Perhaps you want to have a breast lift, but are concerned about the risks associated with general anesthesia. Or maybe you have small saggy breasts and just want them put back where they belong, but don’t want to go through the time and expense associated with traditional breast lifts.
Perhaps a Benelli Lift is for you.
How Does a Benelli Lift work?
The Benelli lift was invented by Dr. Louis Benellito to lift smaller breasts in women that have lost elasticity. By removing a doughnut-shaped piece of soft tissue around the areola, the surgeon can easily and quickly lift the breast. This procedure is also called a doughnut mastopexy and a concentric mastopexy.
In contrast to a traditional lift, a Benelli lift usually only has a scar around the areola that flattens and disappears after time. During the procedure, a surgeon removes a ring of tissue around the areola and then sutures the surrounding tissue to the edge of the areola with purse string sutures.
As these sutures are tightened, it creates a lifting effect on the whole breast, resulting a flatter, rounded breast. The scarring is minimal, there are fewer incisions than a traditional lift and it is usually performed as an outpatient procedure with local anesthesia.
The draw back to this procedure is that you cannot have breast augmentation with implant done at the same time.
Who Performs a Benelli Lift?
Make sure you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who is trained in the Benelli technique. Ask to see before and after photos, and discuss your long term goals and expectations with the surgeon.
What Can I Expect During Recovery?
Compared to a traditional breast lift, recovery is minimal. Most patients are able to return to work within a week. It is important to note that it can take quite some time to see the full effects of a Benelli Lift – even up to a year.
It is also important to discuss fully with your surgeon if any further procedures will be needed to maintain the effect in the future. Gravity and time marches on, weight fluctuations may affect the results, and for some patients, a touch-up procedure may be needed in the future.
If the breasts are severely stretched, the nipple may need to be moved. In these cases, a vertical incision will need to be in addition to the doughnut shaped incision.
What are the risks?
The anesthesia risks associated with traditional breast lift procedures, including risk of death, do not apply to a Benelli lift since it is done under local anesthesia. As with any breast alteration surgery, there is always a small risk of having decreased nipple sensation, infection, slow healing or loss of areolar tissue. Working with a qualified cosmetic surgeon will minimize many of these risks, but talk with your doctor to get a thorough understanding of the results and the risks of this procedure.