Breast Lift (Mastopexy) in Baton Rouge, LA
Restore a Youthful, Natural Shape.
If your breasts have lost their once-youthful position and shape, you have options worth exploring. A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, restores a firmer, more elevated contour and helps many women feel comfortable and confident in their bodies again.
At Ford Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Kate Chiasson brings both technical precision and a genuine understanding of what these changes mean to you. As a woman, she is especially attuned to the concerns that come with pregnancy, breastfeeding, and the natural changes that come with time. Below, you will find everything you need to know about how a breast lift works, what to expect, and how to decide whether a lift alone, or a lift paired with augmentation, is the right path for your goals.
What is a Breast Lift? (Mastopexy Explained)
A breast lift, also known as mastopexy, is a surgical procedure that improves the appearance of your breasts without changing their size. When breasts begin to droop and sag due to aging, pregnancy and breastfeeding, or weight loss, many women feel less confident about the way they look. A breast lift is designed to elevate and reshape sagging breasts and reposition the nipples to a more pleasing location, giving many women the chance to regain their confidence and feel happier about their reflection in the mirror.
A mastopexy can:
Lift your breasts up to their original location
Restore breast symmetry
Make nipples face up instead of forward
Make the areola smaller
Reshape the breast to appear more round
Remove extra skin
Dr. Chiasson will carefully listen to your desired outcome and expectations and help you select the best approach to achieve your goals. If you would also like an increase in breast size, a gel implant can be placed at the time of the lift. Because an implant adds weight to the breast, it is wise to avoid overly large implants.
The severity of breast sagging, known as ptosis, is graded by the position of the nipple relative to the inframammary fold (the crease beneath the breast). The degree of ptosis, along with your desired outcome, will determine the most appropriate surgical approach. Minor lifting requires fewer incisions, while more significant sagging, where the nipple falls below the fold, calls for longer incisions that lead to longer scars. Dr. Chiasson will instruct you on how to care for your incisions and scars so you can achieve an optimal result.
Breast Lift vs. Augmentation & Reduction: Understanding the Difference
With so many breast enhancement procedures available, finding the right path for your aesthetic goals can feel daunting. Determining the ideal approach for your needs requires both personal research and an in-depth professional consultation. The three main procedures to choose from are:
Breast Lift: Improves Shape and Position
This sagging breast correction procedure removes extra skin and tightens the breast tissue. A lift doesn't change the size significantly, but it may make breasts appear fuller.
Breast Augmentation: Adds Volume
Breast augmentations use implants to increase breast size and fullness. Some women choose to combine augmentation with a breast lift if they want both a lifted shape and more volume.
Breast Reduction: Reduces Size and Weight
A breast reduction removes excess breast tissue, fat, and skin. Women who opt for this procedure are looking for smaller and lighter breasts. It works for those who suffer from discomfort associated with larger breasts (back pain, difficulties with physical activities, etc.).
Breast Lift vs Breast Augmentation- Which Do You Need?
Breast Lift
Lifts sagging breasts
Repositions the nipple
Removes excess skin
Does not add volume
Breast Augmentation
Increases breast size with implants
Adds fullness and shape
Does not correct sagging
Combination (Lift + Implants)
Lifts and adds volume
Best for sagging + volume loss
Creates fuller, more youthful results
Not sure which is right for you? A consultation will determine the best approach based on your goals.
Breast Lift With Augmentation: A Combined Approach
For some patients, sagging is only part of the picture. If you have lost volume in the upper portion of the breast along with firmness and position, a breast lift on its own may not fully restore the fullness you are hoping for. In these cases, combining a lift with breast augmentation can address both concerns in a single procedure.
By pairing mastopexy with implants, Dr. Chiasson can elevate and reshape the breast while also adding volume and upper-pole fullness for a more youthful, balanced result. This combined approach is often ideal for women who notice deflation and drooping after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or significant weight loss.
Because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to plastic surgery, whether a lift alone or a lift with augmentation is right for you depends on your anatomy, the degree of sagging, and your personal goals.
Your Mastopexy Journey: Expected Results, Scars, and Recovery
A breast lift is a surgery performed under general anesthesia. The more you learn about it in advance, the easier it will be to go through recovery.
What Results Can You Expect After a Breast Lift?
The goal of mastopexy is to create a more youthful breast shape. After breast lift surgery, you may notice:
A higher breast position
Improved breast symmetry
A more balanced nipple and areola placement
A firmer appearance
A more proportionate look with your natural body shape
Will a Breast Lift Leave Scars?
Since a breast lift surgery involves removing extra skin, some scarring is likely. The type and length of scars depend on how much lifting is needed.
After some time, breast lift scars become less noticeable. Your surgeon will provide extensive instructions about caring for the skin in order to help scars fade faster.
What Is Recovery Like After Mastopexy?
Breast lift surgery in our Baton Rouge clinic is an outpatient procedure. Most patients can return to normal daily activities within a few weeks. Since every patient heals differently, the plastic surgeon creates a breast lift recovery plan based on your needs.
Breast Lift - Before & After
Ask The Expert
Dr. Kate Chiasson
-
Recovery is often quicker than patients expect. A breast lift is an outpatient procedure, so you will go home the same day. Most of my patients feel comfortable returning to desk work and light daily activities within about a week, and are back to full activity, including exercise, within a few weeks. Our team will give you detailed instructions on caring for your incisions and easing back into your routine, and we will monitor your healing closely at your follow-up visits.
-
Some scarring is a natural part of any lift, but how much depends on the degree of sagging we are correcting. Minor lifting requires fewer incisions and less scarring, while more significant sagging calls for longer incisions to achieve the best shape. The good news is that scars typically fade considerably over time, and I will guide you on scar care so we can achieve the most refined result possible.
-
A breast lift offers long-lasting results, though it is important to remember that your breasts will still respond to the natural aging process, gravity, and changes in weight over time. Maintaining a stable weight and wearing a supportive bra can help preserve your results for years to come. Because everyone's body is different, I believe in creating an individualized plan designed to give you the most durable, natural-looking outcome.
-
That depends on your goals. A breast lift raises and reshapes sagging breasts and repositions the nipple, but it does not add volume. If you are looking for more fullness, an implant can be placed at the time of your lift. For many women who have experienced both sagging and volume loss, a combined lift and augmentation creates the fullest, most youthful result. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so we will decide together during your consultation.
-
If you are planning future pregnancies, I generally recommend waiting, since pregnancy and breastfeeding can stretch the skin and change the shape of your breasts again, which may affect your results. That said, this is a personal decision, and there is no single right answer for everyone. I am always happy to talk through your timing and goals so you can feel confident in your choice.
Lift, Reshape, and Restore
If you are worried about your breast sagging and nipples tilting downward, you may benefit from a breast lift surgery. Our team has decades of experience with performing mastopexies.