- Castle Connolly Top Doctor since 2019
- First female Chief of Plastic Surgery, Texas Health Resources Harris Methodist Hospital
Where will my breast lift incisions (and scars) be?
Dr. Kirby can perform a variety of different techniques depending on the degree of drooping and your goals for a breast lift. The different incisions include:
“Lollipop” or Vertical Incision
One incision is made around the areola and another is placed vertically from the bottom of the areola to the inframammary fold in a “lollipop” shape. This method is best for most breast changes associated with pregnancy.
Inverted T or “Anchor” Incision
Incisions are placed around the areola, vertically from the areola to the natural breast fold, and along the inframammary fold in an “anchor” shape. This method is ideal for correcting significant sagging and for breast changes occurring after massive weight loss.
Peri-areolar or “Donut” or “Benelli” Incision
A full circle incision is made around the outer edge of the areola. This technique is most often used for mild sagging or areola resizing.
Crescent Incision
One incision is placed around part of the areola in a crescent moon shape. This technique is best for correcting minor sagging or for nipple positioning.
You and Dr. Kirby will work together to choose which technique will work best for your breast size, shape, and position.
Real patient images from Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Emily Kirby
*Individual results may vary.
Who is a good candidate for mastopexy?
To be a good candidate for a breast lift in Fort Worth, you should generally be in good health and identify with all of the following:
- You are a non-smoker or able to abstain in the weeks before and after surgery
- Your weight is stable and you are at or near your goal weight
- Your breasts appear uneven, deflated, or sagging, and you may wish to adjust the position, shape, or size of your areolas (the pigmented area around the nipple)
- You are not currently breastfeeding
Do I need a breast lift?
Video transcript
“Many women who come to the office have a pretty good idea ahead of time if they need a lift or not, some don’t. During your exam, we will talk about the different features that lead someone to want or need a lift and if augmentation is recommended at the same time. These patients often have a history of weight-loss, excessive sun exposure, smoking, or breastfeeding, or are concerned about a droop of the breast. Most of the time, augmentation and mastopexy, or lift, can be performed safely at the same time.” – Dr. Emily Kirby, board certified breast lift surgeon in Fort Worth
State of the art scar therapy for thinner, lighter scars
While breast lift scars are easily concealed by a bra or swimsuit, Dr. Kirby understands that the best-case scenario is to have scars that are hard to detect without clothing on!
To ensure that scars heal as faintly as possible, Dr. Kirby recommends Embrace® scar therapy following breast lift surgery. The only topical scar treatment FDA cleared and clinically proven to improve scar formation, Embrace involves flexible, comfortable, and breathable clear silicone strips that are placed over your healing incisions. The special tape gently contracts around your incision to reduce tension, protect and hydrate skin, and provide an optimal healing environment.
We have had great success with Embrace; patients who have used the strips as instructed have much thinner, lighter, and flatter scars in the months following breast lift surgery than they expected.
What should I expect at a breast augmentation consultation?
Video transcript
“Before your visit in our office, our patient care coordinator gives you a good idea what to expect before, during, and after your visit with us. During the consultation, we discuss your desired results. I like to chat with patients long enough that I have a good understanding of what they’re looking for so I have a good idea of what I can offer. We review medical history and family history for safety reasons. We use Touch MD to look at sample before and after pictures of similar patients and to discuss in detail recommendations for surgery. The pictures are saved to your account so you can access them later with any notes that we have made. The implants are available in all sizes to feel in our office, including the wide variety of silicone choices that are now available. Sizing is available during the consultation by trying on specially made Allergan sizing implants that give a realistic look and feel of your new breast size in person. This is something digital tools just can’t replicate. After sizing, our patient care coordinator returns to discuss any and all of the surgical options we discussed during your visit.” – Dr. Emily Kirby, board certified breast lift surgeon in Fort Worth
How long will my breast lift procedure last?
A breast lift, if performed alone, typically takes 1 to 2 hours at our private surgical center. You’ll find our surgery center much more comfortable than any hospital you’ve ever visited! Our surgical center is the only private surgical center in Fort Worth that has achieved Quad A certification.
“Dr. Kirby and her staff are absolutely incredible! What an extraordinary experience, not only with her kindness but with her determination of wanting the best outcome for me. I had a breast augmentation with a breast lift, and I could not have asked for better results…Love Dr. Kirby!”
