We’ve talked a bit about saline and silicone breast implants. And then there’s the breast reduction, which is often a medical necessity.
But what about breast lifts? You may wonder how it differs from implants or breast augmentation. Well, a breast lift, also called a mastopexy, is an entirely different procedure.
To understand how it works, Dr. Popp said to think conceptually. He noted the breast can be visualized as a bag of skin filled with fat and breast tissue, also called glandular tissue.
“For a woman who bore children, breast fed or lost a lot of weight, the contents of the skin sack may decrease or disappear,” Dr. Popp said. “Sometimes, the remaining skin doesn’t contract around the volume that’s left.”
In a breast lift, the doctor reduces the skin envelope around the fat and breast tissue inside. This makes the skin envelope fit more snugly.
Breast lift confusion
Dr. Popp said the breast lift can be confused with a breast reduction. In that procedure, Popp reduces the skin envelope but also removes some of the fat and glandular tissue.
“A reduction removes volume and the skin envelope around it so it fits more snugly to the new volume you create,” Dr. Popp said.
Breast reductions generally are done because the women involved have large, painful breasts. He said the skin retracts 99 percent of the time when volume’s removed.
For breast augmentation, Dr. Popp builds up volume in the skin envelope to better fit inside.
Combination of choices
He said many women do a combination of these procedures, but he doesn’t do breast lifts anymore.
“There are a lot of scarring issues with breast lifts, so I usually refer those to other plastic surgeons if someone really wants them,” he said.
Not sure which type of breast procedure you need? Schedule your free consultation with Dr. Popp at 402-391-4558.
