Breast Lift in Tijuana (Mastopexy)
Repositions breast tissue and corrects sagging with a board-certified plastic surgeon, in a hospital setting and with bilingual care. With or without an implant, based on your goal.
What it is
Lifting isn’t the same as enlarging
Mastopexy is the surgery that corrects breast sagging: excess skin is removed, glandular tissue is repositioned, and the areola-nipple complex is placed at a more natural height relative to the breast fold. It’s a procedure about position, not volume.
That’s where the most common confusion lies: mastopexy and breast augmentation solve different problems. Breast augmentation adds volume through an implant; mastopexy works with the tissue you already have to correct its position. If your breast has dropped but you still like the volume, the lift alone may be enough. If you also want more volume, or to recover what was lost over the years — common after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight changes — it’s combined with an implant in the same surgical session. Which one applies to your case isn’t chosen from a catalog: it’s defined in your in-person assessment, reviewing your real anatomy.
The procedure
The technique depends on the degree of sagging, not on trends
There are three technique families for mastopexy, and the difference between them mainly comes down to how much scar each degree of ptosis (sagging) requires. None is “better” in the abstract: each responds to how much excess skin needs to be removed and how much tissue needs repositioning to support the result.
Periareolar (donut)
Scar only around the areola. Reserved for mild ptosis, where the drop is minimal and not much tissue needs repositioning.
Vertical (lollipop)
Scar around the areola and a vertical line down to the fold. The most common technique for moderate ptosis: gives more control over shape without the full horizontal scar.
Anchor (inverted T)
Adds a third, horizontal scar in the fold. Reserved for advanced ptosis or skin with little elasticity, where more excess tissue must be removed to support the result.
Every mastopexy leaves a scar — it’s inherent to the technique, not a side effect you can avoid by picking “the right technique.” What does vary by technique and by patient is its extent and how each person’s skin ends up scarring, something that can’t be promised in advance.
One point worth clarifying here: mastopexy can be done alone — when the goal is just to correct position — or combined with an implant — when volume is also the goal. The plan, the technique, and whether adding an implant makes sense are defined in your assessment, never before reviewing your anatomy in person.
Dr. Chama’s approach
Anatomy first, technique after
Dr. Chama doesn’t start from a preferred technique and adjust the case to fit it: he starts from your anatomy — degree of ptosis, skin elasticity, current position of the areola-nipple complex, volume, and expectations — and from there decides which technique, and whether adding an implant makes sense. It’s a clinical decision made case by case, not a template.
If you’d like the full context before your assessment, learn about Dr. Chama’s background and certification.
Hospital-level safety
Hospital setting, not an office
The procedure is generally performed under general anesthesia, at a certified hospital, Tijuana — with the monitoring that setting implies. We don’t show images of the procedure: the information here is educational, not a surgical record.
We treat patients in Tijuana, along with those coming from Rosarito, Tecate, and the United States. The in-person assessment is the mandatory step before any plan: nothing gets quoted or scheduled without it.
Consultation
Virtual or in-person assessment of your case
Preparation
Personalized plan, labs, and pre-op instructions
Procedure
Hospital setting, board-certified team
Recovery
Follow-up in person or remotely from the U.S.
Recovery
Progressive and in stages
The repositioned tissue needs time to settle into its new position, and that happens in stages, not overnight. Exact timing varies by patient:
- First days. Swelling, sensitivity, and some bruising in the operated area are normal. Relative rest and avoiding arm strain are indicated.
- First weeks. Constant use of a postsurgical bra, to support the tissue while it recovers. The medical team assesses, case by case, when to remove stitches if the approach included them.
- Following weeks and months. Shape keeps settling progressively as residual swelling goes down and tissue adjusts. Returning to exercise, driving, or lifting weight resumes gradually under medical guidance, not on a fixed calendar.
In your assessment you receive concrete instructions for your case and postoperative follow-up, in person or remote if you’re coming from the United States.
Dr. Chama discusses every risk, complication rate, and realistic expectation in your assessment — before you decide. A medical site that only shows results and skips the risks is not giving you complete information.
With honesty
Risks and considerations
Unlike other surgeries where the scar is a side effect to minimize, in mastopexy it’s unavoidable: every technique leaves a mark, and its extent is part of the design, not an accident. Among the other considerations explained in detail in your assessment:
- Swelling, bruising, and temporary sensitivity — duration varies by patient.
- Risk of infection or bleeding, as with any surgery.
- Nipple sensation changes, almost always temporary, and less often permanent.
- Scarring: its extent depends on the technique, but how each person’s skin scars can’t be promised in advance.
- Temporary asymmetry while swelling on each side goes down at its own pace.
- Possible impact on future breastfeeding, depending on technique and each patient’s anatomy.