Breast Lift (mastopexy) surgery may may be performed in combination with a Breast augmentation for optimal results, using silicone or saline implants. For healthy patients it may also be performed with other procedures like breast reduction surgery or breast reconstruction. Breast lifts are often a part of a mommy makeover or other combinations involving liposuction, abdominoplasty, or breast implants. Combining plastic surgeries takes more time in the operating room.
You can read more about Fort Worth breast augmentation and several other closely related procedures on our site, including breast lift with augmentation, breast reduction, breast implants, breast reduction, and mommy makeovers. Dr. Kirby will have a thoughtful discussion with you during any consultation and she will consider the results you want alongside the surgical options you have to get that result.
- Key Benefits
- Glossary
- Elevates sagging breasts
- Improves breast shape
- Repositions nipple-areola complex
- Reduces under-breast irritation and skin chafing
- Improves breast symmetry
- Anchor Lift: A type of breast lift that involves an anchor-shaped incision around the areola, down to the breast crease, and along the inframammary fold, suitable for most women.
- Anesthesia: Medication administered to prevent pain during surgery. There are several types, including local anesthesia, which numbs a small area; regional anesthesia, which blocks pain in a larger area; and general anesthesia, which induces sleep and relaxation.
- Areola: The pigmented skin surrounding the nipple, which can be reduced in size during a breast lift for a more proportionate appearance relative to the newly lifted and shaped breast.
- Benelli Lift (Donut Lift): A breast technique that involves a circular incision around the edge of the areola, suitable for women with minimal breast sagging and no excess skin; best for nipple-areolar repositioning
- Breast Ptosis: The medical term for sagging of the breast, which can be classified into different grades based on the position of the nipple relative to the inframammary fold, the crease underneath the breast.
- Crescent Lift: A minimal lift technique that involves a small incision running halfway around the edge of the areola, often used for patients who require a slight lift; best used for nipple-areolar repositioning.
- Inframammary Fold: The natural crease beneath the breast, where incisions may be hidden during a breast lift procedure.
- Lollipop Lift: A breast lift technique that involves incisions around the areola and vertically down from the areola to the breast crease, suitable for minimal sagging.
- Mastopexy: The medical term for the breast lift procedure, which elevates and shapes the breasts by removing a small amount of excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to reposition and support the new breast contour.
- Nipple-Areolar Complex: Refers to the nipple and the surrounding pigmented areola, which is repositioned appropriately during a breast lift to achieve a more youthful appearance.
- Recovery Time: The period after surgery during which the patient heals, including time for swelling and bruising to subside and for the breasts to settle into their new position. Recovery time can be streamlined, but not rushed.
- Scar Management: Techniques and treatments used to minimize the appearance of scars following breast reduction surgery, including scar massage, silicone treatments, gels, and laser, tox, or microneedling treatments.
- Skin Elasticity: The skin’s ability to stretch and return to its original state, an important factor in determining the long-term outcome of a breast lift.
What kind of anesthesia will I have?
Breast lift surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia for optimal comfort. It can also be done using intravenous sedation that gives you medicine through an IV in your arm that makes you drowsy. Dr. Kirby will discuss these options with you so that the best choice can be made.
City Surgery Center
Our on-site, accredited surgical suite
Instead of heading to a hospital or other public surgical facility for your procedure, you can enjoy the privacy and luxury of our on-site operating room, designed to facilitate safe, top-quality care in a spa-like setting.
How do I prepare for breast lift surgery?
Prior to any procedure, it is necessary to review medications you are taking that may affect your surgery. You may be asked to stop or adjust some medications you are on. As always, it is important to include supplements on your list of medications. Aspirin and aspirin products (Alka-Seltzer®, Carisoprodol, Excedrin®, Goody’s®, Midol®), anti-inflammatory medications (except acetaminophen, or Tylenol®), and herbal supplements must be avoided for two weeks prior to your surgery. Learn more about which medications and supplements to avoid. Dr. Kirby will discuss your medications with you.
Depending on your medical condition, you may be asked to get lab testing or a medical checkup prior to your surgery. You may also be asked to have an updated mammogram prior to your surgery if you have not had one recently.
Tobacco products impair your body’s ability to heal. You will be asked to stop smoking for 6 weeks prior to any surgery. Tobacco step-down products such as chewing gum and Nicoderm continue to provide your body with nicotine and must be stopped as well. Please ask Dr. Kirby if you will need assistance with quitting.
