Rediscover a silhouette that reflects your inner vitality and confidence. Dr. De La Cruz combines advanced breast lift techniques with a meticulous surgical approach to ensure your results are beautifully proportional and naturally elegant.
The natural aging process, including the effects of gravity, heredity, and time, can often lead to a loss of breast firmness and shape. Whether these changes were accelerated by significant weight loss, pregnancy, or breastfeeding, a breast lift (mastopexy) offers a sophisticated way to intervene. This surgical procedure is designed to reposition the breast tissue, restoring the uplifted contour and youthful volume that may have diminished over the years.
At De La Cruz Plastic Surgery, we recognize that every woman’s body tells a unique story. Whether your breasts have changed due to motherhood, aging, or weight loss, the decision to undergo breast lift surgery is a commitment to your long-term well-being. Dr. De La Cruz, a double board-certified plastic surgeon, treats each mastopexy as a masterpiece of clinical artistry. By focusing on your unique anatomy and aesthetic goals, he ensures that your more youthful breast contour looks as natural in motion as it does at rest.
Corrects breast ptosis (sagging) and restores an uplifted shape.
Options include lollipop lift, anchor breast lift, or periareolar breast lift.
Typically, 1 ½ to 3 ½ hours performed as an outpatient procedure.
Initial return to daily activity in 1 week; surgical bra required for 4-6 weeks.
Immediate visible improvement in breast profile with final results at 3-6 months.
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Breast lifts rejuvenate the breasts by trimming excess skin and tightening supporting tissues to achieve an uplifted, youthful contour. After a mastopexy, the breasts are higher on the chest and firmer to the touch. Breast lifts can also reposition and reduce the size of the areola, the dark skin surrounding the nipple, which may have stretched or drooped.
Breast size does not change after a breast lift, nor does the fullness or roundness in the upper part of the breasts. Women who desire larger, smaller, or more rounded breasts may want to consider breast augmentation or breast reduction, together with a breast lift.
Mastopexy may be performed in a hospital, an outpatient surgery center, or a surgeon’s office-based facility. It is usually done on an outpatient basis under general anesthesia, and lasts from 1 ½ to 3 ½ hours.
There are several types of incision methods that can be used when performing a breast lift. The technique a surgeon chooses depends on the patient’s:
The three most common incision types are two rings around the areola in a doughnut shape (small-incision mastopexy, generally only recommended for patients with small breasts and minimal sagging); around the areola and down to the breast crease in a lollipop shape; and the lollipop with an additional half-moon incision along the breast crease, in an anchor shape.
In all cases, breast lift surgery begins with the administration of anesthesia or IV sedation. Dr. De La Cruz makes the necessary incisions and then lifts and reshapes the breast tissue into its new, rejuvenated contour. He moves the nipple and areola higher on the breast and removes extra skin around the perimeter if the areola is enlarged. Finally, he trims excess breast skin resulting from poor elasticity. Stitches, layered deeply throughout the breast tissue, support the lifted breasts.
When the mastopexy is complete, the skin is closed with stitches, tissue adhesive, and/or surgical tape. Some of the incisions are hidden in the breast crease. Others will be visible. All scars will mature with time.
A breast lift is the gold standard for treating breast ptosis, a condition where the breast tissue has shifted downward, causing the breast to appear flat or elongated.
This is often accompanied by a stretched breast fold or nipples that reside below the inframammary fold when unsupported. Pregnancy, weight fluctuations, and the natural loss of skin elasticity can also cause the areola to become enlarged or asymmetrical.
By removing excess skin and tightening the internal surrounding tissue, Dr. De La Cruz can lift and reshape the entire breast. This procedure effectively addresses the pendulous appearance often seen after breastfeeding or significant weight loss, restoring the breast to a higher, more youthful position on the chest wall. Whether you have smaller breasts that require a subtle periareolar breast lift or more extensive sagging, this surgery provides a structural correction that no exercise routine or non-surgical treatment can achieve.
A breast lift restores a firmer, more youthful breast contour. By removing extra skin and repositioning the nipple-areola complex, the procedure creates a perkier profile that fits beautifully in clothing and bathing suits. Your breasts will feel more secure and sit in a more natural position on your frame.
For many breast lift patients, the procedure is an opportunity to reduce asymmetry and ensure both sides are in perfect balance. Beyond visual appeal, removing excess skin can alleviate physical discomfort and skin irritation that sometimes occur in the breast crease.
One of the most praised benefits is how well mastopexy pairs with other procedures. For women seeking both a lift and increased breast volume, combining breast augmentation with breast implants or fat transfer can provide a comprehensive transformation. Alternatively, those with heavy, large breasts may benefit from combining a lift with a breast reduction to achieve a lighter, more manageable size.
