Minimal ptosis
Crescent lift
Removes a small wedge of skin from the upper margin of the areola only — reserved for very minimal sagging.
☎ +971 50 106 7981·WhatsApp·Elyzee Hospital, Abu Dhabi
Breast Surgery · Abu Dhabi & Dubai
Breast Lift — Mastopexy
A mastopexy raises and reshapes the breast, lifting the nipple and tightening a stretched skin envelope after pregnancy, weight loss or ageing. Where lasting support matters, it is reinforced with an internal bra made from your own tissue — no synthetic mesh.
- {{ic-shield}}Internal bra
no mesh - {{ic-award}}ISAPS · ASPS
SBCP · EPSS - {{ic-heart}}Pain-first
recovery
Overview
What is a breast lift (mastopexy)?
A mastopexy restores a firmer, more youthful breast by raising the nipple, reducing an enlarged areola, reshaping the breast tissue and tightening the stretched skin. It corrects sagging (ptosis) that follows pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight loss or the natural loss of firmness with age.
A lift on its own reshapes and elevates but does not add volume. When more fullness is wanted — especially in the upper pole — it is combined with an implant (augmentation-mastopexy), and in selected cases with fat grafting (a hybrid lift). The right approach depends on your degree of sagging, your tissue, and the shape you want.
The result is supported for the long term with an internal bra built from your own tissue, so the lift lasts rather than gradually dropping again.
The starting point
How is breast sagging (ptosis) classified?
Every lift begins by measuring how far the breast has descended. Dr. Paulo Michels uses the Regnault classification to map the anatomy — because the grade of ptosis dictates which technique and incision are right for you.
P
Pseudoptosis
The lower pole droops, but the nipple stays above the crease. The skin has stretched more than the nipple has descended.
I
Grade I · Mild
The nipple sits slightly below the crease, with minimal sagging.
II
Grade II · Moderate
The nipple sits 1–3 cm below the crease.
III
Grade III · Severe
Pronounced sagging, with the nipple at the lowest point of the breast.
Matched to your anatomy
What are the different mastopexy incisions?
The incision pattern is chosen to match your ptosis grade and how much excess skin must be removed — using the least scarring that will still achieve the lift.
Mild · Grade I
Circumareolar (donut) lift
Confines the scar to the border of the areola. Indicated for mild, Grade I ptosis.
Moderate · Grade II
Vertical (lollipop) lift
A circle around the areola plus a vertical limb down to the fold, allowing firmer reshaping for moderate, Grade II ptosis.
Moderate–severe
L-scar lift
Extends the horizontal incision only toward the outer side of the fold — removing significant excess while keeping the central cleavage completely free of scarring.
Severe · Grade III
Anchor lift (inverted-T)
The standard for severe, Grade III ptosis: a periareolar circle, a vertical limb and a horizontal incision in the fold, for maximum three-dimensional reshaping.
Nipple & areola
The nipple is lifted and a stretched areola reduced
Every lift also repositions the nipple to a natural height and, where the areola has stretched wide, reduces it to a proportionate size — both done through the same incision, with no additional scar.
Reshaping vs volume
Breast lift with or without implants?
A lift and an implant do two different jobs. Understanding the difference is how you choose the right combination for your goal.
| Lift only (mastopexy) | Lift + implant | |
|---|---|---|
| Raises & reshapes | Yes | Yes |
| Adds upper-pole fullness | No | Yes |
| Increases cup size | No | Yes |
| Best for | Sagging with enough volume | Sagging + wanting more fullness |
Adding volume
If you also want more fullness
A lift reshapes; volume comes from an implant or fat. Pure implant volume is covered on Breast Augmentation, and the lift-plus-implant combination — including the hybrid lift (a moderate implant blended with fat grafting, used in selected cases) — on Augmentation-Mastopexy. This page focuses on the lift itself.
Planning
Seeing your lift before surgery — 3D simulation
A lift reshapes the tissue you already have, so the useful question is how high and how firm your own breast can go. Using 3D imaging, the lifted, reshaped breast is previewed on your own body — the new nipple height, the tighter lower pole and the improved symmetry — before the operating theatre.
It also sets honest expectations: a lift raises and reshapes but does not add volume. Seeing the simulated result makes it clear whether a lift alone gives you the shape you want, or whether you would also want an implant — an augmentation-mastopexy.
Combined with measurements of your ptosis and skin quality, the simulation makes the plan shared and realistic — your lift, designed around your anatomy.
