GenInv – Health and Wellness

Last year in the United States, approximately 60,000 women choose to have a Breast Lift (or Mastopexy), a surgery that raises and reshapes breasts that have sagged from pregnancy, significant weight change, or the natural process of aging. A number of these women, wanting more breast volume, had augmentation with saline or silicone gel implants at the same time.

Augmentation Mastopexy is a complex surgery that challenges even the most skilled and experienced plastic surgeon, who must deal with

the opposing forces required to make breasts fuller (by stretching the skin with implants) yet firmer (by tightening the skin with a breast lift).

For many years, like my colleagues, I would draw a complex pattern on the breast, remove some of the excess skin, and then tailor tack these tissues together. I would do the same on the other breast, and then trim excess skin multiple times to provide maximum tightening and make sure that the breasts were still symmetrical.

About six years ago, w

hen I was performing an Augmentation Mastopexy, the proverbial light bulb went off: If I first tightened and tailored the breasts with surgical skin staples, perhaps I could identify the total amount of excess skin to be removed and previsualize the final breast shape and symmetry before I made an incision.

I was thrilled with the ease and results of this new approach, and I’ve been using my Staple-First Technique ever since for women with moderately to severely ptotic (droopy) breasts. No ma

tter what women want size-wise, or how droopy or uneven they are, I can produce consistent and predictable results more simply with my procedure than I’ve done in the past. To see before and after photos of women who have had this procedure, go to http://www.lookingnatural.com/breastliftauggallery.html.

I documented my experience in the Sept. 2009 issue of the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, in an article entitled “Augmentation Mastopexy for Moderately to Severely Ptotic Breasts: Previsualizing Breast Shape and Symmetry With the Innovative and Versatile Staple-First Technique.”

For me, the technique has taken the guesswork out how much excess skin needs to be removed. I can get the maximum lift and create the best symmetry and shape in one simple step with the least amount of scarring. In addition, I can adjust for any asymmetry of the breasts, which is common among women.

And because I no longer need to do multiple skin trimmings, the operative time is shorter, patients receive less anesthesia, and their recuperation is easier.

With the adage of measure twice, cut once, it is very comforting to preview the end result of an Augmentation Mastopexy before making an incision.