Benelli Lift: Peri-areolar Beast Lift
Having had a Benelli Lift three times, I feel I can offer a bit of advice on this procedure. Firstly, I am sure you are wondering, “Why THREE??” Well, I had rather large implants (past tense for now) and the pressure exerted on the incision line by the weight of the implant would re-open the wound. Long story short, it just kept happening. I finally had to remove my implants and get another Benelli and lo and behold the result has remained.
Benelli Breast Lift: Pros and Cons
Not everyone is a candidate for a Benelli lift and not every plastic surgeon is willing to perform one. A Benelli lift is also called a peri- (around) areolar (the disk of colored skin around the nipple), circum- (around) areolar mastopexy (masto = breast, pexy= skin lift), and even a donut breast lift. The breast lift utilizes incisions which circle the border of the areola and a donut of skin is excised. The skin is then sort of ‘bunched’ up and sewn back to the areola, creating a tighter skin envelope. However, there is normally some puckering of the skin left over, and depending upon the amount of skin excised, it will either go away, or not. I still have some puckering, although when I am re-implanted the puckering will go away when the implant takes up the slack.
While, the Benelli creates the least amount of scarring of any breast lift, if you need a considerable amount of correction, the Benelli is not going to give you what you need. If you have heavy breasts or implants, the risk of the incisions stretching can be an issue as well—even with permanent sutures like I have.
Am I glad I got this lift 3 times over a standard mastopexy? Yes. The time, effort and pain were worth not having the anchor scar. The scars I have now are practically non-existent. They are fine, white lines around the areola and if I had implants, they’d be perfect. Although, I might consider micropigmentation on the fine scars and areola to make them look even better, better is the enemy of good my friends.
Talk to your plastic surgeon about your options. He may not feel the Benelli lift is an option for you. However, I had 32G’s before my explant and Benelli Lift, I came out fine. My breasts were a little slack at first, but the skin tightened up and now they look pretty good (although they need volume). Just know going into it, you may need a revision and your skin laxity, breast weight, and after care will affect your outcome. Surgeons may also tell you that you cannot raise a breast crease with a Benelli, but this isn’t so. I had my crease raised internally for symmetry and it came out fine. If you can get away with a lesser scarring procedure, go for it. I just don’t see a point in scarring up breasts which really don’t require a more invasive approach.
Marianne
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Hi Marianne, thanks for posting about your Benelli lifts.
Could you please tell me what you used to help healing? Did you use steri strips and/or silicone sheets? Also, for how long?
I am thinking about having this lift but I heal poorly and am worried about developing ropey scars around my areolas.
Many thanks.
Bobbi,
Do you have implants, or very large breasts? Like I mentioned the weight of my implants really affected my incisions.
I used steri-strips for several weeks but I wound up getting some inflammation on the breast envelope and some areas of the incision after a while so I had to stop. I didn't need the silicone strips like I thought I would so I never started.
Do you keloid?
Thanks Marianne.
I don't have implants but I do have large breasts on a small frame. I'm a large D cup but am quite short 5' 2" and 108 lbs. My breasts are sagging a bit so I would like a lift. I've never had keloid scars but if I had an accident a few years ago and some scars on my shoulders healed hypertrophic. This is something that I would dread around my areaola.
Steri strips sounds good, easy to apply too I think.
I am sorry to hear about your accident :( I hope you are okay now? Were you able to treat the scars; are they better?
If you have large breasts, with a lot of ptosis and that sit low on your chest, a doc may lean towards an anchor incision.
Hopefully you won't have a reaction to the Steri-Strips lke I did.I still have puckering, remember that. But implants will fill it out.
Let me know what your doc says if you consult with him on a lift :)
Dear Marianne,
One doctor told me if I was to do the Benelli lift it would leave a "square" profile to the breast, or should I say nipple area. Have you ever heard this comment from a doctor?
Thanks,
lisa
I don't know what he says that, I have had several of these lifts and they have never looked square, not any part of my breast. Not saying there haven't been any square-ish results, I just haven't had this problem. Puckering and scar stretching have been my issues.
