A breast lift, or breast uplift, is an operation to raise and reshape your breasts. It involves surgery to remove excess skin from your breasts, and repositioning your nipple higher up your breast. The medical name for the procedure is mastopexy.
Why have breast reshaping surgery?
A breast lift can make your breasts look less saggy or droopy. Your breasts can appear this way after having a baby and breastfeeding, or if you lost weight. It can also happen as you get older. You might feel better about how your breasts look after breast lift surgery.
It’s normally better to delay breast uplift surgery until you’re not planning to have any more children and are no longer breastfeeding.
How to get a breast lift
As a cosmetic procedure (surgery to improve how you look), a breast lift wouldn’t be provided by the NHS. You’ll need to have it done privately. You can find a consultant surgeon using the search function on our website. You should still let your GP know if you have a breast lift, so they can be aware of any ongoing care you may need.
Deciding on breast lift surgery
You’ll meet a surgeon and talk about why you want to change how your breasts look. They will explain what will happen, and the good and bad things about surgery. They’ll talk to you about all options available and any alternatives to surgery. In some cases, it may be possible to make you breasts bigger or smaller at the same time as lifting them.
Your surgeon will need to examine your breasts and assess whether you’re suitable for surgery. They may ask to take some photos of your breasts for your records. You’ll be offered a chaperone before any physical examination. Depending on your age, you may be advised to have a mammogram to check for any signs of breast cancer before going ahead with surgery.
You’ll have some time to think about your decision before committing to surgery.
Preparing for breast lift surgery
There are various things you can do to prepare for breast lift surgery. If you smoke, it’s best if you stop before your operation. Nicotine has a negative effect on wound healing, and smoking significantly increases the risk of other complications too. Try to keep your weight steady, and keep active to maintain your fitness.
Breast lift surgery is usually done under general anaesthesia (meaning you’ll be asleep). Sometimes you may be able to go home on the day of your procedure, but usually you’ll need to stay overnight.
What happens during breast lift surgery?
Breast lift surgery is done in different ways. The surgeon usually makes cuts around your nipples and sometimes along the bottom of your breasts, like an upside-down ‘T’. Your surgeon will remove excess skin and then make your breast into a tighter shape. They will also move your nipple and the dark area around it to the right place for your new shape.
Recovery and what to expect after breast lift surgery
The following is only a guideline, your surgeon will advise you on how long your own recovery might expect to take.
Day of surgery: Your breasts and chest area will probably feel tender for a while after breast enlargement surgery. The doctors and nurses looking after you will give you painkillers to help manage this. You should be out of bed and moving around after your operation.
- Week 1: You can start driving again.
- Week 2: Your sutures (stitches) will be removed (if required). You can return to work.
- Week 6: You should be able to return to most of your normal activities. Your scars should start to fade.
- Several months: Your breasts should begin to settle down and you can properly judge the results of your operation. Your scars should become paler over time.
You should continue to attend your breast screening appointments after your surgery, as per the NHS Breast Screening Programme.
Potential complications of breast lift surgery
All surgical procedures have some risk. Here are some common problems with breast lift.
Common – between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people, which is equivalent to one person in a typical-sized street.
- Bleeding
- Swelling
- Temporary change to feeling of your breast
Uncommon – between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000 people which is equivalent to one person in a village.
- Infection
There’s a risk that you might not be happy with the end result. Breasts are not symmetrical, and surgery can make differences between your breasts more pronounced. You also need to bear in mind that the shape of your breasts will change over time as a natural result of ageing. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and changes in weight will also alter how your breasts look.
Rare – between 1 in 1,000 people and 1 in 10,000 people which is equivalent to one person in a town.
- Severe infection
- Tissue damage (necrosis)
How much does breast lift surgery cost?
As a cosmetic procedure, breast lift would not be available through private medical insurance. You will usually need to self-fund this treatment. Breast lift costs in the UK vary.
Typically, an initial consultation with the surgeon will cost between £100 and £200, depending on where you live. If you move forwards with the procedure, you’ll be offered one of the following.
- An all-inclusive ‘package price’, where you know the full costs before undergoing treatment. Not all consultants and hospitals offer this.
- A ‘fee-per-service’ deal, where you receive different invoices from the surgeon, the anaesthetist and the hospital. You often won’t know the full costs until you receive the invoices.
For more information, you can read our guide on self-pay.
Helpful websites
References
- Breast mastopexy. Medscape. emedicine.medscape.com, updated 9 July 2020.
- Breast uplift. British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). baaps.org.uk (accessed 28 August 2024).
- Martinez AA, Chung S. Breast ptosis. StatPearls. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, last updated 17 January 2021.
- Lowes S, MacNeill F, Martin L, et al. Breast imaging for aesthetic surgery: British Society of Breast Radiology (BSBR), Association of Breast Surgery Great Britain & Ireland (ABS), British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS). J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2018;71(11): 1521-1531. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2018.07.004.
- You and your anaesthetic. Royal College of Anaesthetists, February 2020. rcoa.ac.uk
- Joint briefing: smoking and surgery. Action on Smoking and Health, the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Faculty of Public Health, April 2016. ash.org.uk.
