Breast Augmentation: Cost, Reviews, Photos

The easiest way to answer this question is to ask yourself if you are happy with your breast size in a non-padded bra.

If you are happy with your breast size in a non-padded bra, then a breast lift alone is the procedure of choice.

If you wish your breasts were fuller with a non-padded bra, then you will require a breast implant, which may also require a lift at the same time if there is also sagging. (Talmage J. Raine, MD, Champaign Plastic Surgeon)

Breast implants and lift

If you want larger breasts or more volume, a breast augmentation may be what you are looking for.

If you have excessive skin, lack of breast tissue, and your breasts are sagging (the nipples are pointing down) you may be a candidate for a Mastopexy or breast lift.

Upon consultation your ASPS board certified plastic surgeon will examine you and determine the best treatment plan to address your concerns. (Talmage J. Raine, MD, Champaign Plastic Surgeon)

Lift vs Augmentation

Breast augmentation only makes your breast larger. In some cases using a larger implant can give the illusion of a better shape or better nipple position however I don’t ever encourage this as it just leaves you unhappy and in 5 years needing even more of a lift than was probably warranted in the first place.

Determining if you need a lift is based on a few things, where your nipples are on your breast, volume differences and the look you are going for post-operatively. If you desire full, perky, perfect breasts you most likely will need a lift as well. There are a few different options as far as incisions and types of lifts. Spend some time with your surgeon discussing these things before you schedule surgery. (Andrew P. Giacobbe, MD, Buffalo Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift with an Augmentation

A Breast Lift is indicated if your nipple falls below your crease. A Breast Augmentation is indicated for those women who wish to have more volume in addition to perkier breasts. If you are happy with the amount of volume in your breasts then just doing a lift may be sufficient. Is a breast lift necessary with a breast augmentation. (Bernard Shuster, MD, Hollywood Plastic Surgeon)

Is a breast lift necessary with a breast augmentation.

The simplest question to answer is wether an implant is necessary. If you want larger breasts you need an implant. The lift question is more difficult and requires some thought. The location of your nipple as it relates to the fold beneath your breast is typically the deciding factor.

If you have loose skin but the nipple hasn’t descended too much just an implant will do. If your nipple is low or at the bottom of the breast a lift is typically needed. If your nipple is near the fold the decision is more difficult and frequently based on your wishes. In any case talk to your surgeon and take into account these factors. Breast implants vs breast lift vs both (Terrence Murphy, MD, Englewood Plastic Surgeon)

Breast implants vs breast lift vs both

If you are happy with your nipple/areolar position and just want larger breasts then implants alone should accomplish your goals. If you are happy with your volume and don’t like the location of your nipple/areola then you would benefit from just a lift.

If you want increased size and elevation of the nipple/areola, then you need augmentation and a lift. Make sure that you listen to your surgeons recommendations so you get the right procedure for the right problem. Breast Lift vs Augmentation vs both? (Kenneth L. Stein, MD, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift vs Augmentation vs both?

If you are unhappy with your volume – then breast augmentation. If you have sagging of your breasts but are OK with the volume you have, but the volume is in the wrong place – then breast lift without implants.

If you are concerned regarding sagging and volume – then breast augmentation and lift. These procedures can be performed simultaneously or can be staged. (C. Bob Basu, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

Breast implants with or without a breast lift

Many women are concerned about the incisions associated with a breast lift, and for this reason really try to avoid it, which is certainly understandable. In most cases, however, these incisions heal very well and are difficult to see. Whether or not you need a lift really depends on your specific anatomy and the judgement of your surgeon.

The goal if the lift is to give you a better shape of your breast and position of the nipple (lifting it into a more youthful place on the breast). If your breasts have some ptosis or droop to them, then a lift is usually required to get the best result – without one, you may end up with larger breasts, but their shape and overall appearance will usually be quite poor.

In the end, a lift gives you a better shape to your breasts, but the cost is either a longer incision or more incisions, and this decision really is between you and your surgeon. Go to several Board-Certified qualified Surgeons in your area for a consultation, and then go with the one whom you feel the most comfortable with. (Shahram Salemy, MD, FACS, Seattle Plastic Surgeon)

Breast augmentation with lift or not

The need for a breast lift with an implant has changed with the addition of tear drop/gummy bear implants.

These implants can often lessen the need or a lift at all, or minimize the type of lift needed.

We use the tear drop implants regularly and patients often are surprised by the amount of internal lift they impart on the breast. (Morgan E. Norris, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

Depends On Your Shape Vs. Scar Goals Are

This really depends on the severity of your droopiness.

The ultimate decision depends on what you’re willing to accept in shape and look versus scarring. This is a very subjective decision and if you’re experiencing mild drooping, breast implants will typically lift your breast tissue to a more natural shape.

