Breast Augmentation: Cost, Reviews, Photos

Borderline Needing a Lift

When you’re in your spot, it is a tough call. You may find it helpful to look at before and after photos of patients with a similar breast shape after augmentation with and without a lift. Once you see what you can reasonably expect, you can make a more informed decision. (Nia Banks, MD, PhD, Washington Plastic Surgeon)

Avoiding a Breast Lift via Larger Implants over the Muscle is not a good long term plan

While I realize that some of my colleagues do recommend placing implants over the muscle for women with slight to moderate sagging of the breasts when they don’t want a lift.

Best breast lift photo before

I could not agree more with my colleagues from Seattle and Memphis. I think this would be a short term fix with long term unhappiness for you, and would make future procedures much more complicated and expensive as well.

I think your best bet is a dual plane augmentation, and I personally would not perform a breast lift at this time. You can see a good example of this in a patient similar to yourself by following the link below. (Armando Soto, MD, FACS, Orlando Plastic Surgeon)

Subglandular implant placement in a ptotic breast, especially with a large implant, will quickly lead to a large ptotic breast. I specialize in implant revision and see this all the time. No matter how large an implant is, it will never allow the ptotic nipple areolar complex to rotate up into a better position on the breast mound, yet some surgeons do it all the time.

Best breast lift picture

Another concern I have is that your inframammary folds sits high on the chest (hence the reason in your case you have breast ptosis), and a large implant will require the doctor to substantially lower the fold to properly place the implant under breast mound. This puts you at high risk for double bubble phenomenon, as well as severe rippling. Many surgeons, including myself, have chosen to adhere to principles based in evidence or scientific evaluation, as opposed to a subjective belief system of ‘what works’.

One measure of how well this objective and quantifiable system works is looking at complication rates. The national average for complications within three years of surgery is 25%, which can be reduced to 2-3% when adhering to evidenced based principles. You should not place an implant above the muscle just to obtain a false sense of a lift that is always temporary. In the end, you will have recurrent ‘drop out’, or worse, a ‘ball in sock’ appearance, especially with larger implants or high profile implants.

Best breast lift image sagging breast

Further, subglandular implants have a host of other complications and problems that can be avoided by a partial subpectoral placement. ‘Subfascial’ placement shows no difference than subglandular placement, and therefore provides no benefit when examined in objectively. A partial subpectoral placement of low or intermediate profile, properly sized implants, with a possible mastopexy (depending on your physical exam, but based on your photos you will benefit from one) will yield a long lasting, pretty result with the lowest risk of complications. I would keep looking for a surgeon in your area who doesn’t consider a large implant a real alternative to a mastopexy. (Gerald Minniti, MD, FACS, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)

Lift with implants

Best breast lift scar after

With a dual plane technique (partially separating the breast tissue from the muscle) there is no reason to have the implants placed over the muscle.

I would recommend that you consider a possible peri-areolar mastopexy at this time. My approach is to have a detailed discussion about this possibility at the consultation.

Then at surgery I place the implants through a lower areolar incision. If the breasts look nice, then the operation is over.

If the nipples require elevation, then I will continue with the peri-areolar lift. (Bruce Genter, MD, Abington Plastic Surgeon)

If you want a lift – get a best breast lift!

Best breast lift image

I understand all of your concerns but a few rules of thumb:

1. Implant lift breast poorly. Although large subglandular implants may give the appearance of a lift, but then you are stuck with a large implant – is that what you want? the trade-off may be unacceptable.
2. Breast lifts look great and many techniques allow you to breast feed after the procedure.
3. In the end- breast lifts for saggy breasts – Implants for small breasts (Robert M. Freund, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift or not

You are definitely a bit low in the photos and solely based on the photos I would probably consider a circumareola lift to adjust the areola size and lift them a bit.

An exam may suggest differently. I prefer under the muscle for thin patients. As for the implant size, I would have got evaluate you in person. (Steven Wallach, MD, Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)