Marianne,
Thanks for answering. I went to another doctor and what he said was the Benelli gives a round/flat appearance to the nipple as opposed to a nature slope in the breast. Would you find this to be true? Also he told me that puckering and pleats go away after 6 months. I am researching to do a Benelli w/ full "C" silicone implants.
Thanks,
lisa
Yes, it can make them flatter, rounder. Mine seem flatter but I also need implants again. I feel if you have implants it helps smooth out the pleats. Let me know how it goes :)
Hi Marianne!
Firstly...I hope the Trind nail repair worked for you as well as it did for me! :-)
So I was hoping you would share some info with me on your Benelli lift(s):-) I've had saline implants for almost 12 years now...I have had issues with capsular contracture since I got them...my left breast is hard and the both of them just don't feel nice. I have been wanting to get them removed with a lift for some time now..but am soo nervous. I definitely would like to avoid the anchor scar..and was recommended to a surgeon in Dallas who specialized in implant removal...ok I'm getting to the point :-) WOould you mind sharing some info on your doc? Costs,results,recovery etc...I still can't get over that it will cost more to have them removed than it was for the original augmentation..sheesh! Anyhow if you could email me it would be much appreciated!! :-)
Hope you're well!!
Jen
Trind nail repair is working very well!! I can't believe how well it is working :) I have nails!! I cant' thank you enough for the tip :)
I just have to remember not to apply, remove and reapply in the same 5 minutes though. It burned like the dickens! They were still tacky and I accidentally (k)nicked (sp?) two. I took it off with Acetone and reapplied and it hurt for 2 days, in fact it still is a little tender.
After several failed lifts, I explanted and went with Chia Chi Kao in Santa Monica. He performed an amazing lift on me. I have to say I feel he was a little too expensive, but at the time Ihad the money to do it and was tired of the repeat failed lifts.
I need to update the pics however but her eis my journal: http://yestheyrefake.net/journals/marianne_explant.htm
Hi Marianne,
Thanks for your blog - it has really helped me in my research & my decision process. Alas, I'm scheduled for June 12 for my BA w/ Benelli lift. I have a little ptosis from breastfeeding (I'd say almost grade 1) and am currently a B cup. I'm going for submuscular salines at about 300cc with my lift. I want my Doc to overfill them a little because my research points that overfilling may help with wrinkling afterwards but my Doc doesn't seem too excited about it. What are your thoughts on overfilling a little (maybe 300 overfilled to 330)? Also, I want him to reduce my areolae to about 4cm and he says the smallest he can safely do is 4.5cm which is what I have now! Needless to say - I'm confused - should I go with my research & my gut or listen to his recommendation? Please, help! Your input is highly appreciated. I mean, you're pro at this!
Thanks!
Di
"I went to another doctor and what he said was the Benelli gives a round/flat appearance to the nipple as opposed to a nature slope in the breast."
This is what Dr Dewire told my ex-wife, too, I think. She wanted a D cup, but he could only give her a C cup because going larger started to make her breasts look too flat on the front because of the Benelli. I could see what he meant, because he did make her as big as he could without having that flatness, and you could see the slightest beginnings of it with the size she got. They still looked great, don't get me wrong. But, the Benelli does seem to restrict options. It is a tradeoff between perfection of shape and the anchor scar (which my former girlfriend had) and a flatter front but minimal scar (which my ex wife had). Both were Dewire patients.
Hi Rick, thanks for your post.
Wow, I didn't suspect that. I asked my PS yesterday & he said it's not necessarily the size of the implant that causes it, but the texture of a woman's own breast tissue. But he said it is more evident in women w/ large implants. After my visit yesterday I reduced the size to 270 filled to 300cc's. I also told my PS I would like the areola reduced to at least 4.2 cm. I am really debating over the size of my implant - I really like the 300 filled to 330 better but I don't want to start drooping again afterworlds.....Any advise on that one, Marianne?
I wanted to add that I know what you are talking about now. When I don't wear a bra I can see a flat spot on the front on my right breast, not so much on my left because my right breast envelope is still larger than my left (a little less full) I am hoping implants can change that. Anything is better than what I have. I need to post a pic of them but goodness I am embarassed to.