Determining if you are a candidate for this restorative procedure begins with a personal assessment of your breast shape and skin elasticity. Most women who find the greatest benefit from a mastopexy share common concerns, such as breasts that appear elongated, flat, or pendulous.
You may notice that your nipples or areolas have begun to point downward, or perhaps the breast skin has become stretched, causing one side to sit lower than the other. If your nipples rest at or below the breast crease when unsupported, or if you feel your breasts have simply lost the youthful volume and "perkiness" of years past, a breast lift can help restore the balance and firmness you desire.
It is also very important that breast lift candidates:
The recovery process for breast lift surgery is a gradual journey that requires a commitment to rest and proper wound care. Following your outpatient procedure, your surgical area will be protected by a surgical bra. This surgical support bra is essential for managing swelling and helping your breasts maintain their new shape as the internal stitches support the lifted tissue.
During the first few weeks, you may experience some soreness, which is well-managed with prescribed pain medication. We recommend that most patients avoid heavy lifting or strenuous physical activity for at least four to six weeks to ensure the healing process remains undisturbed. At De La Cruz Plastic Surgery, Dr. De La Cruz and your healthcare team will provide ongoing monitoring, support, and detailed recovery instructions, including when you can resume wearing standard sports bras or underwire styles.
You will notice a lifted appearance immediately following your surgery, though your final breast lift results will truly shine as swelling subsides over the first 3 to 6 months. The skin will appear smoother, and the breasts will settle into their new, natural contours. As your incision lines fade, you will find a renewed sense of confidence in how your body looks and feels.
While a breast lift provides long-lasting improvement, it is important to remember that breasts change with the natural aging process. However, by maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding future weight fluctuations, you can help your perkier, more proportional profile endure for many years. Many of our patients describe the results as a total restoration of their self-image, allowing them to feel truly at home in their bodies once again.
Choosing a plastic surgeon for your mastopexy is a decision that impacts your confidence for years to come. Dr. Emmanuel De La Cruz is a double board-certified plastic surgeon whose background in classical sculpture informs every breast lift procedure he performs. He meticulously sculpts the breast tissue to ensure your results are in perfect harmony with your unique frame.
Our Houston practice is defined by a commitment to safety and personalized, concierge-style care. From your initial consultation and physical exam to your final follow-up, every detail is overseen by a medical team that treats surgery as a commitment to your well-being. With our state-certified surgery center and compassionate aftercare, we provide a high-end experience that matches the elite quality of our surgical results.
Sometimes breast augmentation with implants may need to be combined with breast lift surgery to achieve more volume and projection. The implants may be placed either beneath the chest wall muscles (pectoralis muscle) or above them. The implant of choice is either saline or silicone gel. The surgical approach for breast lift (mastopexy) surgery may be circumareolar (around the nipple), circumvertical, or an inverted T. This will depend on the amount of excess skin that needs to be removed to give you more youthful breasts.
If you agreed on realistic goals with your plastic surgeon, you should be very satisfied with the look of your lifted breasts. You will be able to see the results of your mastopexy immediately after surgery, and you may become even more satisfied as swelling goes down and incision lines fade.
Possible complications of a breast lift include:
The aesthetic beauty of a breast is to achieve harmony between the skin envelope of the breasts, the volume of breast tissue parenchyma, and the position of the nipple. During your consultation, Dr. De La Cruz will address these issues and discuss the surgical risks involved and ways to prevent them. Based on the examination and measurements of your breasts, you will be provided with the proper information and recommendations about the different options of breast surgery, depending on what your concerns are and what your desires may be.
A lollipop lift (vertical breast lift) uses an incision around the areola and a vertical line down to the breast crease, making it ideal for moderate sagging. An anchor breast lift (inverted T) adds an additional incision along the inframammary fold, allowing Dr. De La Cruz to remove a larger amount of excess skin and provide a more dramatic lift for patients with significant breast ptosis.
In most cases, a mastopexy preserves the milk ducts and the blood supply to the nipple, allowing for future breastfeeding. However, if you plan to have more children soon, we generally recommend waiting until your family is complete to ensure your results aren't affected by pregnancy.
Many women undergo reconstructive plastic surgery or a breast lift following breast cancer treatments to restore symmetry and shape. Dr. De La Cruz will coordinate with your healthcare professional to review your medical history and ensure you are a safe candidate for the procedure.
Yes. For the safety of our patients, we typically require a recent or baseline mammogram prior to any breast surgery. This ensures the internal breast tissue is healthy before we begin the lift and reshape.
We recommend maintaining a healthy weight for at least six months before undergoing surgery. This ensures that your skin elasticity and breast volume have stabilized, allowing Dr. De La Cruz to create the most accurate treatment plan for your breast shape.
