Breast Augmentation: Cost, Reviews, Photos

Breast lift vs. augmentation

The goals of breast augmentation with implants versus a breast lift are very different even though the procedures are often combined.

The breast lift is designed to restore the proper anatomic relationships of the breast. Classically, if the breast appears “minor sagging” or the nipple is low on the breast, the patient needs a breast lift.

The nipple position can be determined to be “low” by looking at its relationship to the fold underneath the breast or the inframammary fold.

If the nipple is at or below the fold, the nipple is too low and the patient requires some form of lift.

There are many forms of lifts and in general, the droopier the breast, the more incisions are required to lift it. The goal of breast augmentation is to give volume to the breast. Patients who are candidates for breast augmentation alone, generally do not have sagging breasts and just need more volume.

Patients who have saggieness and want more volume than what they already have, are candidates for a breast lift with an augmentation. (Matthew Schulman, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift for minor sagging

There are couple of scenarios that might help answer this question:

1. You have deflation of your breast skin from either weight loss or after pregnancy. You don’t want the scars of a breast lift and are hoping that a breast implant alone will give you the results you are hoping for. In this instance, the key factors will be the distance from your nipple to your inframammary fold, the size implant you are considering, and the importance of fullness in the upper aspect of the breast. Many patients can “get away” with just implants when the skin envelope is loose. It may be possible to position the implant slightly low on the chest wall and fill out the bottom aspect of the breast and avoid a lift. Often though, the native breast tissues seems to fall over the front of the implant which can be very bothersome, especially in certain positions. If bothersome enough, a breast lift procedure can be completed as a second procedure.

2. You have notable droop or drag to the breast (ptosis) or minor sagging and want primarily to lift them. You just can’t decide if your existing breast volume will give you the look you are hoping for and want to know if an implant will be needed. In this case, you need to remember that with most effective breast lifts, there will be a slight decrease in breast volume. You also need to consider the flattening of the upper pole of the breast. Most breast lift or reduction procedures fail to provide significant upper pole volume. They can very effectively reshape the bottom of the breast and raise the position of the areolae, which may be all that is needed. If upper pole volume is the most important goal, then an implant will most often be required. In the end, it all depends upon your physical exam, your goals, and your surgeon’s experience. (Cory Goldberg, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift versus Breast Augmentation

Breast augmentation does not lift the breast. It fills out the breast where it is, resulting in a larger breast with more upper pole fullness. If the breast has a certain amount of overhang, it will still have that. If the nipple is low on the breast, it will still be low on the breast, though sometimes some stretching of the lower pole of the breast below the nipple by an implant will give the illusion of a somewhat higher nipple. If a breast is TOO low. Too overhanging or a nipple below the level of the crease beneath the breast Then the deflated breast can be too low to be filled out by the implant, it will hang “empty” off of the breast, and the nipple if low will point downward. People choose augmentation because either they want larger breasts or they want more fullness in the upper portion of the breast as well as the increase in size. People choose lifts because their breasts are hanging too low over the crease or the nipple is too low or both, and they want the breast and nipple position lifted. People choose both lift and augmentation usually because they need a lift and either want to be larger or want more fullness in the upper pole of the breast than a lift alone would give them. (Cory Goldberg, MD, Toronto Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift or Breast Augmentation?

Essentially an overall good rule of thumb is that if your nipples are below the level of your breast fold (inframammary fold, IMF) then you will need a lift in order to get it to that position.

If your nipples are above the fold, then implants are needed to improve the volume.

If you need a lift, then implants should not be done unless the lift is performed – doing so will lead to implants with breasts that appear to be falling off of them.

If a person has breasts that are on the borderline, large implants may provide a small lift. (Louis C. Cutolo, Jr., MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift VS Breast Aug

The factor that determines whether or not a patient needs a breast lift versus a breast augmentation has a lot to do with the position of the nipple and the general looseness of the breast tissue.

If the breast has the nipple well below the level of the breast fold, or if you have minor sagging, then the patent typically needs a breast lift. If in addition, there is loss of volume to the breast many times augmentation is necessary in order to give the proper shaping and volume to the breast. If the persons breast are of sufficient volume but just show excessive drooping, minor sagging, then a breast lift alone will be necessary and this can accomplish quite satisfactory appearance to the breast with internal suturing and skin excision. (Louis C. Cutolo, Jr., MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift or Breast Implants

A breast lift and breast augmentation are very different. If you need your breasts (and nipples) lifted, then a breast lift is for you. Breast Implants will only make you bigger, and will do nothing to lift you. Sometimes you need both procedures. I tell my patients that a breast lift is a push up bra and a breast implant is just a padded bra. Sometimes you need a padded push up bra – breast lift + implants. (Mel T. Ortega, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

Choosing Breast Lift, Breast Augmentation or Both?

