Breast Lift | Reduction

Breast Lift & Breast Reduction in Annapolis, MD

Breast lift and breast reduction are surgical procedures to improve the appearance of the breasts. A breast lift reshapes and repositions sagging breasts. Breast reduction reduces the size of overly large breasts, while also providing reshaping and lifting. Both give the breasts a younger shape in better proportion with the rest of your body. They are among the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures, boosting a woman’s self-confidence and pride in her body. Breast reduction can also relieve back, shoulder, and neck pain and other discomfort, and make exercise more enjoyable.

Some men can also benefit from breast reduction surgery. It’s possible to surgically correct excessive breast tissue in men, a condition known as gynecomastia, giving the chest a more masculine look.

Want to learn more about a breast lift in Maryland? Schedule your Annapolis breast lift or breast reduction surgery by contacting us online or calling (410) 266-7120 today!

What Is a Breast Lift ?

Breast lift surgery, also known as mastopexy, reshapes and lifts sagging breasts by removing excess skin, shifting underlying tissue, and repositioning the nipple. The procedure corrects the effects of stretching and sagging from weight fluctuations, pregnancy and breastfeeding, or the effects of aging. The result is a perkier, rounder, and more youthful breast appearance.

Patients who desire larger breasts or a fuller upper breast can opt to combine a breast lift with breast augmentation. Breast lift surgery can increase breast volume by placing saline or silicone implants or by using autologous fat grafting, a procedure in which the plastic surgeon removes fat from a “donor” part of the body using liposuction and injects it into the breasts to reshape and subtly enlarge them.

Various breast lift techniques can reshape the breasts in different ways. Dr. Claire Duggal chooses from these approaches to tailor the procedure to each patient’s unique goals and anatomy for beautiful and natural results.

Why Might I Consider a Breast Lift?

If you are unhappy with the shape and projection of your breasts — whether they have been that way since puberty or have sagged or deflated after pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss, or as a result of aging — you may be a good candidate for a breast lift. Breast lifts can correct:

Dr. Duggal in white jacket

Schedule A Consultation

Dr. Claire S. Duggal offers various surgical and non-surgical procedures of the face and body to her many patients in the Annapolis area. Dr. Duggal’s top procedures include breast augmentation, mommy makeover and tummy tuck. To learn more about how her specialties can address your unique needs, we invite you to book an appointment today! Dr. Duggal and our staff look forward to meeting you!

What Is a Breast Reduction?

Breast reduction, also known as reduction mammoplasty, is surgery to reduce and reshape large breasts. In the procedure, Dr. Duggal removes excess fat, glandular tissue, and lifts the breasts to give a firmer, more rounded, youthful appearance.

As with a breast lift, there are various approaches to reshaping the breasts, and Dr. Duggal customizes the procedure based on each patient’s goals and pre-operative breast size. You may also wish to combine breast reduction with liposuction in the areas at the sides of your breasts — the lateral chest and armpit regions — to further smooth and improve contours.

Why Might I Consider a Breast Reduction?

You might choose breast reduction for cosmetic reasons — to have smaller, more uplifted breasts that are in better proportion to your body. Or you may have the surgery for medical reasons — to address chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain.

Annapolis breast reduction can also:

Vectra 3-D Imaging: An Instant Preview of Expected Results

Step 1

When visiting the Sandel Duggal Center for Plastic Surgery, your experience begins with a VECTRA 3D picture session. This creates the starting point for your aesthetic consultation.

doctor taking picture of patient

Step 2

Using special simulation software with your 3D picture, Dr. Duggal will show you the possible results of the treatment. You will be able to experiment with different looks until you find the one you want.

breast sculptor animation

Step 3

Once you have decided on the appearance you want, this simulation will provide a basis for your surgical plan. Because you have already seen the result, you can be confident in the outcome of the procedure.

 
face nose and chin sculptor animation

What to Expect During a Breast Lift or Breast Reduction?

Dr. Duggal performs breast lift and breast reduction procedures under general anesthesia in the operating room, typically on an outpatient basis (so you return home on the day of the procedure).

In the majority of cases, Dr. Duggal places incisions around the nipple and in a vertical line from the bottom of the nipple to the crease underneath the breast (called a “vertical pattern”). Some cases may require an additional incision in the crease underneath the breast (called a “Wise pattern”). Dr. Duggal removes excess skin and reshapes the tissue inside the breasts, and, in breast reduction, she selectively removes unwanted fat. If necessary, she may rotate the nipples into a higher position and reduce the size of the areolas.

The length of the surgery is usually two to three hours for breast lift or three to four hours for breast reduction.

What to Expect in Recovery

You’ll need a friend or family member to drive you home once you wake up from the sedation, and should have someone to stay with you the first night you are home. You can expect some discomfort and swelling in the first few days after your surgery, and Dr. Duggal will suggest or prescribe appropriate pain medication. She may provide you with supportive garments or a surgical bra.

Most patients need about a week of downtime after the surgery, with only light activities, then build up gradually to more strenuous activities. By about six weeks, you should be back to your normal activity and exercise routine. It may take as long as three to six months to see the final results. The incisions will heal over the first few weeks, and the scars will continue to fade over the first year.

FAQS: Breast Lift or Breast Reduction in Maryland

We’ve described why you might consider a breast lift or breast reduction. If those issues resonate with you, you can probably benefit from the procedure. To be a good candidate, you should be in good health and close to your ideal weight. If you use tobacco, you’ll need to quit at least six weeks before your surgery and remain tobacco-free for at least three weeks after. You should also have reasonable expectations for the procedure, which Dr. Duggal can explain in her consultation with you.

For long-lasting results, it’s best to wait until you are done having children before having either of these procedures. If you do have children after a breast lift or breast reduction, there is a small risk that the surgery will affect your ability to breastfeed. If this is a concern for you, be sure to bring it up in your consultation with Dr. Duggal.

Dr. Duggal has extensive experience in performing these procedures, and the beautifully customized and natural results show in the before-and-after pictures of her patients. She takes the time to listen to and understand the goals of each of her patients, and makes sure that they never feel rushed in their consultations with her. Dr. Duggal treats patients as she would her own family members — with honest guidance as to the best choice of procedures and personal attention throughout the process.

Many patients find a breast lift reduces excess skin and fat at the sides of the chest and under their arms. And, their bras fit better and are more comfortable!

All surgery involves the risk of scarring. A crescent incision leaves minimal scarring hidden inside the dark pigment of the areola. Other breast lift techniques could leave thin vertical or horizontal scars on the breasts. The scars fade over time, and should be less noticeable after a year.

Most health insurance providers label breast reduction and lift as a cosmetic procedure and won’t cover it. But if your large, heavy breasts cause you back, neck, and shoulder pain or pose a health problem, the cosmetic nature is less of a concern. So, though you may need to build a case to qualify your breast reduction as reconstructive surgery, your insurance company might agree to cover some or all of your breast lift cost in Annapolis.

Each patient’s pain level is different, but most individuals describe post-surgery discomfort as minimal to moderate. As the best breast lift surgeons in the Annapolis area, we will prescribe appropriate pain medications for the discomfort you will experience.

Contact Us Today

The Sandel Duggal Center for Plastic Surgery is one of the top plastic surgery practices in Maryland. Dr. Claire Duggal has extensive experience in breast and body enhancement procedures.  Schedule a consultation to learn whether breast lift or breast reduction is right for you and to find out why Dr. Duggal’s patients rate her so highly. Contact us online or call (410) 266-7120.

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