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Does Insurance Cover the Breast Lift Procedure?

A breast lift is a medical procedure that alters the shape and size of one’s breasts. These procedures can be incredibly affirming and are widely popular among plastic surgery patients. However, because the vast majority of breast lifts are not considered medically necessary, it can be difficult to get these procedures covered by your insurance policy. Knowing the cases in which insurance will cover a breast lift can help you determine whether you want to pursue the treatment. If you are considering getting a breast lift, read this guide, which answers the question, “Does insurance cover the breast lift procedure?”.

 

What Is a Breast Lift Procedure?

A breast lift is a cosmetic procedure that changes the shape and size of one’s breasts for either aesthetic or medical reasons. A breast lift is one of the most popular plastic surgery operations and has the potential to completely revamp a patient’s appearance.

 

Reasons for Receiving a Breast Lift

There are many reasons that an individual might decide to receive a breast lift. Some of the more common reasons individuals seek out this treatment include:

  • Adjusting the breasts after pregnancy
  • Adjusting the breasts after weight loss
  • Simple aging
  • Cosmetic repair after treating breast cancer

Most patients who are interested in receiving a breast lift will qualify. Still, you can discuss your eligibility for the procedure with your physician in a consultation prior to receiving any work.

 

Does Insurance Cover the Breast Lift Procedure?

In most cases, insurance companies will not decide to cover the breast lift procedure because breast lifts are not typically considered medically necessary. Instead, they are usually classified as cosmetic procedures. Still, many different factors influence an insurance provider’s decision to cover the cost of breast insurance. Sometimes, an insurer will decide to cover a procedure if the patient and physician are able to prove the medical necessity of the procedure. For instance, your insurance may cover a breast lift if you have severe ptosis of the breasts that leads to pain in the back, neck, or shoulders.

If you can get your physician or provider to write a note of medical necessity for your procedure, your chances of having insurance cover it will increase significantly.

 

Steps to Getting Your Procedure Covered

There are steps you can take to attempt to prove the medical necessity of your procedure and to have the cost covered by insurance. The following can assist you in proving to an insurance provider that you should have your breast lift procedure covered:

  • Receive a medical necessity letter from your physician
  • Gather evidence of medical necessity in the form of photographs and other documents
  • Submit a pre-authorization request from your insurance company
  • Follow up with your insurance company while they deliberate
  • Consider appealing if your initial request is denied

Thoroughly documenting the evidence you need to prove medical necessity can be a challenging but not impossible process. Your physician should be able to help you strategize ways to have your procedure covered. Follow their advice to simplify this complex process.

 

Other Financing Options for a Breast Lift

There are other ways to finance your breast lift outside of having insurance cover it. Some of the common ways to do this include:

  • Credit: Many patients turn to credit cards to pay for their breast lift procedures. Keep the interest rates of such cards in mind when considering this option so you do not find yourself in financial trouble.
  •  Personal Loans: Many patients finance their procedures by procuring a personal loan from a bank.
  •  Specialty Financing: Certain specialty financing programs cater to supplying funds for individual medical procedures. You may benefit from researching such programs.

All said, if you can convince an insurance provider that your breast lift procedure is medically necessary, you will save enormous amounts of time and money. Even if you doubt the likelihood of your insurance provider covering a breast lift, take the time to request coverage from your insurance provider. At worst, you can still pay for the procedure yourself, and at best, you will have saved yourself from a potentially immense financial burden.

 

The Best Choice in Southern California

Dr. Brent is a board-certified plastic surgeon operating out of Santa Barbara and Beverly Hills. If you are considering a breast lift and want to discuss it with an esteemed professional, contact Dr. Brent today.

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How Long Do Breast Lift Results Last?

A breast lift is an incredibly popular cosmetic surgery that aims to lift and reshape the breasts. The natural aging process, lifestyle habits, and certain life events can impact the look of your breasts. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and weight gain, in particular, can leave the breasts sagging. This change in your breast’s appearance can impact one’s self-esteem due to the impact it has on one’s overall appearance. You may wonder, how long do breast lift results last?

 

How Long Do Breast Lift Results Last?

A breast lift is intended to provide you with perkier breasts that are more lifted and firm. Uneven breasts lack definition and sag in a way that can impact the way you feel about your appearance. A breast lift involves the removal of excess breast skin and a reshaping of the breast tissue. The results of this procedure are firmer and higher-set breasts than before. The results of a breast lift are long-lasting; typically, the results last well over a decade. Several controllable factors impact the longevity of your results, so it is essential to take good care of your skin and body to extend your results.

 

Factors That Impact The Longevity of Your Breast Lift

Right after surgery, you will notice the results are the most pronounced. Your breasts appear firmer and more lifted right away. Patients often report results lasting well over a decade and only notice changes after approximately fifteen years. The surgery results often begin to decline due to the decrease in skin elasticity. The loss of skin elasticity is a natural part of aging, and a lift cannot stop these effects. Below are some of the most critical factors that impact the longevity of your breast lift.

 

Weight Changes

Significant weight gain or loss can impact the size and shape of your breasts. Specifically, weight gain can cause stretching, which affects the structure of your skin and breast tissue. Alternatively, weight loss can result in lost breast volume, which can make your breasts appear saggier. Maintaining a consistent weight after a breast lift from a female plastic surgeon can ensure the results last.

