Breast augmentation and breast lift procedures are excellent ways to gain or regain your breast shape and proportion. But many of my patients come to me confused about whether breast implants or a breast lift will help them reach their goals.
In this blog post, I’ll talk about the conditions I look for in determining whether I recommend breast implants, a breast lift only, or a combination of the two procedures.
Before reading on, though, try taking this quick quiz to help you clarify which procedure might be the best choice for your goals.
Do you want fuller, firmer breasts?
Most women have the issue that they feel that their upper breast has disappeared or was never been there to begin with, and they would like to restore it or fill it out a little bit more.
They also sometimes want more firmness in the breasts. Breast augmentation benefits are fairly obvious: they restore or increase the size, fullness, or firmness of the breasts. Many times, this discussion is that the upper half of the bra isn’t full where it may have been full before, and “I would like a little more than I used to have.”
For me and my patients, this is mostly about creating proportion for the entire body and the ability to fill out a top, swimsuit, bra, or dress the way they want.
Do you want perkier, less droopy breasts?
For most patients, this isn’t really about creating giant breasts that won’t age well. The need for a breast lift is obvious if the breast isn’t in harmony and the breast is hanging or sagging or drooping. More volume to the breast area will not really create or correct what is going on.
If a breast is low or droopy or the nipple is low, the breast mound needs to be re-created. This can be done by:
- Tightening the breast tissue
- Rearranging the breast tissue and elevating the nipple so it is in the right position on the breast mound
- Elevating the breast mound so it is in the right relationship to the fold or crease under the breast.
Can you get a breast lift with implants?
Yes, if volume is still needed after a breast lift, implants are discussed as well. Often these 2 surgeries can be done together. You can see some of my patients’ real results in their before-and-after photos to get an idea of what can be achieved with a combination of breast implants and a breast lift.
Sometimes additional support called to the breast area is recommended. This is an internal support structure to keep the implant in the right location. Often this support is necessary for patients who have lost significant amounts of weight or those who have a looseness to the breast borders. The support is like an internal bra that can help support the breast tissue and the implant, and you can read more about it in Harper’s Bazaar. This support uses a scaffold material of natural material that eventually absorbs into the body and leaves a strong layer.
Many women need both volume and reshaping to the breast, and for those women, the combination procedure is best. If the nipple is low or pointed downward or the breast is low or hanging excessively, lifting the breast with an implant is necessary. Also, some women just won’t have the volume, firmness, or fullness they want with only a breast lift, even though it will correct the sagging or drooping of the breasts.
Therefore, in a lot of these situations, both a lift and an implant are recommended. To determine whether we can achieve your desired results with either surgery or both, one-on-one consultation is necessary. During the consultation, I’ll ask you about your goals and examine your exact situation so I can develop a treatment plan that helps you achieve those goals.
If you’re ready to restore lost breast volume or enjoy perkier, more harmoniously shaped breasts, request a consultation online. Or call my office at (419) 534-6551 to schedule an appointment.