If you are satisfied with the size of your breasts but wish to restore a more youthful contour, you may be a candidate for a breast lift also called a mastopexy. If you have lost volume in your breasts you may also consider having breast implants inserted during breast lift surgery.

While a breast lift can be performed at any age it is recommended that the procedure be undertaken only when breast development has stopped. Childbirth and breast-feeding can have a significant effect on the size and shape of your breasts. Though some women decide to have their breasts lifted before having children, you should discuss any plans to breast-feed with Dr. McLean.

In assessing you as a candidate for breast lift surgery, Dr. McLean will carefully check the first size and shape of your breasts, the quality of your skin, and the placement of the nipples and areolas. Dr. McLean may suggest that you stabilize your weight before having surgery.

This day surgery procedure is performed at the clinic, usually under a general anaesthetic making it painless. You go home an hour or two after the surgery ends.

All breast lifts require incisions to remove the excessive skin and to move up the nipple which has fallen too low. Therefore there are scars. Mildly sagging breasts can sometimes be filled out with implants to avoid the scars of a lift. There are several variations to the incisions used for breast lift. The traditional method of lifting the breast uses 3 incisions: one around the areola, the second vertically from the bottom edge of the areola to the crease under the breast and the third along the natural curve of the breast crease. A "vertical" lift may require only the first two of these incisions, and a "periareolar" lift may use only the one around the areola. The more significantly the breast sags, the more extensive the incisions have to be for adequate correction.

Several days after surgery you will be able to move about comfortably. You will be instructed to wear a bra for a few weeks, until the swelling and discoloration of your breasts diminishes. Incisions will be red for many months following surgery. After breast lift surgery, it is often possible to return to work within just a week or two depending on the extent of the procedure. Normal activities can be resumed after several weeks.