Every year, hundreds of thousands of women undergo cosmetic breast enhancement surgery. In the past, enlarging the size of the breast was the main desire of women undergoing procedures. With time, this has made a shift. Now, the emphasis is less on breast size and more on breast shape. Learn about the 2021 trend toward breast lift surgeries from The surgical team at The Lett Center in Tennessee. This surgery, also known as mastopexy, is the key to changing your breast shape for the better.
Out With The Old Trends
The concept of the perfect breast is a moving target. In the 1920s, flat chestedness and small breasts were the ideal types. As years went on, size increased until the 1960s, when small breasts became the preference again. Fast forward to the 1990s, and even larger breasts were the desired body type.
In 2021, we find ourselves leaning back toward smaller breasts being just as good. The current change comes with a twist, though. While people aren’t focusing on large increases in their size, they are absolutely looking for the perfect shape.
How To Get Perfectly Shaped Breasts
If you are happy with your breast size but want to improve their shape, breast lift surgery is for you! While implants alone can change and enhance breast shape, they will add mass to the area. If you are looking for additional size to go along with improving the shape, getting implants and a lift at the same time is a great choice.
However, for this blog’s purposes, we will focus only on breast lift techniques and cosmetic surgery trends.
Breast Lift Surgery Tends
The Internal Bra Technique
Gravity and skin weakening with age are reasons why many women choose to wear a bra. Bras give support and create our desired shape from the outside. Wouldn’t it be nice to have this support internally in a permanent form? Well, that is what the innovative internal bra lift accomplishes.
With an internal bra lift, a strip of natural biologic tissue sits inside the body in the same area a push-up bra would sit. This tissue is anchored to the chest wall and supports the weight of the breasts. The internal bra improves breast shape and helps keep the skin from stretching and sagging.
An internal breast lift can improve:
- Uneven implants or breasts
- Sagging breasts
- Implants or breasts that are too far apart
- Rippling of implants
- Breast shape and contour
- Stretched skin
Nipple Preservation for Breastfeeding
During a standard breast lift, the nipple is often cut and reshaped. By cutting the nipple, it is possible to severe the nerve endings in the area. Cut nerves result in a loss of sensation to the nipple.
While this might not matter to some, it is vital for breastfeeding. In modern times, women have realized how beneficial breast milk is for their baby’s health and wish to breastfeed over using formula.
Breastfeeding, in part, relies on nipple stimulation to produce and release milk. The nipples are also attached to milk ducts inside the breast. These ducts transfer milk to the baby.
A breast lift with nipple preservation takes a skilled surgeon. The surgeon will need to avoid the nerves set below the nipple. In some cases, this means cutting around and avoiding the nipple altogether. Some women wish to have a nipple reduction in addition to their breast lift. The surgeon will have to make a judgment call on how small to make the new nipple shape to accomplish this. If the new nipple shape is too small, nerves and ducts can get severed in the process.
Drain-free Surgery
In the past, surgical drains were commonplace during cosmetic surgeries like a breast lift or tummy tuck. While drains can have many adverse effects, many cosmetic surgeons do not have the skill to operate without using them.
Cosmetic surgery drains can be painful and delay recovery time. There is a higher risk of infection and scarring from additional incisions and wounds to the patient.
New breast lifts without surgical drains heal faster and heal with better results. Drain-free breast lifts have less scarring and allow the patient to enjoy a quicker recovery time.
The Lollipop Cut
If you know a little about breast lift incisions, you have most likely seen the anchor cut technique. With an anchor cut, the cosmetic surgeon makes 3 cuts. There is an incision around the nipple and areola, straight down from the nipple to the breast crease, and at the crease of the breast. As the name implies, the scar will resemble an anchor.
While this cut method is very effective, it leaves more scarring than most patients wish to have.
The lollipop cut eliminates one of these cuts. With the lollipop cut, there is no incision to the crease of the breast. This type of incision gives the surgeon more flexibility in shaping the breast. The patient will also enjoy less visible scarring as it is easier to hide the cuts.
During this process, excess skin gets cut out, and the skin is pulled together to tighten it. The nipples are often repositioned on the chest to give the breasts a perky appearance.
Internal and Dissolvable Stiches
Previously, surgeons used stitches that needed removal after the patient healed sufficiently from their breast lift surgery. External stitches can leave additional marks and scarring on the skin even after removal. Not to mention creating additional trips to complete the treatment.
Internal stitches are a great option to minimize the scarring from a breast lift procedure. They don’t require later removal and absorb into the skin as the patient heals. Internal stitches are the best new way to complete a breast lift procedure.
Schedule a Breast Lift Consultation
To schedule a consultation and meet the experienced and highly reviewed cosmetic surgeons at The Lett Center, give us a call at 615.443.0901. Our surgeons will walk you through your breast lift options and help you choose the right technique to get your desired breast shape. We have locations in Mt. Juliet and Lebanon, Tennessee, for convenience.