This decision requires a thorough assessment by your plastic surgeon including a discussion of your cosmetic goals. It requires significant expertise and is by no means an easy decision. Having said that, the main thing that your plastic surgeon will look at will be how much extra skin and looseness of your skin there is as well as the location of your nipples. If there is a lot of loose skin and the nipples have descended below the fold underneath your breast, almost certainly a breast lift will be required.

The decision about doing breast augmentation at the same time most often comes down to your personal preference. If one of your cosmetic goals is to restore the fullness of your breast, especially fullness in the upper part of the breast, then a breast implant is almost always required in order to achieve this. So, if you have loose skin with descended nipples and you would like to restore the breast fullness and size that you had before pregnancy or weight loss, then a combination of breast augmentation and breast implants will likely give the result you are looking for. (Mel T. Ortega, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift vs Breast Augmentation

A general guidline to help patients figure out if they are a candidate for a lift, is to note the position of the nipple and the breast tissue in relation to the fold. If you like where everything is rightnow and you wish you were bigger then the answer is a breast augmentation. That means the nipple is still at most anterior and most projecting part of breast mound.

The breast tissue has to be ideally above the fold. Now if find yourself standing in front of the mirror pulling up on your breast tissue, wishing that the nipple and breast tissue were as high as they used to be before. Then that means that the breast tissue has descended below the fold and the nipple is usually pointing downwards.

Then the answer is a breast lift. Finally if you want the nipple and breast tissue higher and the whole breast bigger, then the answer is a combination breast augmentation with a lift. I hope this helped in answering your question. Remember that by choosing a board certified plastic surgeon, he or she will have the training to guide you to the correct decision. (Matthew Schulman, MD, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift versus Breast Augmentation

Perhaps the most simple thing in determining whether one needs an augmentation and/or a lift is to assess the position of your breast tissue and nipple in comparison to your inframammary fold.

It is really not beneficial to do an augmentation alone if the nipple and breast tissue are below the inframammary fold as this causes a long term breast deformity.

If you have drooping of your nipples, minor sagging and your breast tissue is below your inframammary fold you really should consider doing a breast lift and/or breast augmentation concomitantly. (George John Alexander, MD, FACS, Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Implants or Breast Lift or Both?

While it is impossible to tell if you will need breast implants, a breast lift, or both without a thorough discussion and evaluation, here are a few guidelines:

Breast Implant Candidates:

• Have a small amount of drooping (i.e. minor sagging)
• Have a nipple that is no more than about 2 cm beneath the breast fold
• Desire an increase in size
• Are concerned about scars on the breast

Breast Lift Candidates:

• Have a moderate to significant amount of drooping (i.e ptosis)
• Have a nipple that may be more than 2 cm beneath the breast fold
• Do not desire an increase in size
• Wish to avoid a prosthetic breast implant
• Are not as concerned about scars on the breast

Breast lift and implants candidate:

• Have a moderate to significant amount of drooping (i.e. ptosis)
• Have a nipple that is more than 2 cm beneath the breast fold
• Desire an increase in size and fullness of the upper breast
• Are not opposed to a prosthetic implant
• Understand the additional risks of undergoing a breast lift with simultaneous breast implants

While these are just basic guidelines, your plastic surgeon will have to assess many other factors such as your skin quality and elasticity, current breast volume, and general health.

Breast augmentation, breast lift surgery, and particularly a breast lift with simultaneous placement of breast implants can be technically demanding surgeries.

I recommend you consult with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery to discuss your surgical options. (George John Alexander, MD, FACS, Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Implants – With or Without a Breast Lift

Here’s what I would say are the general guidelines. If you are basically happy with the shape and position of the breasts, then you will do well with just implants. The position refers to where the nipples are (height, do they point forward or down) relative to the breast mound. If you have just a little bit of sagging (or none), even with a loss of superior fullness (ie, they’re indented above the nipple) then implants can be expected to fill out the tissue you have and produce an aesthetic result. If, however, you have too much sagging, the breasts appear as “empty sacs,” and/or your nipples are too low or point down, you’ll need a lift as part of the correction.

