- Restores a more youthful breast position, shape and feel
- Improves nipple angle and placement
- Creates better symmetry between breasts
- Reduces excess skin that can cause discomfort or irritation
- Enhances proportions between breasts and body
- Allows clothing to fit better
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Breast Lift
Restore Youthful Breast Position and Shape in Concord, CA
Gravity never rests — but then again, neither do you.
Whether you’re crushing your career goals, chasing toddlers at the park or shopping for a whole new wardrobe post-weight loss, your body tells a story of the life you’ve lived. But while you’re moving forward with purpose and determination, some changes in your body might be holding you back from feeling fully like yourself.
A breast lift (mastopexy) can help restore the youthful position and shape of your breasts, addressing common concerns like sagging, asymmetry and downward-pointing nipples.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eric Mariotti has helped hundreds of women from Concord, Walnut Creek and throughout the East Bay achieve natural-looking results with breast lift surgery.
Benefits
Surgical Notes
Anesthesia: General
Procedure Length: 2 hours
Time Off Work: 2 weeks
Final Results: 6-12 months
Related Procedures: Breast Augmentation, Breast Reduction, Mommy Makeover
What Is a Breast Lift?
The technical term for breast sagging is ptosis, but the experience is far more personal than any medical terminology can capture.
Time, pregnancy, weight changes and even your genetic makeup all play a role in how your breasts change. Over time, you might notice your breasts sitting lower on your chest, pointing downward instead of forward or developing a deflated appearance. Some women feel their nipples have stretched or their areolas have enlarged. These changes can affect everything from how your clothes fit to how confident you feel in intimate moments.
A breast lift reshapes and elevates your breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue. During the procedure, Dr. Mariotti repositions your nipple and areola to a more forward-facing position and adjusts the underlying breast tissue to create a more youthful contour.
“I can’t quit trying on clothes and taking pictures. At 46 years old, I feel like I look better than I did at 30. If you are in the Bay Area, I cannot recommend Dr. Mariotti more. Gifted surgeon. Compassionate, caring man with his heart in the right place, and a staff that matches his priorities on every front.”
- Ashley H.
What Are the Most Commonly Used Breast Lift Techniques?
Every woman’s breasts are unique, and the best surgical approach depends on factors like the degree of sagging, your skin elasticity and your desired outcome. Dr. Mariotti’s extensive background in both reconstructive and cosmetic breast surgery allows him to customize the procedure based on your needs.
Book Your ConsultationDr. Mariotti’s preferred types of breast lift are:
The Anchor Lift
The anchor lift, also called the inverted-T technique, is often the best choice for significant sagging or asymmetry. This approach involves three incisions: one around the areola, one vertically from the areola to the breast crease and one following the natural curve of the breast crease (similar to the shape of an anchor). When Dr. Mariotti performs this type of breast lift, he repositions the lower breast tissue up high on the chest with a suture technique, trying to get the closest appearance to implants without actually using implants.
The anchor lift requires more incisions than the others, but it typically produces the most dramatic and longest-lasting results. It is the technique Dr. Mariotti uses most often.
The Donut Lift
The donut lift, or periareolar lift, involves only a single incision around the areola. This minimal-incision technique works well for women with very mild sagging or those who primarily need areola reduction. While the donut lift offers the most discreet scarring, it also has the most limited lifting capacity. It is not suitable for moderate to severe sagging.
What Is the Difference Between a Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation?
A breast lift works with your existing breast tissue to create a more youthful shape and position. It does not add volume. Your breast size should remain the same, and some women even find they wear a slightly smaller cup size after surgery once the tissue has been tightened and excess skin removed.
Breast augmentation, on the other hand, increases breast volume using implants. This procedure can make your breasts larger, restore volume you’ve lost and enhance your cleavage. Augmentation does not significantly lift sagging breasts, though it can sometimes create the illusion of slightly more lift.
Some women benefit from combining their lift with augmentation to improve both position and volume, while others achieve their goals through a lift alone. Dr. Mariotti offers a breast augmentation with lift surgery if you’d like more comprehensive results.
What to Expect From Your Breast Lift With Dr. Mariotti
Book NowPreparation
During your private consultation at our Concord plastic surgery office, Dr. Mariotti will evaluate your breast tissue quality, measure your degree of ptosis and discuss your health history and goals. He will explain which technique he recommends for your situation and why, and make sure that you feel fully prepared and confident about your surgical plan.
You will receive detailed preoperative instructions that can improve the safety of the procedure and optimize your healing. Our team will work with you to schedule the surgery and ensure you understand our financial policies and payment plans.
Procedure
Your procedure will take place at Premier Surgery Center in Concord, where Dr. Mariotti is the medical director. A breast lift typically takes two hours. If breast implants are being placed at the same time, the surgery will likely take two and a half or three hours. Most breast lift patients receive general anesthesia.