3D simulation — what it shows you
- Preview the lifted, reshaped breast on your own body
- See the new nipple height and a proportionate areola
- Understand what a lift alone can — and cannot — change
- Decide honestly whether you also want an implant
- Planned with your ptosis grade and skin quality
Our philosophy
Lifted, natural — and supported to last.
Why the lift lasts
The internal bra — without synthetic mesh
The commonest disappointment after a lift is the breast slowly dropping again. Dr. Paulo Michels prevents this with an internal support built from your own tissue — not a synthetic mesh.
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An inframammary support of your own tissue
The inframammary fold — the crease that carries the weight of the breast — is reinforced using your own tissue, creating a strong internal support that holds the breast up from below. It strengthens the fold and resists the breast dropping or bottoming out again.
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No mesh, no rejection risk
Because the support is autologous — entirely your own tissue — there is no synthetic mesh and therefore no risk of rejection or a foreign-body reaction. It is natural, long-lasting support that becomes part of your own anatomy.
Honest anatomy
Can a lift correct asymmetry?
Yes — and some asymmetry is present in almost everyone. A mastopexy corrects differences in soft-tissue volume and position very effectively. What it cannot change is the skeletal framework: asymmetric rib cages, spinal curves and uneven chest walls remain, and they influence the final result. These are mapped carefully at consultation so the plan is realistic and truly customised.
The foundation
How the thorax shapes the breast
The breast sits on the rib cage, so the thorax dictates part of the outcome. A flatter anterior rib cage gives a broader breast base; a barrel-chested or curved rib cage pushes the breast tissue outward toward the armpit. Reading this framework is essential to placing and shaping the breast for a balanced, natural result.
Comfort & healing
Anaesthesia, comfort and the scars
The experience is engineered to be comfortable and to heal into the finest possible scar.
Modern anaesthesia
Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA)
Complete, safe unconsciousness without inhaled gases — giving precise control, a smooth and rapid wake-up, and near-zero postoperative nausea, so you recover clear-headed and comfortable.
Pain-free wake-up
Ultrasound-guided PECS nerve blocks
Targeted nerve blocks placed under ultrasound while you are asleep numb the chest-wall nerves, so you wake with zero surgical pain. This sharply reduces the need for strong painkillers and speeds your return to normal life.
Refined closure
Surgical glue & scar care
Advanced surgical glue with a stabilising tape distributes tension evenly to prevent scar widening, for a remarkably thin line. It is 100% waterproof — allowing early showering, no complex dressings and no external stitches or skin marks.
A natural lift that lasts — planned around you
Book a private consultation with Dr. Paulo Michels — an honest assessment of your ptosis, your tissue and whether a lift, an implant or a hybrid is right for you.
Recovery
What is the recovery timeline?
The nerve blocks and glued, stitch-free closure make the first days far easier than most expect. Most people return to work at around two weeks, with a supportive surgical bra worn for two months.
- First 48–72 hours
You wake with no surgical pain from the nerve blocks. You rest with the chest supported; the waterproof closure lets you shower early. Discomfort is mild and easily managed.
- First week
Swelling and tightness settle. You wear a supportive surgical bra day and night and avoid raising the arms forcefully. Most daily activities resume gently.
- Return to work
Most people return to desk work at around two weeks (14 days), depending on how physical the job is.
- Compression / support bra
The surgical support bra is worn for two months to protect the shape and the inframammary support as it heals.
- Physical activity
Light activity builds back gradually; full exercise and chest or upper-body training resume at around three weeks (20 days). The final shape settles over 3–6 months.
Candidacy
Am I a good candidate?
- Sagging, asymmetry or loss of firmness after pregnancy, weight loss or ageing
- Wanting the breast lifted and reshaped — with or without added fullness
- Physically healthy and a non-smoker, or able to stop around surgery
- Realistic expectations about shape, scars and the skeletal framework
- Not planning further pregnancies (which can re-stretch the breast)
Good to know
What to understand first
- A lift reshapes and raises; volume needs an implant or fat
- The internal bra uses your own tissue — no mesh, no rejection risk
- Scars are placed to the pattern your ptosis needs, and refined with glue closure
- Some asymmetry from the rib cage cannot be fully changed
- The final shape settles over three to six months
Honest risks
What to weigh
A mastopexy is a safe, well-established operation, but like any surgery it has honest trade-offs: permanent scars (placed discreetly and refined to fade), temporary changes in nipple or skin sensation that usually recover, some residual asymmetry that comes from the skeleton, and the normal healing risks — all minimised by careful technique and aftercare, and discussed fully at your consultation.
