Is a Breast Lift Painful?

The breast lift is performed under twilight anesthesia, which means you should be completely pain-free. Post-surgery, patients have reported chest tightness, soreness, swelling, and bruising, which generally abates within a few weeks. Patients are advised to wear their compression garments and follow post-operative instructions for the smoothest possible recovery.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

After your surgery, we will have you return in approximately one week to monitor your recovery and remove your bandages. We include a post-operative lymphatic massage treatment to help reduce swelling and promote recovery. Patients are typically seen several times over the first few months to help ensure proper healing.

How Long Until I See Results?

Most swelling should resolve within a few weeks of surgery, but it takes the breasts up to a year to settle into their final position.

What Will the Scarring Look Like?

There are different incision techniques for breast lifts. Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland-Halperin try to use minimal scar techniques whenever possible. Scars from a breast lift will appear as a raised, red line after post-op but then flatten and become less noticeable over time. Your scarring will be a combination of the skill of your surgeon, the amount of time that has passed, your scar care, and your body’s ability to heal. No matter how talented your surgeon is at hiding incisions, it is important to accept that scars will always be visible.

When Can I Exercise Again After My Breast Lift?

Patients are encouraged to take light walks soon after surgery, though they should refrain from strenuous activities, including exercise, for up to six weeks after surgery.

Can I Combine a Breast Lift With Other Procedures?

As stated above, many patients consider combining a breast lift with augmentation because it provides the added advantage of lifting sagging breasts and increasing their size and fullness. Conversely, a lift with reduction can alleviate discomfort from overly large breasts while improving their position and shape. If you are interested in altering the size of your breasts, please mention this to the surgeon during the initial consultation so that she can include that in your surgical plan.

What Are the Risks Associated with a Breast Lift?

Overall, breast lift is a safe surgery with minimal risks, but since your health and safety are our highest priority, we feel it’s important to share some potential postoperative side effects: Asymmetry Bleeding Bruising Delayed healing Discomfort Hematoma Nipple sensitivity or numbness Poor wound healing Scarring Swelling Please call our office immediately if you experience any long-lasting or unexpected reactions.

How Do I Find the Best New York City Breast Lift Plastic Surgeon Near Me?

Patients are recommended to research the best-reviewed board-certified breast lift surgeons and focus on their education, board certifications, years of service, and patient reviews. Furthermore, patients must schedule an in-person consultation with the surgeon to experience their bedside manners and ask any questions about the procedure. Finally, patients are always reminded to pay attention to their intuition about a health provider.

Breast Lift

New York, NY

Introduction to Breast Lift

Breast sagging is a common challenge that many women will face with time and age. A breast lift is a surgical procedure that can restore the lift and perkiness of youthful breasts. This is a common and highly sought-after procedure as women face breast sagging, asymmetry, or volume loss due to varying factors such as gravity, aging, weight loss, pregnancy, and/or breastfeeding. Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin regularly perform breast lifts for patients in New York City and the surrounding area with a very positive satisfaction rate.

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What is a Breast Lift?

A breast lift, medically known as a mastopexy, aims to lift the breasts and restore descended nipples and areola. This is done by removing excess skin and reshaping breast tissue to create a perkiness to the breast while also lifting and recentering the nipple elements. A breast lift won’t alter the size of your breasts. However, breast lifts are usually performed in conjunction with procedures such as breast augmentation (with implants or using your own fat) or breast reduction.

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Breast Lift B&A

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What Are the Benefits of a Breast Lift?

Our patients who have received a breast lift have enjoyed increased self-esteem and long-lasting results. More shared benefits of the procedure are below:

Better body proportions
Better clothing fit
More active lifestyle
Natural nipple projection
Perky breasts
Reduced rashes and irritation under the breasts
Youthful breast appearance

Who Are the Best Candidates for the Breast Lift Procedure?

The best candidates for a breast lift in New York City are those with some of the following characteristics:

Have low self-esteem due to sagging breasts
Have good skin elasticity
Have nipples that are pointing downward or lower than they used to be
Have realistic expectations
Have sagging breasts
Maintain stable weight
No underlying medical conditions

Your Breast Lift Surgery journey

What’s the First Step?

The first step in getting a breast lift in New York City is to schedule a consultation at the practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin. During your breast lift consultation, you will be asked about your medical history, your aesthetic goals, and expectations.

Your surgeon will then examine your breasts and learn of your desires and needs for your final breast appearance. The goal is to create breasts that are in proportion with the rest of your body. This is a time when the surgeon will outline the procedure along with its associated risks and benefits, as well as techniques to be chosen, such as incision points. Your surgeon will also share other procedures that are commonly combined with a breast lift, including breast augmentation, should you choose to do one.

