Breast Lift in Tampa, FL

The feminine form has been celebrated through the ages, but not all women individually feel like celebrating their bodies. Whether through genetics, childbirth, age, or weight loss, a woman’s body–especially her breasts–goes through a lot in life. Some women have droopy breasts naturally, perhaps due to genetics. Sagging breasts may be a result of pregnancy and breastfeeding or weight fluctuations. Naturally, age plays a large role in breasts drooping, with gravity a contributing factor. No matter the cause, a breast lift or mastopexy can restore the breasts to their youthful position, creating a more perky, pleasing result.

What Is a Breast Lift?

A breast lift, or mastopexy, is a cosmetic procedure that addresses excess skin and tightens the breast tissue. In a personal consultation with Dr. Joshua Halpern, patients can explore a range of options available to them to lift their breasts, reposition the nipples, and restore a more perky appearance. Dr. Halpern has invented the HALPERN breast marker, which is used by plastic surgeons nationally and internationally.

He also invented the 3D Recruitment Lift. In this lift, Dr. Halpern preserves the majority portion of the skin and incorporates it to help add volume and improve the shape of the breast. In addition, the scars are noticeably shorter.

There are a number of methods that Dr. Halpern can choose from to customize the lift to the specific patient: the full lift (3D Recruitment Lift), lollipop lift, donut lift, and inferior lift. Dr. Halpern also incorporates his Finesse Technique®, which he developed. This helps to minimize post operative pain. It is not uncommon for patients not to take pain pills after surgery.

What Are the Benefits of a Breast Lift?

Restoring your breasts to a youthful position by eliminating loose skin that causes sagging is probably the most noticeable benefit of a breast lift. Other benefits of a breast lift include:

• Lifted, perky breasts
• An improved shape to drooping or pendulous breasts
• The nipple-areola complex is repositioned to a more pleasing place on the breast
• The nipples can be reduced in size if needed
• Many patients feel empowered and have boosted confidence after their breast lift

Am I a Candidate for a Breast Lift?

Patients seeking a breast lift have some degree of breast ptosis (drooping) due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, weight fluctuations, large breasts, or aging. While these are all natural changes to a woman’s body, most patients want to return to their youthful, perky appearance with a breast lift. Candidates should also:

• Want to lift and reshape drooping or sagging breasts
• May want to reposition downward-pointing nipples
• Be generally in good health
• Have realistic expectations for their results
• Be nonsmokers, or be willing to quit

If you are interested in a breast lift and want to see if you are a candidate, call us today at (813) 872-2696 or fill out our contact form to schedule a consultation with Dr. Halpern.

Can I Combine My Breast Lift with Other Procedures?

It is important to understand the limits of what a lift can achieve. If a patient is looking to come out of the surgery with significantly smaller breasts, she might consider a breast reduction. If she is looking for more fullness in the upper part of her breasts, she may want to consider an implant as well. There are several options available, which is why it is important to be open with Dr. Halpern and to look at his before and after pictures. Popular combination procedures include:

Breast Lift with Augmentation

A breast lift alone cannot restore lost volume or increase a woman’s bust size if she has naturally small breasts. If you have both breast sagging (ptosis) and a loss of volume, combining your breast lift with augmentation via breast implants can help lift and rejuvenate the breasts while also creating a rounded, voluptuous result.

Breast Lift with Autologous Fat Transfer

Patients who desire both a rejuvenating lift and a natural-looking, subtle increase in breast volume can benefit from combining their breast lifts with a natural breast augmentation via autologous fat transfer. Dr. Halpern may recommend performing the two procedures in sequence, performing the breast lift first and then, at a later date, harvesting fat through liposuction and reinjecting it into the breast tissue for a subtle, realistic breast augmentation.

Breast Reduction

If you have naturally large breasts that are heavy, pendulous, and appear to be sagging due to their weight, you may be a candidate for a breast reduction. During this procedure, Dr. Halpern performs a lift and reduction at the same time, removing excess skin, fat, and glandular tissue, for smaller, more manageable breasts that rest higher on the chest in a perky, pleasing result.

Why Should I Choose Dr. Halpern for a Breast Lift in Tampa?

Dr. Joshua Halpern utilizes The Finesse Technique® in his breast lift surgeries. This allows patients to have a mostly bloodless, mostly painless surgery experience, with quicker healing and recovery.

Dr. Halpern also utilizes his Halpern Breast Marker for this procedure, an instrument he designed, which is used by plastic surgeons around the world to mark breast lifts with more accuracy and thus achieve more symmetrical results versus more traditional techniques. Unlike some other plastic surgeons, he also sews the patient up himself from the inside out, not allowing his assistants in the OR to sew and not using staples to close the wound, all for a more beautiful result.

What Can I Expect From the Breast Lift Procedure?

Your breast lift will be fully customized to your unique needs, goals, and anatomy. Dr. Halpern may use different techniques, depending on how severe your breast sagging is. Your breast lift will involve one of the following incision types:

• Donut or Benelli lift for minimal droopiness. The incision is made around the nipple-areolar complex.
• Vertical lift for moderate droopiness.
• Anchor or full lift for extensive droopiness.
• Dr. Joshua Halpern’s 3D Recruitment Lift.

Breast lifts are performed as outpatient procedures under general anesthesia. On the day of surgery, Dr. Halpern will mark the locations where your incisions will be. You will then be placed under anesthesia, and Dr. Halpern will begin the surgery.

Dr. Halpern will lift the breast tissue, repositioning it into a higher position on the chest. He will also remove excess skin and reposition the nipple to a more pleasing position. If you have combined your breast lift with breast augmentation, he will also insert the breast implants at this time. Once he is satisfied with the results, he will carefully close the incisions.

What Is Breast Lift Recovery Like?

Most patients are surprised by how good they feel after surgery. Patients go home in a soft surgical bra. Even though everyone is different, many of Dr. Halpern’s patients do not take pain pills after surgery; it is not uncommon for them to return to work up to five days after surgery. Dr. Halpern attributes this to his Finesse Technique®. Patients can work out and return to the gym three weeks after surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions About Breast Lifts

How much does a breast lift cost in Tampa, FL?

The cost of a breast lift in Tampa, FL, will vary depending on the amount of necessary revision, the technique used, and whether you have combined procedures or not. Once you have discussed your goals and needs for your breast lift during your consultation with Dr. Halpern, he will be happy to provide you with an accurate cost estimate.

Will I have scars after my breast lift?

Yes, any time there is an incision made on the body, there is a possibility of scarring. The extent of your scars, however, will depend on a number of factors, including your propensity for scarring, your scar aftercare, and the location of your incisions. While smaller incisions for this procedure do result in smaller scars, the choice of incision location really depends on the amount of ptosis you have and how much you wish to revise. Unlike some other surgeons, Dr. Halpern sutures his patients himself.

Dr. Halpern is a highly rated and experienced plastic surgeon, and he will make every effort to reduce your risk of scarring by making precise incisions and sutures. He will also advise you on the location of your incisions during your consultation and can help you make the best decision for your needs and goals.

What happens if I get pregnant after my breast lift?

While pregnancy does not necessarily negate the results of your breast lift, it is a strong possibility that through size fluctuations and breastfeeding, your breasts and nipples may once again become droopy or misshapen.

To avoid subsequent surgery, we advise our patients to wait until they are finished having children before undergoing breast lift surgery.

Interested in a Breast Lift in Tampa, FL?

If you want to restore your breasts to their perky, youthful appearance with a breast lift, call (813) 872-2696 or fill out our contact form to schedule a complimentary consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Halpern.