Patient stories
In their words
LR
L. R.Dubai
“After two children my breasts had dropped. The lift looks completely natural — and he supported it with my own tissue so it stays up.”Mastopexy + internal bra
AM
A. M.Abu Dhabi
“I woke up with zero pain from the nerve blocks. The scar is a thin line and there were no stitches to remove.”Lift + implant
FK
F. K.Sharjah
“He explained my asymmetry honestly and chose the incision with no scar in my cleavage. Beautiful, natural result.”L-scar mastopexy
Investment
How is the cost determined?
Every breast is different, so there is no single price. A personalised quotation follows an in-person assessment. The main factors:
- The grade of ptosis and the incision pattern required
- Whether an implant, or fat grafting (hybrid), is added
- Whether the internal bra reinforcement is part of the plan
- The anaesthesia pathway, operating time and any hospital stay
- The surgical bra and the post-operative programme
In line with UAE medical-advertising regulations, prices are shared privately in consultation rather than published.
FAQ
Breast lift, answered
What is a breast lift (mastopexy)?
A mastopexy raises and reshapes the breast — lifting the nipple, reshaping the tissue and tightening stretched skin — to correct sagging after pregnancy, weight loss or ageing. On its own it does not add volume; for that an implant or fat grafting is combined with it.
How is breast sagging (ptosis) graded?
Using the Regnault classification: pseudoptosis (lower pole droops, nipple still above the crease), Grade I (nipple slightly below the crease), Grade II (nipple 1–3 cm below), and Grade III (severe sagging, nipple at the lowest point). The grade determines the technique and incision.
Which mastopexy incision will I need?
The least scarring that will achieve your lift: a crescent or circumareolar (donut) scar for minimal to mild ptosis, a vertical (lollipop) scar for moderate, and an L-scar or anchor (inverted-T) for moderate-to-severe. The L-scar keeps the central cleavage free of any scarring.
Do I need an implant with my lift?
Only if you want more fullness. A lift alone reshapes and raises but does not add volume. If you want upper-pole fullness or a larger cup, an implant is added (augmentation-mastopexy), and in selected cases fat grafting (a hybrid lift).
What is the internal bra without mesh?
It is an internal support made from your own tissue that reinforces the inframammary fold — the crease that carries the breast’s weight — holding the breast up from below. Because it uses no synthetic mesh, there is no risk of rejection — and it helps the lift last rather than dropping again.
Will the surgery be painful?
Most patients wake with zero surgical pain thanks to ultrasound-guided PECS nerve blocks placed during surgery, combined with modern TIVA anaesthesia that gives a smooth wake-up and almost no nausea.
How visible will the scars be?
Scars follow the incision pattern your ptosis needs and are refined with a glued, stitch-free closure that distributes tension to keep the line thin. They fade over 12–18 months. The L-scar option keeps the cleavage completely scar-free.
Can a breast lift fix asymmetry?
It corrects soft-tissue volume and position differences very effectively. It cannot change the underlying skeleton — an asymmetric rib cage or spine will still influence the result, which is mapped and explained honestly at consultation.
Should I have my lift before or after having children?
Ideally after. A future pregnancy can re-stretch the skin and breast tissue and undo part of the lift, so it is best to complete your family first for a lasting result.
Does a breast lift also reduce the areola?
Yes. As the nipple is repositioned, a stretched or enlarged areola is reduced to a proportionate size through the same incision — so a lift also refines the areola, with no additional scar.
Will I lose nipple sensation after a mastopexy?
Most patients keep their nipple sensation. It is common to have temporary changes — increased or reduced sensitivity — in the early months, which usually recovers as the nerves settle. Permanent change is uncommon and is discussed honestly at consultation.
Can I breastfeed after a breast lift?
Often, yes. A mastopexy repositions the breast and preserves the connection between the nipple and the milk ducts wherever possible, so many women can still breastfeed. It cannot be guaranteed for everyone — if future breastfeeding matters to you, tell Dr. Paulo Michels so the technique is planned with that in mind.
How long do the results of a breast lift last?
A lift is long-lasting, especially reinforced with the inframammary support of your own tissue, which resists the breast dropping again. Ageing, large weight changes and pregnancy still affect the breast over time, so a stable weight and good support help the result last.
Can a breast lift be combined with other procedures?
Yes. A mastopexy is commonly combined with an implant, and as part of a “mommy makeover” it can be planned together with a tummy tuck and liposuction, in a single recovery. The right combination is decided at consultation.
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