Breast Lift

Suture Suspension Dermal Mastopexy

Suture Suspension Dermal Mastopexy is a new surgical procedure to lift the breast developed by Dr. John Pierce in 2004 and performed by Dr. Pierce and Dr. Hekimian. Time has proven this to be a very effective procedure.

Droopy breasts, called breast ptosis is caused by gravity and the loss of internal support of the breast gland over the chest wall. In some cases, a woman is born with a deficiency of the normal supporting tissues in the breast, and a woman has breast ptosis beginning shortly after the development of the breast at puberty. This often happens when the breasts become very large at an early age. More commonly, ptosis is the result of significant enlargement of the breasts with pregnancy and nursing usually followed by rapid loss of breast gland volume after pregnancy or pregnancy and nursing. Many women note progressive ptosis with age due to the normal process of the gradual process of the replacement of breast tissue with fat beginning around the age of 35 to 40 years old.

When the supporting tissue in the breast is absent, insufficient, or fails, the breast tissue slides off the chest and shifts downward into the skin envelope. There is little or no breast tissue on the upper chest. The skin envelope stretches out. This also may happen over time with large breast implants
As the skin stretches out, the distance from a fixed point on the chest (such as the sternal notch) to the nipple becomes too long. As the skin stretches, there is an excess of skin above the nipple. Often, the areola becomes stretched out and larger then is aesthetically pleasing as well.

The Suture Suspension Mastopexy procedure combines:

1) Shifting the breast gland back up onto the pectoral fascia with a support suture to support the breast from the inside.
2) Folding the lower portion of the breast gland below the nipple on itself to internally support the breast from below.
3) Provide an internal “”BRA STRAP”” using the excess skin above the nipple to internally support the breast from above

This procedure lifts and supports the breast gland on the chest wall

1) with a suture from within
2) with sutures in the lower breast
3) with a strap of skin and underlying breast tissue from above

The advantages of this procedure are:

1) Less dissection of the breast
2) Less scars. In moderate droopiness, there may only be an incision over the upper rim of the areola. With more extensive droopiness ,there is an incision around the nipple areolar complex, and there may be an incision running down from the areola like a ”lolly pop”
3) Less pain after surgery
4) Much better upper pole breast fullness.
5) Usually fairly fine line scars because there is no tension on the incision lines. The skin is draped over the breast mound. The skin does not support the breast.
6) Preserves the ability to nurse.
7) Usually good sensation in the breast.
8) Ability to more safely place an implant with a lift.
9) Ability to reduce the volume of the breast with liposuction and/or direct tissue excision.
10) Reduced risk of skin necrosis.
11)Very nice long term support and appearance.
12)Somewhat reduced operating time.

The disadvantages of this procedure are:

1) Takes several weeks for the breast to start to shape up.
2) Firm band of tissue palpable but not visible in the upper inner breast mound persistent for 4 to 6 months.