Many women considering breast augmentation also wonder whether they need a breast lift at the same time. In general, a breast lift may be recommended when the breasts have noticeable sagging, stretched skin, downward-pointing nipples, or loss of shape and position that implants alone cannot correct.
While breast implants increase breast volume and fullness, they do not lift sagging breasts. In some cases, adding implants without a lift can actually make sagging more noticeable. Combining breast augmentation with a breast lift allows surgeons to restore both fullness and a more youthful breast position.
Your plastic surgeon can help you determine whether you should get a breast lift along with breast augmentation. They’ll assess the condition of your breast tissue and any sagging to help you make an informed decision.
When Should Breast Augmentation Be Combined With a Lift?
Breast augmentation is often combined with a lift when the breasts have lost volume and developed noticeable sagging. Here are some reasons to consider a breast lift with augmentation:
Your breasts sag and appear deflated.
Having children, losing weight, and simply getting older cause breasts to sag and lose volume. In these situations, a breast lift alone may not provide the desired results. Breast implants add fullness to the breasts, while a breast lift can lift and reshape them. Combining the procedures can produce a more youthful and voluptuous breast appearance.
Your breasts are uneven.
Most women have breasts that are slightly different sizes. In some cases, the differences are noticeable and a source of self-consciousness and dissatisfaction. Combining breast augmentation and a breast lift can balance asymmetrical breasts with attractive results.
You have small breasts that sag.
If you’ve always had smaller breasts and they’ve started to sag, you can benefit from a combination of breast augmentation and breast lift. The breast implants can increase breast size, while the lift can remove excess skin and tighten the tissue, giving the breasts a perkier and more youthful appearance.
You’ve experienced age-related volume loss.
On the other hand, if you’ve had fuller breasts for most of your life, it can be disappointing to see them lose volume and sag as you get older. This can happen as your estrogen levels decrease. Combining implants with a breast lift addresses both issues, adding volume and elevating the breasts.
You’re unhappy with the size and shape of your breasts.
Some women simply desire a complete breast makeover, which involves increasing the size of the breasts and reshaping them with a breast lift.
The Wall Center’s Short-Scar Breast Lift With Implants Technique
Our surgeons pioneered a short-scar breast lift with implants technique to create fuller, more youthful-looking breasts with significantly reduced scarring. Rather than simply raising the nipple position, this approach elevates the entire breast footprint higher on the chest to improve overall breast shape, upper pole fullness, and long-term support.
Compared to traditional approaches, The Wall Center’s technique offers several potential advantages, including:
- Shorter incisions and reduced visible scarring
- Improved upper breast fullness
- A more elevated, youthful breast position
- Longer-lasting contour and support
- One surgery and one recovery period
This technique, which attracts patients from around the world to The Wall Center, is supported by the largest published study of its kind. This study of breast lift with implants followed 1,217 patients over 10 years and demonstrated exceptionally low long-term revision rates.
What You Should Know Before Getting Breast Augmentation With a Lift
Even though combining breast augmentation with a lift is fairly common, the procedure is more complex than a standalone augmentation and requires a bit more recovery time. Discussing your expectations and goals with your surgeon is important to determine if a combined procedure is appropriate.
Here are some things to know before a combined breast augmentation with lift surgery:
What Kind of Scarring You Can Expect
This is probably the most common reason patients hesitate to undergo a lift with implants. The incisions for breast augmentation are made in locations where they’re barely noticeable. However, most breast lift procedures involve making an incision that extends from the lower edge of the areola to the base of the breast. Even though it fades over time, this incision is visible. Most patients consider scars a worthwhile tradeoff to enhance the shape and perkiness of their breasts.
You can learn more about what breast lift scars look like in our related blog post.
What Recovery Time Is Like
At The Wall Center, our surgeons use rapid recovery protocols during surgery to minimize your time off after a breast augmentation with lift. Still, it’s best to expect a slightly longer healing period than after breast augmentation alone. You can read about the rapid recovery protocols our surgeons use in a previous blog post.
Understanding the Cost
Combining a breast lift with augmentation costs more than either procedure performed alone. The price varies from patient to patient, depending on the extent of the lift needed, the type of implants used, and other factors.
Whether Future Breastfeeding Is Possible
Even though breast augmentation alone rarely affects a woman’s ability to breastfeed, a breast lift poses a bit more risk. If you plan to breastfeed in the future, it’s important to discuss this with your surgeon at your consultation.
Breast augmentation combined with a breast lift, when performed by an experienced, talented plastic surgeon, can create beautiful results that will last for years. If you’re looking for a breast enhancement specialist, request a consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons at The Wall Center by using the online form. You can also call our Shreveport, LA, practice at (318) 795-0801 to schedule an appointment.