"I Had Breast Surgery and It Changed My Life"

This week, Starbene magazine features an interview with Prof. Tremolada about mastopexy: a procedure that, beyond aesthetic improvement, can have an extremely positive psychological impact. Below is Anna's story, narrated in Starbene magazine by Mathilde Bonetti.

Anna had lost significant weight at 18, and the diet left her with an empty, sagging décolletage. Then came the decision to change that body again, which she had never truly liked.

My name is Anna and I'm 45. My breasts have always been problematic. They were empty, sagging, and without firmness. Like those of an elderly woman. They had been this way since I was twenty, so it had nothing to do with age. As a teenager, I was significantly overweight: 85 kilos at 170 centimeters tall. After high school graduation, I decided to become magazine-cover worthy. It was my personal challenge for the future. And yes, I succeeded. I'm one of those miraculous before-and-after cases: I lost 35 kilos, rebuilding every muscle through meticulous bodybuilding work. It took several years, but I became a different person. Now I model for various catalogs. But my breasts... well, I wasn't as fortunate with them as with the rest of my body. The challenge was lost from the start: it doesn't take much imagination to understand the consequences of going from a G cup to a C cup, on skin that had irreversibly stretched when I gained weight.

I Avoided Looking at Myself

Dressed and with the right bra, I knew I had an enviable figure, but when undressed... I felt ashamed. Even when I caught my reflection in the mirror - by accident, as I usually avoided looking - I felt an instinctive need to cover myself, close my shoulders, hide behind my hands. My breasts extended below my rib cage, nipples pointing downward. The skin was wrinkled and loose. Moreover, they were still large, so the weight pulled them down further. It was a frustrating situation in relationships, both before marriage and with my husband, who despite always reassuring me lovingly, never managed to convince me that my breasts were fine as they were. As they were meant accepting compromise, which made me feel defeated. Not in absolute terms, of course, but regarding a body part that's very important for every woman, as it relates to attraction, sensuality, sexuality, and consequently, self-confidence.

I Didn't Feel Free

There were significant practical aspects: unable to wear low-cut dresses, not even backless ones, since going without a bra was unthinkable. Same with swimwear - I felt ridiculous at the beach wearing a bra underneath... I had always contemplated seeing a plastic surgeon, but at twenty, fresh from obesity issues, I still lived with my parents, who opposed it. Later, after moving out, I had purchased my apartment and couldn't afford such an expensive procedure. The idea of general anesthesia and an apparently long, complicated procedure with slow recovery often held me back. So, breast surgery became a dream to realize someday. But approaching 45, I realized that day hadn't come yet. What was I waiting for?

Choosing the Surgeon

I decided, in one of those pivotal moments, similar to when, thirty-five years earlier, I'd decided to change my body. I consulted several surgeons, but all suggested adding implants alongside mastopexy, claiming I wouldn't achieve good results otherwise. Then I found one (Prof. Carlo Tremolada) who finally excluded the implant idea: there was enough glandular tissue to work with! Another advantage was that he was the first to mention local anesthesia. He routinely performed this type of surgery without general anesthesia and assured me recovery would be rapid, painless.

And Finally, Joy

I had doubts, naturally, but in his office I met others there for routine check-ups who had just undergone the same procedure under local anesthesia. They were all happy. One even showed me her results - and her 'before' photos on her phone. My procedure lasted two hours, and I, under mild sedation, spent the time joking with the surgeon and his staff. That evening I was dining out, pain-free, just with stitches and gauze; the next day I was at work, and the day after, back at the gym. It was less impactful than wisdom teeth extraction. And it changed my life.

Mastopexy: Technical Details

It's a breast surgery procedure that reshapes and lifts the breasts, restoring harmonious form. "Through specific incisions, excess skin is removed and the entire breast structure is elevated," explains plastic surgeon Carlo Tremolada. "The objective of mastopexy is to reshape relaxed and sagging breasts. Contrary to common belief, it's an outpatient procedure that can be performed under local anesthesia." Mastopexy generally doesn't require implants, but in cases of very small sagging breasts, where skin reduction might drastically decrease breast volume, implants may be considered.