Reclaim Your Confidence With a Cosmetic Breast Lift

A breast lift, also known as a mastopexy, is a procedure that raises the breasts to a higher position on the chest and restores a youthful appearance. ⁽¹⁾ This procedure addresses breast ptosis, or the progressive sagging/deflating of the breasts that often occurs with age. ⁽²⁾ A breast lift can also reposition the nipples for more natural results.

At ME Plastic Surgery, Dr. Marc Everett is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon who has established a reputation as one of New York City’s most sought-after breast surgery experts. He has helped thousands of patients rejuvenate their breasts, creating results that inspire confidence. He is widely recognized for his signature internal bra technique, which provides lasting internal support and elevates the longevity and quality of results. Working alongside him is Dr. Ruya Zhao, a board-eligible, fellowship-trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon with advanced training and specialized experience in breast procedures.

If you are interested in reclaiming your confidence with a breast lift, please contact our Manhattan office online or call (212) 774-7715 and schedule a consultation.

About Breast Lifts

In 2023, surgeons in the U.S. performed more than 153,000 breast lift procedures, marking a 7% increase from 2022. ⁽³⁾ This number continues to rise; many patients undergo breast lifts due to the effects of aging, weight changes, pregnancy, and other factors that can contribute to the sagging of the breasts. The rapid increase in use of GLP-1 inhibitor medications like Ozempic has also created a skyrocketing demand for cosmetic breast lift operations. A breast lift removes excess skin from sagging breasts and tightens the underlying tissues. ⁽¹⁾ The procedure itself does not alter the size of the breasts, just increases the fullness and improves the position of the breasts. The surgeons at ME Plastic Surgery use refined techniques to create perky, rejuvenated breasts with exceptionally long-lasting results.

Breast Shape and Feminine Confidence

During the consultation phase, many breast lift patients report that sagging breasts have negatively impacted their confidence. Breast ptosis can make it difficult to feel confident wearing more revealing clothing or swimsuits; it can also make it harder to find bras that fit. Dr. Everett’s extensive experience and Dr. Zhao’s advanced training in breast surgery allow both surgeons to help patients address these concerns and regain confidence in their bodies.

Candidates

Anyone struggling with sagging, deflated breasts and/or downturned nipples may qualify for a breast lift. The ideal patient would be looking to keep a similar breast size but wishes to restore upper breast fullness, enhance cleavage, and bring the nipple position back to the center of the breast mound. Patients who wish to make their breasts smaller at the same time that their lift is performed should inquire about a breast reduction (link). In most cases, the cost for this operation can be covered by your insurance (link to insurance breast reduction). On the other hand, patients wishing to enhance the size of the breasts, in addition to the fullness, should inquire about an augmentation procedure, which can include the use of their own fat (link) or a silicone gel implant (link). Patients should also be nonsmokers or willing to quit nicotine use in advance of their procedure and throughout their recovery. Dr. Everett or Dr. Zhao will determine each candidate’s eligibility during their consultation.

Consultation

The first step in reclaiming your confidence with a breast lift is a personal consultation with Dr. Everett or Dr. Zhao. During this meeting, your surgeon will discuss your breast concerns, medical history, and potential treatment outcomes. They will also explain the procedure in detail, examine your breasts, and establish what is achievable for your circumstances. After collecting the necessary information, they will create your personalized treatment plan.

We encourage patients to openly ask questions and voice any concerns. This meeting is time dedicated to you, your goals, and your specific procedure, and we want you to leave feeling informed, confident, and excited about your breast lift.

Schedule your consultation today to begin your breast lift journey. Submit our online contact form to reach us, or call our Manhattan office at (212) 774-7715 to schedule over the phone.

Preparing For Your Breast Lift

After establishing your treatment plan, a member of the ME Plastic Surgery team will give you detailed preparation instructions. Following these closely helps ensure a smooth, safe procedure, an easy recovery, and optimal results. These vary for each patient depending on their medical history and procedure details, but common guidelines include:

Procedure

Your surgeon will begin the breast lift procedure by making the necessary preoperative markings. After this, you will be placed under anesthesia. Our surgeons perform breast lifts with the patient under general anesthesia, and they also administer local and regional anesthesia to reduce post-procedure discomfort.

