Breast Lift (Mastopexy)

Breast lift (mastopexy) at Plastic Surgery Chicago, performed by Dr. Robert L. Walton, MD, FACS. Addresses breast ptosis following pregnancy, weight loss, or natural ageing. Technique selection — periareolar, vertical (lollipop), or anchor (T-scar) — is matched to the grade of ptosis. Session lasts 1–2 hours; up to 3 hours when combined with implants. Consultation required for assessment and pricing.

Breast lift surgery (mastopexy) at Plastic Surgery Chicago is performed by Dr. Robert L. Walton and corrects breast ptosis — the descent of the breast mound and nipple-areola complex below the ideal anatomical position on the chest wall. Ptosis develops progressively as a consequence of skin envelope stretching from pregnancy and lactation, significant weight loss that reduces the volume of underlying breast parenchyma supporting the skin, or the cumulative effects of gravity and loss of skin elasticity with age. The surgical approach is customised to the degree of ptosis present. For mild ptosis — in which the nipple-areola complex has descended slightly but remains at or near the inframammary fold level — the periareolar (circumareolar) mastopexy uses an incision circumscribing the areola to allow a crescent or donut of periareolar skin to be excised and the nipple elevated a modest distance. This technique limits scarring to the areolar border, where the colour transition provides optimal scar camouflage, but its corrective capacity is limited to approximately 1–2 cm of nipple elevation. For moderate ptosis, the vertical (lollipop) mastopexy adds a vertical incision component descending from the inferior areolar margin to the inframammary fold, allowing a broader skin resection across the breast meridian and greater elevation of the nipple-areola complex. For significant ptosis, particularly in breasts with a large and stretched skin envelope following major weight loss, the anchor or inverted-T (Wise pattern) mastopexy adds a horizontal incision along the inframammary fold — the three-component incision allows the most comprehensive skin excision and breast reshaping. When breast volume loss accompanies ptosis (a common presentation after breastfeeding), augmentation implants may be placed simultaneously with the mastopexy; the combined procedure is technically more demanding as the two components must be coordinated to avoid wound healing compromise, and a staged approach is sometimes preferred in complex cases. Sessions last 1–2 hours for mastopexy alone and up to 3 hours when combined with implants. Consultation required.