If your drooping is more severe and really bothers you, a breast lift with an augmentation might be right for you. Please consult an experienced board certified plastic surgeon to help make a decision that’s best for you. (Morgan E. Norris, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift with breast augmentation

Breast augmentations add volume to the breasts making them larger, while a breast lift elevates sagging breasts by removing loose tissue and tightening the breasts( resulting in perky but smaller breasts).

In general, a breast augmentation is ideal for very small or flat chested women, or patients who have seen the volume of their breasts diminish, especially in the upper part of the breasts, but the breasts do not sag.

Breast lift is indicated for almost all other drooping breasts. Since a lift will result in smaller but lifted breasts, many patients choose to add an implant to maintain their origin size or to be larger than their origin size. (Luis Suarez, MD, Mexico Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift with Breast Augmentation

If your breasts have sagged a lot then some form of skin-tightening procedure (breast-lift) will be necessary. If you have adequate breast volume then a breast lift alone may be the answer but, if not, then implants will likely be need as well.

In some cases, where there is a limited amount of droop, a breast augmentation alone may correct the problem especially if one on the new shaped highly-cohesive silicone gel (Gummy Bear) implants is used. These implants can be extremely effective in camouflaging limited breast drooping. The only way to know for sure is to have a consultation with, and careful examination by, a qualified surgeon. (Luis Suarez, MD, Mexico Plastic Surgeon)

Do you need a lift

If your nipples are sagging and hanging down to your knees, you need a big time lift. if your nipples hang below the fold, you still need a lift. If your breasts have the deflated look, but the nipples are in a reasonable position, you just need to be enlarged.

I suggest seeing a qualified surgeon to help determine if you need a lift and where to locate your nipples. (Pramit Malhotra, MD, Ann Arbor Plastic Surgeon)

Implants for cleavage, lifts for perkiness

Breast implants mainly address volume while a breast lift mainly addresses shape and nipple position. As the breast ages there is less cleavage, smaller volume, more skin, and the nipple gets lower on the breast.

An implant will give you more cleavage and a lift will give you perkiness. Every case is unique, but oftentimes these procedures are combined to give the final result of a fuller more youthful breast. (Grant Stevens, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift Vs. Breast Augmentation

The goals of breast augmentation with implants verses a breast lift are very different even though the procedures are often combined. The breast lift is designed to restore the proper anatomic relationship of the breast. Classically, if the breast appears “droopy” or the nipple is low on the breast, the patient needs a breast lift.

If the nipple is at or below the fold the nipple is too low and will require some form of lift. The goal of breast augmentation is to give volume to the breast. 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, though sometimes some stretching of the lower pole of the breast below the nipple by the implant will give the illusion of a somewhat higher nipple. If both conditions are present you probably need both. (Grant Stevens, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift vs Breast Augmentation vs Combination

It’s very common to see woman who are wondering about this exact question. Each procedure can be done separately or together. There are important questions to ask yourself when determining which procedure is right for you.

A breast lift changes the shape of the breast. It allows the surgeon to place the nipple in a more elevated, youthful, position.

It also allows the volume of the breast to sit higher on the chest, which is also more youthful. Drooping of the breasts (ptosis) is graded by measuring where the nipple lies in relation to the crease below the breast.

As women age the nipple and bulk of the breast descends. This descent can also be accompanied by loss of breast volume. When determining whether you need a lift, the question to ask is, do I like the position of my nipple and the shape of my breast. When determining whether to do a breast augmentation, it’s helpful to know whether a patient is happy with their breast size when wearing a bra.

If not, then some volume will need to be added by using an implant. Using a breast implant in a woman with mild ptosis can often correct the ptosis such that a seperate breast lift may not need to be performed. There are often women with greater degrees of ptosis, who also desire larger breasts. In these women, a combination lift and augmentation restores the breast to a more youthful appearance and increases the size. Consultation with your plastic surgeon will help you decide which procedure is right for you. (Guy Watts, MBBS (Hons), FRACS (Plast), Perth Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift vs augmentation

A breast augmentation only adds volume to the breast. It makes the breast larger and essentially does not lift the droopy breast. A breastlift is a breast reshaping operation that raises the position of the nipple and decreases the diameter of the areola. It is performed in someone whose nipple position is located below the inframammary fold level or points down. There are some other situations also when the lift may be necessary. When you meet with your qualified surgeon he or she will be able to examine you a decide what problem is present and what is the best option to treat it.In most cases, in my practice the lift is performed with implants primarily to add fullness to the upper breast, improve projection and improve shape. Some patient will go up one cup size but in many cases that is not the focus of the augmentation portion of the procedure. In some cases the patient would like to be smaller and a breast reduction is performed at the same time as the lift. (Pamela Gallagher, MD, Long Island Plastic Surgeon)