None of the above replaces Dr. Chama reviewing your case in person: it’s context for your assessment, not a guide to decide on your own at home. If you have any questions, message us and we’ll resolve them before your appointment.
Results
Gallery under review
We don’t publish photographs of this procedure on the site yet. Once material exists with
patient consent attested by Tania, it will be registered as this silo’s own asset in
assets_registry.json — until then, we prefer to show nothing. In your
assessment you can review cases directly with Dr. Chama.
Frequently asked questions
Related Procedures
What patients ask us most
How much does a breast lift cost?
The price is defined in your in-person assessment, based on the degree of sagging, the applicable technique, and whether you decide to combine it with an implant. We prefer to give you a personalized quote rather than a generic price. Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll guide you.
What is mastopexy?
It’s a breast lift: excess skin is removed, breast tissue is repositioned, and the areola-nipple complex is placed at a more natural height. It doesn’t add volume — that’s what breast augmentation with an implant is for.
How is it different from breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation adds volume with an implant; mastopexy repositions the tissue you already have to correct sagging, without meaningfully changing size. They’re different goals and are sometimes combined. If you’re looking for volume, the breast augmentation page covers that option in detail.
Do I need an implant along with the lift?
It depends on your goal. If you only want to correct the sagging and you like your current volume, mastopexy alone solves that. If you also want more volume, or to recover what was lost over time, it’s combined with an implant in the same surgical session. Which one applies to your case is decided in your assessment.
What technique does Dr. Chama use?
There’s no single technique: the choice between periareolar, vertical, or anchor depends on the degree of ptosis (sagging), your skin’s elasticity, and the result you’re looking for. It’s explained and decided together with you in your assessment, not before.
Does it leave much of a scar?
Every mastopexy leaves a scar — it’s inherent to the technique, not an avoidable side effect. Its extent depends on the technique your case requires: from a line around the areola to an anchor shape in cases with more sagging. How each person’s skin scars varies by patient and can’t be promised in advance.
How do I know my degree of ptosis?
It’s determined in your assessment, evaluating the position of the nipple relative to the breast fold and how much excess skin there is. It’s not something you can self-diagnose accurately in the mirror — that’s why the in-person assessment is the first step, not a formality.
How is it performed?
Generally under general anesthesia, in a hospital setting (certified hospital), with or without implant placement based on the plan defined in your assessment. Approach details are explained in consultation.
What is recovery like?
It progresses in stages: swelling and sensitivity the first few days, a postsurgical bra worn for several weeks, and a result that keeps settling progressively. Exact timing varies by patient; in your assessment you receive concrete instructions.
What are the risks?
As with any surgery: swelling, bruising, risk of infection or bleeding, nipple sensation changes (temporary or, less often, permanent), temporary asymmetry while swelling goes down, and variability in how each person’s skin scars. These are explained in detail, for your case, in your assessment.
Will I be able to breastfeed afterward?
Mastopexy can affect breastfeeding because it repositions the areola-nipple complex and glandular tissue, though the impact varies by technique and by each anatomy. If you’re planning a future pregnancy, mention it in your assessment: it may change the recommended timing for your surgery.
At what age is it recommended?
There’s no fixed age: it’s recommended once the sagging is already present and, generally, when there’s no pregnancy planned in the short term — because pregnancy and breastfeeding can modify the tissue again. It’s evaluated case by case in your assessment.
Is the result permanent?
The lift corrects the tissue’s current position, but the breast keeps aging over time, just as it did before surgery — factors like weight, pregnancy, or gravity can modify it again over the years. It’s not a procedure that freezes the result forever.
I’m coming from the U.S. — how does it work?
Unlike other procedures, the mastopexy assessment requires an in-person review: the degree of sagging and your skin’s elasticity are evaluated in person, not over video call. If you’re coming from the United States, we can answer initial questions through a bilingual virtual consultation, but the assessment that defines your plan happens in Tijuana; follow-up afterward can continue remotely.
Why choose Dr. Chama?
A board-certified plastic surgeon who operates in a hospital setting, defines the technique based on your anatomy — not a template — and provides bilingual follow-up.
Request your personalized quote
Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll guide you, no commitment. You can also go back to the home page to see the other procedures.
WhatsApp +52 664 585 1602Consultation
Schedule your consultation
Direct attention from Dr. Alfredo Chama's team, board-certified plastic surgeon in Tijuana. Message us or call to schedule your appointment.
or if you prefer, directly:
Your Care Continues After Surgery
- Follow-up appointments with Dr. Chama
- Conveniently located near the San Ysidro border crossing
- Direct line for any post-op questions: +52 664 585 1602
- Detailed recovery guide before you travel home
Your safety and recovery are Dr. Chama's priority — before, during, and after your procedure.
Last updated: September 13, 2026