 

Skin Quality and Genetics

The quality of your skin is often determined by genetics. In fact, genetics determines everything from the color and texture of your skin to the way it responds to the environment and if it will be to certain skin conditions. Beyond genetics, simple aging leads to many changes in your bodily function, particularly the slowing of collagen production as early as your twenties. Collagen is responsible for keeping your skin voluminous and youthful-looking. Without it, you may notice fine lines, wrinkles, and skin sagging. Work with your breast surgeon on ways to reduce the impact of this on your breast lift results. Common approaches include a high-quality skincare routine and sun protection.

 

Lifestyle Factors

Several lifestyle habits can impact the longevity of your breast lift results. Common factors include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, sun exposure, and chronic stress. These can all show up on your skin, including on your chest. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is critical to ensuring your health and the results of your breast lift. Manage stress, stay active, eat a balanced diet, and drink in moderation. Use at least SPF 30 and avoid the sun during peak hours.

 

Breast Lift Procedure

If you are unhappy with the size and shape of your breasts, consider a breast lift. It is an effective surgery to address those issues because of its ability to reshape, resize, and lift your breasts in a natural-looking way. Many women who undergo breast lift surgery report an increase in self-confidence. Their clothes fit differently, and they no longer feel self-conscious about their body.

The first step in moving forward with a breast lift is scheduling a consultation. You can ask your questions and share your aesthetic goals with the surgeon, who will then determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure. Contact the team at Elise Min Plastic Surgery to schedule your consultation today!

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Can You Combine a Breast Lift With Other Procedures?

Can you combine a breast lift with other procedures? Most women have been raised in a society where full, firm, and perky breasts are considered attractive. This can lead women whose breasts do not meet this standard of beauty to feel less endowed, less attractive, less feminine, and, therefore, inadequate.

Can You Combine a Breast Lift With Other Procedures?

The impact of these societal expectations goes beyond mere aesthetics and affects a woman’s self-confidence and overall sense of self-worth.

Today, women can dictate the size and shape of their breasts. They no longer have to be stuck with feelings of inadequacy all their life. Cosmetic surgery has seen significant changes over the years. With modern science and techniques, cosmetic surgery offers the women of today safe options that can enhance the appearance of their breasts and boost their self-confidence to a whole new level.

One of the popular options that women take is mastopexy. This surgical procedure is otherwise known as breast lift.  

Those who take this option are women whose ample breasts are sagging due to breastfeeding or due to age and menopause. They have the volume, but they want to bring back the pre-mama or pre-menopause perkiness of their breasts.  

Women who experience substantial weight loss also experience sagging breasts and may want to take this option.

Contrary to what some people may think, small breasts can sag, too, if a woman has lost a lot of weight. Women who are in this situation may think about getting both a breast lift and a breast augmentation.  

One question that needs to be addressed in these circumstances is: Can you combine a breast lift with other procedures?

Before we answer that, let’s look at how a breast lift is performed.

How Is Breast Lift Performed?

  1. Under the supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist, your surgeon will put you under anesthesia.  
  2. He will then make the incision. The type of incision will depend on the size of your breasts and the amount of sagging.  
  3. He will then begin reshaping your breasts. This will involve lifting the underlying breast tissue and reshaping it for improved contour and firmness. The nipple and areola may also be repositioned for a more natural and attractive height. Sometimes, enlarged areolas will need to be reduced. The surgeon may also remove excess breast skin if necessary.  
  4. Your surgeon will close the incisions. 

The entire procedure will take around 2 hours or less.

Are you a candidate for breast lift with augmentation?

✔ You have small sagging breasts.

✔ You want your breasts to be perkier, bigger, and fuller.

✔ breastfeeding has caused your breasts to sag and lose volume.

✔ You want to lift your breasts and restore the volume that they lost 

    due to weight loss. 

✔ You don’t smoke.

✔ You are generally healthy with no underlying medical conditions

Breast Lift and Other Procedures

If you consider your breasts too big and would like to reduce their size, you can have them reduced in combination with the breast lift.

A breast lift may be combined with other procedures as well, like a tummy tuck or liposuction.  

Benefits of Combining Procedures

Combining procedures will allow you to:

  1. Address most, if not all, of your cosmetic issues in one surgical visit.
  2. Undergo one recovery period.
  3. Reduced overall time in surgery.
  4. Reduce time away from work.
  5. Minimize time away from social events.

With all the advantages of combining a breast lift with another procedure, it is still important to note that combining procedures increases the complexity and risks of each procedure.  

In the end, it will still be your decision. Make sure that you are well informed about the procedures, the potential risks involved, and what you can expect during the recovery process. 

It is, therefore, crucial to find a board-certified surgeon you can trust so that you can discuss your concerns with him.  

Remember that each individual is unique. Your body is unique from that of others. It has its own unique needs and peculiarities. What may be applicable to someone you know may not apply to you. Because of this, you must remember to discuss your medical history, current health situation, and other health concerns with your surgeon.

BHPSI

Dr. Chiu has the medical knowledge, expertise, and training to provide you with the proper guidance and customized surgical plan for your unique situation.

At Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, our team of experts is always ready to address your concerns and provide you with expert guidance. Call us at +1 (310) 888-8087.