Dr. Mariotti will begin by making incisions in the pattern of your chosen surgical technique. He will then carefully reshape your breast tissue, remove excess skin and reposition your nipple and areola.
Dr. Mariotti takes pride in creating natural-looking results regardless of the technique used. He pays meticulous attention to creating symmetry between your breasts while preserving sensation, and carefully places all incisions to be as discreet as possible.
Recovery
You will go home after your surgery in a light dressing to cover your incisions. It is normal to experience some discomfort, bruising, swelling, and temporary tingling or numbness as you recover. Although your breasts may feel sore, the pain should be manageable with oral pain medication.
You can enjoy a shower the next morning and should be able to move around the house the next day, resuming light activity in three to five days. Most women are able to return to work and other normal daily activities within two weeks after their procedure.
Dr. Mariotti will ask that you limit strenuous physical activity for three to five weeks after your breast lift procedure. At the six-week mark, you should be able to resume all regular exercises and activities.
Results
Lifted breasts – with or without implants – will take three to four weeks to settle. You should have a good idea of what your final results will look like around three months after surgery. However, it can take six months to a year for your final results to completely develop.
When the results are fully visible, your breasts should have a perkier, more youthful profile that can last for many years. Most women find their scars fade and soften significantly over time.
Is a Breast Lift Right for Me?
Imagine waking up every morning confident in your skin. Picture wearing the clothes you love without worrying about support garments. Think about standing tall, shoulders back, feeling like yourself again. These are not just possibilities — they are real experiences our patients share with us after their breast lifts.
You might be a candidate for breast lift surgery if you relate to any of these common concerns:
- Your breasts have lost their youthful shape and position
- Your nipples point downward or fall below your breast crease when unsupported
- Your breasts have developed an elongated or pendulous shape
- Your breasts have lost the firm feel they once had.
The ideal breast lift candidate is in good overall health, maintains a stable weight and has realistic expectations about what surgery can achieve. If you’re planning future pregnancies or weight loss, Dr. Mariotti may recommend waiting to have your breast lift, as they can affect your results.
Dr. Mariotti will help you determine if a breast lift alone will achieve your goals. If you’d like to increase your cup size or see a fuller upper portion of the breast, it’s best to consider a combined breast augmentation and lift. If you would like breasts that are smaller as well as lifted, breast reduction surgery may be a better option than a lift alone.
What matters most is that this decision feels right for you. Dr. Mariotti and the MBody team will never pressure you into any procedure — instead, we provide the information and guidance you need to make the best decision for your body and your life.
Book Your Personalized PlanFAQS
What will my scars look like after a breast lift?
There are a few different ways breast lift surgery can be performed, but minimal incision techniques typically mean only minimal correction is possible. Most women feel happy enough with their results that concerns over scarring fade right along with the scars themselves.
Will my breast lift results feel natural?
Because a breast lift reshapes your natural breast tissue, your results will simply feel like your natural breast. The real difference comes in the shape and position of your breasts, both of which can be improved with breast lift surgery.
How much does a breast lift cost?
The average cost of a breast lift in the US is around $5,000, in addition to other associated expenses, such as anesthesia and operating room facility fees. This figure is based on data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
The price of your breast lift will vary based on location, the plastic surgery practice, and whether or not you choose to include breast implants as well.
If the cost is a concern for you, don’t hesitate to discuss financing options at the time of your consultation to help make your breast lift as affordable as possible.
Can I view before and after photos of people near me who have had a breast lift?
Yes. Our online photo gallery includes photos of previous clients, taken and shared with their consent, who have had breast lifts in the Bay Area.
If using before and after photos to help you communicate your wish list to Dr. Mariotti at your consultation, choose photos of women with a similar body shape and build to yours.
Is a breast lift painful?
Breast lifts are performed under general anesthesia, so you won’t feel any pain during your procedure. Afterward, tenderness, discomfort, bruising and swelling are to be expected. However, these effects should be easily managed with prescription or over-the-counter pain medication.
How long does a breast lift last?
It depends on a number of factors, including your age, lifestyle habits, the size of your breasts, and whether or not you’ve included breast implants as well. In general, breast lift results can last for years before a revision may be necessary due to the natural aging process. Maintaining a stable weight and wearing supportive bras can help preserve your results.
“Dr. Mariotti is an artist. I had a breast reduction and lift without implants. He listened carefully to what I wanted, and the results and recovery were better than expected. I was out golfing 18 holes after 3 weeks!”
- Shauna C.
Restore Your Confidence With a Breast Lift at MBody
From your first consultation, you’ll understand why so many women choose Dr. Mariotti for their breast lift surgery. His approach combines a surgeon’s precision with an artist’s vision and a down-to-earth personality his patients love.
Contact MBody Plastic Surgery Center at (925) 685-4533 to schedule your consultation with Dr. Mariotti, or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to helping you achieve the natural, beautiful breast lift results you deserve.