If you both agree to proceed with the procedure, your surgeon will create a surgical plan that you can then take to our expert team, who will provide a detailed, written quote, schedule your treatment, discuss payment and financing options, and receive any pre-operative instructions.

What to Expect on the Day of Breast Lift Surgery

On the day of your breast lift, your surgeon and her staff will welcome you to the practice, settle you in the procedure room, and ensure you have had a chance to review the surgical plan in case you have any outlying questions. A board-certified anesthesiologist will administer twilight IV anesthesia to ensure you are pain-free for the entirety of the procedure.

Once you are sedated, your surgeon will begin by making incisions that are in strategic positions to minimize scarring. She will remove excess skin and re-position the breast tissue to lift the nipple-areola complex on the breast. The breast is reshaped by tightening supporting tissues, giving the breast a firmer, uplifted, youthful appearance. If desired, the size of the areola can also be reduced during a breast lift. Once the final breast contour is achieved, the surgeon will close the incisions with sutures. A compression bra will be placed after surgery.

On average, a breast lift will take anywhere from two to three hours to complete.

Your guide to post-Breast Lift Surgery care

Breast Lift Recovery

After surgery, you will be monitored in our recovery room by the staff to make sure you come out of sedation completely. For safety, patients are still recommended to have a family member or a friend drive them home.

Patients will likely experience soreness, bruising, and swelling for several days. To help with swelling, patients will initially wear a surgical compression bra, followed by a supportive bra for several weeks. Any strenuous activity should be avoided until the skin incisions are healed, which can take up to 4-6 weeks.

How Much Does a Breast Lift Cost in New York City, NY?

The cost of a breast lift in New York City is dependent on various factors, including, but not limited to, the technique chosen and the complexity of your case. To arrive at a cost for the procedure, schedule a consultation at the practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin so that you can receive a surgical plan with a detailed, written quote.

Why Choose Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin?

The practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin should be your go-to for breast lift in New York City. In addition to their medical accomplishments, they are known for their empathy and kindness towards their patients as they deliver their expertise in sculpting your aesthetics. Dr. Michelle Copeland is the first woman plastic surgeon with a Harvard doctorate in Medicine and Dentistry. She has published numerous articles and presented her techniques internationally. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an attending surgeon at the Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin is a double board-certified plastic surgeon with wealth of experience, including advanced training in microsurgery at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital with a focus on breast reconstruction. She brings a humanistic dimension to plastic surgery and enjoys helping patients achieve their cosmetic, aesthetic, and reconstructive goals through a combination of surgical and non-surgical techniques. In addition to seeing patients at 1001 Fifth Avenue, Dr. Copeland-Halperin also operates at Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital, affiliates of Northwell Health, where she is involved in teaching residents.

Breast Lift FAQ’S

The breast lift is performed under twilight anesthesia, which means you should be completely pain-free. Post-surgery, patients have reported chest tightness, soreness, swelling, and bruising, which generally abates within a few weeks. Patients are advised to wear their compression garments and follow post-operative instructions for the smoothest possible recovery.
There are different incision techniques for breast lifts. Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland-Halperin try to use minimal scar techniques whenever possible. Scars from a breast lift will appear as a raised, red line after post-op but then flatten and become less noticeable over time. Your scarring will be a combination of the skill of your surgeon, the amount of time that has passed, your scar care, and your body’s ability to heal. No matter how talented your surgeon is at hiding incisions, it is important to accept that scars will always be visible.
As stated above, many patients consider combining a breast lift with augmentation because it provides the added advantage of lifting sagging breasts and increasing their size and fullness. Conversely, a lift with reduction can alleviate discomfort from overly large breasts while improving their position and shape. If you are interested in altering the size of your breasts, please mention this to the surgeon during the initial consultation so that she can include that in your surgical plan.
Overall, breast lift is a safe surgery with minimal risks, but since your health and safety are our highest priority, we feel it’s important to share some potential postoperative side effects:
- Asymmetry
- Bleeding
- Bruising
- Delayed healing
- Discomfort
- Hematoma
- Nipple sensitivity or numbness
- Poor wound healing
- Scarring
- Swelling
Please call our office immediately if you experience any long-lasting or unexpected reactions.
Patients are recommended to research the best-reviewed board-certified breast lift surgeons and focus on their education, board certifications, years of service, and patient reviews. Furthermore, patients must schedule an in-person consultation with the surgeon to experience their bedside manners and ask any questions about the procedure. Finally, patients are always reminded to pay attention to their intuition about a health provider.

Schedule Your Consultation

If you are looking to address your sagging breasts, consider learning more about a breast lift in New York City. Schedule a consultation at the practice of Dr. Michelle Copeland and Dr. Libby Copeland-Halperin, and a helpful team member will contact you to get the process started.