Your surgeon will then make the necessary incisions on the breasts, choosing the pattern that aligns with the degree of ptosis present. ⁽¹⁾ After gaining access to the underlying muscular and breast tissue structures, they will tighten them as necessary and raise the breasts to a higher position. They meticulously preserve vital breast tissue, removing only the targeted skin and tissue. If your breast lift plan includes nipple surgery, they will carefully reposition the nipple-areolar complex to a more natural and harmonious placement. ⁽¹⁾

Once your surgeon confirms that the results look balanced and natural, they will meticulously close the incisions, clean and dress the treatment areas, and apply a compression garment around the chest. This garment protects the incisions, maintains your new shape, and minimizes swelling.

The entire process typically takes about one and a half to two hours to complete, although this can vary depending on procedure complexity, your personal goals, and whether your surgeon performs any corresponding procedures. ⁽¹⁾

Dr. Everett’s Internal Bra Technique

For enhanced support and a longer-lasting lift, Dr. Everett can incorporate an internal bra technique into the breast lift procedure. This method uses a specialized, bioresorbable scaffold called GalaFLEX® Mesh to reinforce the breast’s internal structure and reconstruct the inframammary fold. The mesh is placed beneath the breast tissue to create a supportive ‘hammock’ that helps maintain the newly elevated position and to strengthen the repair of the breast fold, which is the structure that supports the position of the breast.

As the months pass, the mesh gradually dissolves and is naturally absorbed by the body. In its place, the body forms a strong layer of collagen-rich tissue, effectively creating an internal bra that continues to support the breasts long after healing is complete.

Long-Lasting Results

After your procedure, you will see immediate improvements in breast position, size, shape, and more. Results become more apparent as swelling dissipates throughout your recovery. After recovery, you will see perkier, shapelier, uplifted breasts that allow you to exude youthfulness and confidence. Breast lifts have exceptionally high patient satisfaction rates, with 99% of patients saying they would undergo their procedure again and 91% reporting increased self-esteem. ⁽⁴⁾

Corresponding Procedures

Although breast lifts can significantly enhance a patient’s confidence, ⁽⁴⁾ they specifically address breast position and will not alter volume in a meaningful way, just the appearance of fullness. For those who want to increase breast volume, we can combine their breast lift with breast augmentation. ⁽⁵⁾ This procedure can use breast implants, transferred fat, or off-the-shelf fat injectables like AlloClae and DermoClae to increase breast size. When patients combine a breast lift with breast augmentation, they emerge from their procedure with larger, fuller, perkier breasts. ⁽⁵⁾ Patients may also choose to reduce the size of their breasts, while the result will still be full and perky with the nipple restored to the ideal position, the breast reduction (link) will cause a reduction in back, neck, and shoulder pain that many women suffer from.

The Cost of Breast Lifts in NYC and Manhattan

Because Dr. Everett and Dr. Zhao tailor each breast lift to a patient’s unique concerns and appearance goals, pricing will vary depending on the scale of the procedure, the techniques they use, whether or not they perform other procedures, and a handful of other factors. After establishing a treatment plan, they will provide you with a cost estimate. Patients wishing to have a breast reduction may be eligible for insurance coverage.

Schedule your consultation today to explore your breast lift options. If you have any questions or prefer to schedule over the phone, please call our Manhattan office at (212) 774-7715.

FAQ

References

1. Toomey AE, Cape JD. Mastopexy (Breast Lift). Nih.gov. Published December 11, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK610682/
2. Martinez AA, Chung S. Breast Ptosis. PubMed. Published 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567792/
3. ASPS. American Society of Plastic Surgeons ® Endorsed Partner.; 2023. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/news/statistics/2023/plastic-surgery-statistics-report-2023.pdf
4. “Fantastic four” of breast procedures leave women extremely satisfied, study finds. ScienceDaily. Published 2008. Accessed May 20, 2025. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008114404.htm
5. Ramanadham SR, Rose Johnson A. Breast Lift with and without Implant: A Synopsis and Primer for the Plastic Surgeon. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open. 2020;8(10):e3057. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000003057