Be sure to arrange for a responsible adult to drive you to and from your surgery. You will need someone to stay with you the night following your surgery as well.
You will receive specific instructions for your surgery day from Dr. Kirby’s office.
“Dr.Kirby made me feel extremely confident and at ease the procedure I was needing would be a success! She is very informative and explains everything in detail, she is extremely knowledgeable!! Dr. Kirby truly cares about her patients. I’m six weeks post op and couldn’t be happier with my breast reduction & lift- I look and feel amazing!”
What are the risks?
Your decision to undergo breast lift (mastopexy) surgery is a personal decision and should be made with a full understanding of the benefits and potential complications. Breast lifts are plastic surgery procedures that involve some risks that you should consider. Most breast lift incisions are made in areas that are visible on the bare breast, resulting in scars that are not visible under clothing. A few breast lift techniques disguise the scars in hidden areas. Ask Dr. Kirby if you are a candidate for this type of procedure. Other risks are bleeding, infection, contour irregularities, skin discoloration, asymmetry and permanently altered sensation in the nipple and/or other areas of the breast. Although good results are expected, there is no guarantee. In some situations, it may not be possible to achieve optimal results with a single surgical procedure and another surgery may be necessary.
What will recovery be like?
Immediately after surgery, you will be able to notice a change in your breasts. You will also notice that you have quite a bit of swelling that will decrease over the next few weeks. You should expect to have some soreness and possibly some temporary changes in sensation as well. You will be asked to wear a supportive or surgical bra following surgery as your breasts heal from the procedure. Dr. Kirby will discuss with you when your dressings will be removed and when to return for a post-operative visit.
Depending on your job, you can expect to return to work in 7 to 10 days. More strenuous activity, however, cannot be resumed until 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. You will be directed on scar massage techniques or Embrace scar therapy by Dr. Kirby and her team when the timing is appropriate.
References »
Hidalgo DA, Spector JA. Mastopexy. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2013 Oct;132(4):642e-656e. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31829fe4b4.
W. Grant Stevens, David A. Stoker, Mark E. Freeman, Suzanne M. Quardt, Elliot M. Hirsch, Mastopexy Revisited: A Review of 150 Consecutive Cases for Complication and Revision Rates, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Volume 27, Issue 2, March 2007, Pages 150–154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asj.2006.12.014
Pferdehirt R, Nahabedian MY. Finesse in Mastopexy and Augmentation Mastopexy. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2021 Sep 1;148(3):451e-461e. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000008303.
W. Grant Stevens, Michelle Spring, David A. Stoker, Mark E. Freeman, Robert Cohen, Suzanne M. Quardt, Elliot M. Hirsch, A Review of 100 Consecutive Secondary Augmentation/Mastopexies, Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Volume 27, Issue 5, September 2007, Pages 485–492, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asj.2007.07.003
Stahl S, Santos Stahl A, Feng YS, Estler A, Swoboda K, Buiculescu F, Seabra Robalo Gomes Jorge AC. Enhanced Recovery After Aesthetic Breast Surgery Under Sedation, Intercostal Block and Tumescent Anaesthesia: A Prospective Cohort Study of the Early Postoperative Phase. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2023 Jun;47(3):979-997. doi: 10.1007/s00266-022-03214-w.
At Kirby Plastic Surgery, we use Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), also known as “multimodal analgesia”, protocols to minimize your recovery, and we see real results: our patients experience less nausea, and feel more alert, mobile, and comfortable after their procedures.
“I had very hard recoveries in the past…it took me weeks to get back to caring for my family. With Dr. Kirby, I had a wonderful recovery and was back to my activities surprisingly quickly. Don’t tell the doctor, but I was at my child’s sporting event the day after my surgery, and I felt great!”
—Real patient of Dr. Kirby
What areas do you serve?
Texas is a big state! Some of our patients travel great distances to see us and we welcome you if you are considering cosmetic surgery and need an experienced plastic surgeon. Most of our patients come from the general Forth Worth and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area, including Grapevine and Southlake, Arlington, Colleyville, Denton, Haltom City, Weatherford and Granbury.
Call today to book your consultation with Dr. Emily J. Kirby- Discuss your goals and concerns with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
- Obtain a unique female perspective
- Review convenient financing options
- Call or TEXT (817) 292-4200 or contact us today!
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Emily J. Kirby — Updated on Apr 10, 2024