Breast Lift (Mastopexy)
Vancouver, BC
Life transitions, such as the joyful milestones of pregnancy, dynamic weight changes, or simply the natural passing of time, fundamentally reshape your body anatomy. For many women, these shifts cause the underlying breast tissue to lose its structural resilience and the surrounding skin to stretch. Dr. Prince specializes in personalized breast lift procedures to restore firmness and lift to your breasts. Dr. Prince customizes every surgery to match your body proportions, removing extra skin and lifting the natural breast gland back to a vibrant, perky position on your chest wall.
Addresses sagging breasts, restoring list and firmness
1 to 2 weeks for daily activities; 4 to 6 weeks for strenuous exercise
Immediate structural elevation with long-term, youthful refinement
Outpatient surgical procedure completed in about two hours under general anesthesia
A breast lift (mastopexy) is an advanced cosmetic surgery designed to reshape, elevate, and restore firmness to drooping breasts. Over time, gravity and loss of tissue elasticity can cause the breasts to sit lower on the chest and the nipples and areolas to point downward. This surgical procedure targets that laxity by removing excess skin, tightening the remaining breast skin envelope, and securing the internal breast tissue higher up on the chest.
It is important to understand that a standalone lift procedure is not designed to significantly change your overall breast size. Instead, it acts as a natural augmentation of upper pole fullness, shifting your existing tissue upward to recreate a youthful breast appearance. If you desire a significant boost in volume or want to replace deflated fullness, Dr. Prince can seamlessly pair your breast lift with a breast augmentation, placing silcone or saline implants during the same operation.
Your procedure takes place in a premier, accredited surgery center designed to ensure your safety and comfort. The operation is performed as an outpatient procedure under general anesthesia and typically takes about two hours to complete.
To begin the lift, Dr. Prince maps out precise incisions designed to remove extra skin with minimal tissue disruption. She carefully separates the sagging breast tissue from the overlying skin envelope, lifts the natural breast gland back into its ideal anatomical position, and anchors it firmly to the underlying chest wall muscles. She then repositions the nipple and areola higher on the breast mound, keeping them attached to their original nerve and blood supply to protect natural sensation. In the final step, the incisions are closed with internal, layered sutures and reinforced with protective surgical tape to promote optimal healing.
Because every woman’s body fat distribution and skin elasticity are unique, incision placement and scar length depend on your specific breast shape, the amount of sagging, and how much skin needs to be removed. Dr. Prince will recommend one of the following incision techniques to achieve optimal results:
Periareolar Lift (The Crescent/Donut): Involves a subtle incision running around the border of the areola. This technique is ideal for mild drooping and has the added benefit of making a stretched areola smaller and more proportional.
Lollipop Lift (Vertical Lift): Utilizes an incision around the areola combined with a straight vertical line running down to the breast crease. This common approach treats moderate sagging by gathering extra skin along the breast's lower pole.
Anchor Lift (Inverted-T): Combines a periareolar and vertical incision with an additional horizontal incision running along the natural crease under the breast. This comprehensive technique is reserved for severe sagging, often after significant weight loss, to manage substantial excess skin.
A customized mastopexy provides structural correction for several common body concerns, helping you move past physical frustrations:
Undergoing a breast lift procedure rejuvenates your silhouette, allowing you to appreciate your contours from a refreshed perspective.
If you are frustrated by drooping breasts but are generally satisfied with your current breast size, you are likely a good candidate for a breast lift. Ideal patients are healthy individuals who maintain a stable weight, do not smoke, and have realistic expectations about surgical scars.
During your initial consultation and physical exam, Dr. Prince will thoroughly evaluate your medical history, current health markers, and any medications that could impact your candidacy. While a breast lift creates a beautiful new breast contour, significant weight fluctuations or another pregnancy can cause your breasts to change and stretch again. For this reason, the procedure is often best suited for women who have completed their families and achieved a stable weight. This cosmetic surgery is designed for aesthetic enhancement and is distinct from a medical breast reduction or a reconstructive procedure following breast cancer treatments.
Understanding your recovery phase allows you to plan your downtime with complete peace of mind. When you wake up from surgery, you will be fitted with a soft, supportive surgical bra or specialized sports bra designed to support the healing tissues and minimize initial swelling. Most patients experience a tight, firm sensation across the chest for the first few days. Any discomfort during the early stages of healing is well managed with rest and medication.
You will be able to return to light activities within about 48 hours. Most patients feel ready to return to non-strenuous desk work within a week. However, you must protect your results by avoiding any heavy lifting, pulling, or strenuous exercise for at least 4 to 6 weeks. Our dedicated clinical staff will guide you through every follow-up checkpoint, ensuring your recovery progresses smoothly and predictably.
After surgery, you will notice an immediate change in the elevation and firmness of your breasts. Over the next few weeks and months, the post-surgical swelling will fade, and the breast tissues will settle into their natural, beautifully lifted position. Your final, elegant breast contour will be fully realized around the 3 to 6-month mark.
The structural changes made during your lift procedure are long-lasting. While no surgical procedure can permanently halt the natural aging process, your breasts will always sit higher and firmer than they would have without surgery. Maintaining a stable weight and wearing a supportive bra during high-impact activities will help preserve your elevated breast profile for many years to come.
Achieving a natural-looking, symmetrical mastopexy result requires a surgeon with refined technical skill and a deep understanding of tissue dynamics. Dr. Prince brings decades of extensive surgical experience to her private practice in Surrey. Her background in complex reconstructive plastic surgery allows her to navigate skin laxity and tissue transposition with master-level precision.
As a female plastic surgeon, Dr. Prince brings an empathetic, honest perspective to conversations about your goals and expectations. Our experienced team provides a supportive environment where you will feel safe, seen, and celebrated at every step of your journey.
A standalone breast lift procedure does not significantly alter your actual cup size. It simply shifts your existing tissue higher, removing excess skin to make the breasts appear firmer and more compact. If you want to make your breasts smaller, a breast reduction is required. If you want to increase your size, a breast augmentation can be performed at the same time.
While all surgical incisions leave scars, Dr. Prince uses advanced closure techniques to ensure they heal as beautifully as possible. Initial pink lines will gradually fade to thin, discreet, flesh-colored markings over the course of a year. The placement of the incisions inside the areola border or along the natural breast crease makes them incredibly easy to hide under swimwear and lingerie.
Because Dr. Prince keeps the nipple and areola attached to their original underlying tissue bed (the pedicle) during the lift, the vital blood vessels and nerves remain intact. Temporary changes in sensation are common due to swelling, but normal feeling typically returns fully within a few weeks to months.
Yes, absolutely. Having a breast lift does not interfere with your ability to get screened for breast cancer. It is always important to inform your mammography technician about your past surgery so they can capture optimal views of your natural tissue.
The overall breast lift cost varies based on the specific incision technique required, the complexity of your tissue laxity, and whether the procedure is combined with other enhancements. During your initial consultation, our team will provide a fully transparent, all-inclusive quote outlining the surgery center fees, anesthesia, and post-operative care.