If you are about the size you like or even a little larger than you’d like, then a lift may be all you’ll need. If you’d like to be a little (or a lot) larger, or want more superior fullness, you’ll need an implant – probably with a lift – in order to get the size and shape you’re looking for. Of course, a breast lift with implants is one of the more complicated procedures in breast surgery and it’s associated with specific risks. There are also more incisions and therefore scars with any type of lift (there are several different types) than with implants alone. Choosing “the right” procedure can be tricky, so you should continue to do as much research as you can online, and then go visit a few plastic surgeons to get an idea of what they’d recommend. (Alan M. Engler, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift v breast augmentation

This is a simple enough question with a complex answer. Your goals will have to be sorted out in a consultation as well as your tolerance for incision lines and scars. Get a consultation from a board certified plastic surgeon. (Alan M. Engler, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)

Lift vs. Implant

The need for a lift, implant, or both can sometimes be difficult to determine.

As others have pointed out, if your nipple is above the level of your breast crease (under the breast along the chest) and you have some visible skin beneath your nipple, then a breast implant alone can be beneficial to increase the size and upper pole fullness.

The more loose skin you have, the larger an implant you will typically need to fill out the skin envelope. In some cases with borderline ptosis (sag), sometimes called pseduoptosis, you may get by with an implant alone. The new shaped, or form stable implants, can also be helpful in these cases.

If your nipple is at the bottom of your breast, points downward, or if you have a long distance between your nipple and the lower breast crease (>9-10cm), a breast lift procedure should be considered.

If you are overall happy with your breast size, a lift alone may be adequate. The only caveat to consider is that breast lifts alone are not optimal for giving you fullness in the upper breast.

If that is a goal, then a breast implant with the lift should be considered. Keep in mind that combining the two operations does increase the revisionary surgery rate. You should visit with a board certified plastic surgeon for an examination and for assistance with your decision. (Jeffrey Rockmore, MD, Albany Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift vs Breast Augmentation

Oftentimes this is not a case of either/or but rather a situation where both procedures can be advantageous. Combining a breast augmentation with breast lift can give you great results. Many practices these days, including mine, combine breast procedures with a tummy tuck, which has the added benefit of only having one surgery appointment, and a single recovery period. It’s important to choose a surgeon who has experience combining multiple procedures like this to ensure the best results. Surgeons who offer “mommy makeovers” often include both breast enhancement and a tummy tuck or other body contouring procedure such as liposuction during a single surgical appointment, so if you are looking for a more comprehensive makeover, start looking for those specialists first. (Mark Hanikeri, MBBS, FRACS, Perth Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift Helps Correct Breast Sag; Often Times, a Breast Lift Makes the Breasts Look Fuller

It’s not unusual for women who have breast hypoplasia to also have breast sag. In many patients, both problems have developed following pregnancy and breast feeding. For many women, this creates a dilemma. They want larger breasts, but don’t want the scarring associated with a breast lift.

In these situations, it’s important to evaluate each patient individually, because they have unique anatomic considerations and specific aesthetic goals In many patients, extreme sag can make the breasts look smaller than they really are. In this situation, a breast lift can elevate the breast and simultaneously make them look bigger.

This auto-augmentation may be enough to avoid breast augmentation surgery in some cases. If size is still an issue, an implant can be placed at the time of breast lift surgery. A more common scenario arises when women present with breast hypoplasia and mild breast sag.

Under these circumstances, women are very motivated to avoid breast lift surgery. In some cases of breast hypoplasia associated with mild breast sag, a breast lift can be avoided by performing a biplaner breast augmentation. This procedure places the breast implant partially under the muscle and allows the breast tissue to re-drape over the implants. In many cases, this helps avoid the extra scars associated with breast lift surgery.

When the nipple sits at a level which is lower than the inframmary fold, a breast lift should be performed in combination with a breast augmentation. Under these circumstances, breast augmentation alone will result in a deformity known as a double bubble. Needless to say, this is a very unattractive look.

If you have breast hypoplasia associated with breast sag, it’s important to consult a board certified plastic surgeon. After careful evaluation of your physical findings and aesthetic goals, he will be able to help you find the treatment that is best for you. (Mark Hanikeri, MBBS, FRACS, Perth Plastic Surgeon)