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There are several conditions that can cause a woman's once perky breasts to begin sagging. Many of these are normal life circumstances, such as pregnancy, weight loss, and aging. Some women with larger, heavier breasts find that gravity works against them at a younger age. A candidate for a breast lift (aka mastopexy) is any woman whose breasts have developed ptosis (sagging) to any degree that is causing her discomfort, either physically or with her appearance.

Candidates for breast lift surgery may also be candidates for breast augmentation. A skilled plastic surgeon, such as Dr. Paul Angelchik, would discuss the various options with you and help you determine which would give you the best results.

Breast health before surgery is an important factor in deciding whether you are a candidate for a breast lift. Maintaining breast health after surgery is always important and should include regular mammograms, an important step to prevent cancer. The state of your health in general is a major consideration for breast lift or any surgery. Dr. Angelchik also requires that his patients be non-smokers, or quit smoking, as smoking increases the risk of unsatisfactory results.

One of the most important qualifications is age. Unless extreme circumstances or serious congenital deformity warrants surgery at a younger age, the FDA recommends breast surgeries be done only after your breast development is completed, or you have reached age 18.

For more information about breast lift surgery, or to schedule a personalized consultation please contact Dr. Paul Angelchik, Arizona cosmetic surgeon, or call 602-375-8888.

Women are naturally concerned about scarring resulting from plastic surgery, which is understandable. When you go out of your way to improve your appearance, you don't want to mar it with scars at the same time. Yet, the nature of any surgery includes an incision of one sort or another. And, incisions used in breast lift procedures, as in any others, tend to leave scars.

The good news is that the techniques developed for breast lift surgery place incisions where they are least likely to be seen. Most scars eventually fade and are minimally visible in most patients. Scarring will be in proportion to the type and extent of incisions, which is determined by the degree of lifting necessary. The greater the amount of lift required means the greater the potential for scarring. Procedures that require less lifting will also require limited incision patterns.

Your plastic surgeon can describe the various techniques used for breast lift surgery and which one(s) might give you the best results. If you feel that the breast lift procedure(s) recommended for you might leave more scars than a breast augmentation, that procedure may be an alternative option.

Dr. Paul Angelchik has gained a superior reputation as a skilled plastic surgeon, as you can see by the photos on his website. Most scars are barely visible, if they can be seen, at all.

For more information about breast lift surgery please contact his office to schedule a personal consultation.

A study by the Group Health Cooperative, published in JAMA January 28, 2004 indicated that breast implants appear on mammograms as a white area that obliterates the breast tissue. Unable to view the breast tissue, screeners miss 22% more cancers in women with breast implants than in those without them.

While breast implants do "decrease the ability of mammography to detect breast cancer," the same study also found that the tumors discovered in women with implants were, in fact, smaller than those found in women without implants.

Several theories were presented to explain this:

• Women with implants may have less breast tissue making detection of a lump easier.
• Tumors might be easier to detect because the implant provides a firm platform against which the tumor would be easier to feel.
• Women with breast implants are more diligent in checking their breasts than those without implants.
• Being more conscious of their bodies, women with implants may seek medical care if they detect even a small change.

Women with implants are encouraged to have regular mammograms, and to request one if they detect any abnormality. Seek out a facility that is experienced in using the implant displacement view. This technique moves the implant aside to get a clear view of the breast tissue.

For more information about these issues please contact Phoenix plastic surgeon, Dr. Paul Angelchik to schedule a personalized consultation.

Breast milk is the perfect baby food, and breast-feeding the ideal way for mother and child to bond. If you plan to breastfeed after having a breast augmentation, be sure you let your cosmetic surgeon know your intent, as it will help him plan implant options that will give you the best outcome.

If you are concerned about your ability to breastfeed after having a breast augmentation, Dr. Paul Angelchik, Phoenix plastic surgeon, can advise you regarding this much-debated topic. The percentage of women choosing to breast feed after augmentation who can breast feed is in line with the percentage of women, in general, who can breast feed.

One of the risks of surgery, regardless of technique is losing the ability to breast feed because of damage to nerves providing sensation to the nipple area. Although there have been studies to suggest otherwise, in Dr. Angelchik's experience, a periareolar incision does not lead to more numbness if the dissection to create the pocket is done properly. Most numbness is related to pocket dissection, nerve location, and implant size issues, not the location of the incision.

No doubt you have many other questions, and will be happy to know that Dr. Paul Angelchik is happy to give you whatever answers you need. Please contact him to make an appointment for a personal consultation in Phoenix, Glendale or Scottsdale.

Many women are unhappy with the changes their bodies made during pregnancy, and want their breasts to look as they did before their pregnancies. These women will be happy to know that "mommy makeovers" are designed to do just that.

Other women of childbearing age are concerned about how breast augmentation will affect future pregnancies, or how pregnancy will affect their prior breast augmentation. The encouraging news is that breast augmentation and pregnancy are safe for both mother and baby.

While breast augmentation has no effect on pregnancy, the changes to a woman's body during pregnancy can affect breasts that have been augmented in the same ways as pregnancy affects natural breasts. Normally, a woman's breasts enlarge during pregnancy, stretching the skin and tissues, and resulting in sagging after the pregnancy. The same can happen after a breast augmentation, losing the shape of the original procedure.

For a personal consultation, or to get answers to your questions, please contact Dr. Paul Angelchik through his website to ask questions, or complete the form to schedule an appointment.

One of the major aspects of your breast implant evaluation will be to determine the right breast implant size to achieve the cup size that you desire. Choosing your breast implant size isn’t as simple as picking a “C-size” cup implant to achieve a “C” cup breast size. Choosing the right implant for a breast augmentation requires the expertise of an experienced plastic surgeon.

Because many measurements, health and lifestyle factors are evaluated to determine the ideal implant and cup size for you, you’ll be glad to know that one of the most skilled and qualified plastic surgeons, Dr. Paul Angelchik has several locations in Arizona.

He will show you actual pictures to get an idea of your desired results, but bear in mind that if your body shape differs from the one in the photo, the results will not look the same on you.

Several methods along the lines of the “rice test” have been used to get an idea of the desired implant size. These techniques involve padding your bra with baggies or stockings filled with rice, couscous, or another grain.

The more accurate implant sizers are designed to give you a better idea of what your actual implant will look like. You can wear these for several days, trying different sizes or shapes to see how they look under your clothing, and how each particular contour might feel.

Please contact Dr. Angelchik to schedule a consultation and to learn how to choose the right breast size for you.