Breast ptosis
Cosmetic Surgery - Plastic Surgery - Aesthetic Medicine - Reconstructive Surgery
Breast ptosis consists of a breast that is set too low;
frequently the upper part is "displaced», with collapse of the mammary
gland and skin distension. Ptosis can be present from the time the
breasts develop and can also occur after significant weight loss or
after pregnancy with breast feeding. When it is isolated, this is pure
ptosis. But it may be associated with breast hypertrophy. Ptosis is
also observed when the breast is too small (hyperplasia or breast
hypertrophy).
Breast ptosis surgery is also called mammoplasty for ptosis. It is a
type of surgery that aims to move the drooping breast to a good
position. Surgery for breast ptosis is not supported by either the
social security or by mutual insurance. Surgery for breast ptosis may
be performed once the individual has finished growing and throughout
the entire life span.
Surgery for breast ptosis will allow two harmonious and nice shapely breasts to be obtained.
The procedure will help to remove excess skin, concentrate glandular
volume and move the gland up, then placing the areola and nipple in a
good position. To correct ptosis, the breast is reshaped by operating
on the skin envelope and glandular tissue.
The surgical procedures that allow correction of breast ptosis and
thus reshape the breast in a harmonious way vary depending on the
degree of ptosis. In all cases, the adaptation of the skin envelope
requires incising and removing skin. So there are scars located on the
breast and therefore visible. The scar may consist of three parts:
- There is usually a circular scar around the areola (periareolar).
- There is almost always a vertical scar between the lower pole of the areola and the inframmamary fold
- depending on the morphology of breast and skin elasticity, there is a horizontal scar in the inframmamary fold
In the case of very significant ptosis, the scar has three parts and, is called an inverted-T scar.
Mammoplasty for ptosis should be performed by a qualified plastic
surgeon, and it is, like any surgical procedure, performed after
preoperative assessment and consultation with an anaesthesiologist. In
this type of breast ptosis surgery, it is also necessary to undertake
breast imaging (mammography and ultrasound).
Surgery for breast ptosis is done under classic general anesthesia.
The hospital stay following mammoplasty for ptosis is about 24 to 48
hours. Surgery for breast ptosis is a procedure the duration of which
depends on the surgical work to be done by the plastic surgeon. It
usually takes between 1hr 30minutes and 3 hrs. Each surgeon uses
his/her own technique that is adjusted to each patient to get the best
result.
Following surgery for breast ptosis you should rest and avoid violent
effort because, whilst there is no real pain, you may experience some
discomfort and a feeling of tension.
The postoperative consequences of surgery for breast ptosis are
variable in duration and magnitude depending on the patient: swelling
(oedema) and ecchymoses (bruising). It takes a period of 2 to 3 months
to allow time for healing (scars are inevitable, permanent, indelible
and unpredictable) and recovery of flexibility in the tissues. A
timescale of 12 months is needed definitively to assess the scarring
and see the final outcome in the form of New Harmony in the chest.
Surgery for breast ptosis is delicate, requiring a lot of rigour and
carries all the risks associated with any medical procedure
(anaesthesia and surgery) even when carried out under the most
favourable conditions, that is to say by a competent plastic surgeon.
Without overstating the risk, a proportion of risks exist. Turning to a
qualified plastic surgeon can prevent complications or help to treat
them effectively.