Lift vs. Implant

This question is best answered by the qualified surgeon that you choose to do the operation. Basically, it is dependent on the distance from the bottom of the neck (sternal notch) to the nipple, and the distance from the nipple to the breast fold. It is dependent on the position of the nipple on the gland, the position of the nipple with respect to the fold, and the amount of skin excess of the breast. All of this must be combined with the patient’s goals and the surgeon’s experience and ability. (Pamela Gallagher, MD, Long Island Plastic Surgeon)

Mastopexy v. breast augmentation or BOTH

A mastopexy is to lift the position of the nipple and areola, while augmentation is to enlarge the breast. Sometimes, you need both of these operations to achieve the look you want. However, the combination is a more difficult situation because both operations must work in concert. (Austin Hayes, MD, Portland Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift or Breast Augmentation

A breast lift (masteopexy) and breast augmentation are two completely different operations. If your breasts are too small from development or has lost volume after pregnancy or weight loss, then breast augmentation is the surgery you need.

Breast Implants will only make you bigger, and will only lift you slightly. If your breasts and nipples have dropped significantly from the chest wall and you need to lift the nipple and possibly the breast tissue, then breast lift (mastopexy) is the surgery you need. Sometimes you need both procedures.

You can think of a breast lift is like a push up bra and a breast implant as a padded bra. Sometimes you need both a padded and push up bra – breast lift + implants to bring your breasts to the size and position you like. (Austin Hayes, MD, Portland Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Lift versus Breast Augmentation

In broad terms, if the breast tissue overhangs the infra-mammary fold and can support a pencil if placed underneath the overhang – then a breast lift, or mastopexy, may be a consideration.

In terms of lacking breast fullness (particularly to enhance the upper pole fullness), a breast augmentation is typically considered.

When combined, the purpose is to restore the overall breast position (relieve the ptosis, or tissue descent), and also enhance the cleavage and upper breast fullness. (Sergio P. Maggi, MD, Austin Plastic Surgeon)

Lift vs Augmentation

In general, if you like your shape and just want an increase in size, then an augmentation is all you need.

Conversely, if you are happy with your size but feel you have lost your ‘perkiness’ and they are ‘droopy,’ you likely need a lift. These two categories represent a spectrum. An augmentation alone can correct a small amount of droopiness, but this is a question of degree and must be determined during your consultation. (Sergio P. Maggi, MD, Austin Plastic Surgeon)

So Many Factors Involved

Breast lift versus augmentation is a very good question that even very qualified surgeons will not always agree on in a borderline case. In general, patients who are satisfied with their breast size and who still have breast tissue above the nipple (superior pole) can get a very nice result with a breast lift alone. The best results are often in patients who desire to be somewhat smaller. On the other hand, if the breast has really bottomed out, the only way to restore superior pole fullness (a youthful perky shape), is to add an implant, even if it is just for shape and the patient does not desire to go any larger. A very small implant can be used and carefully positioned so that the bra size does not significantly increase, if that is what the patient desires. In patients who desire implants, the question as to whether a lift is also needed can be a difficult decision in borderline cases with some mild sag. A decision can only be made during a direct exam, with evaluation of the elasticity of the tissues and other criteria. (Bryan Correa, MD, The Woodlands Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift versus breast augmentation

There are several factors that determine whether a patient needs a lift or an augmentation or both. After carefully examining my patient I will see the amount of ptosis or drooping of the breast and determine if the patient can be corrected with just an implant or a lift or combination of both. One of the problems is that a drooping breast is corrected by qualified surgeons with an overly large implant. This does not only look unnatural but is heavy and stretches the skin.

During my consultation I will take careful measurements of the breast and assess the quality of the tissues. A lot depends on the thickness and the density of the breast tissue whether an implant will rotate it into an upwards position or not. Over the past two years I have been using Sientra implants which are the latest in breast implant technology and cohesiveness as well as different shaped breast implants. The good thing about the shaped implants is that they come in different shapes that I can accommodate different patients special needs.

There are round-based, oval-shaped, tall shaped, and different levels of diameter and projection. There are the low, moderate, and high projection implants. There are also textured which prevent them from rotating or help in preventing scar tissue otherwise known as capsular contracture’s. When using a shaped implant to correct breast ptosis or, the fullness is concentrated on the bottom which rotates the bottom portion of the breast and lifts it without having excessive bulging or overly round fullness on the top of the breast. This accomplishes a more natural effect. The other advantage is that even if you do need a lift then it will be a more minimal procedure.In the end if there’s too much excess skin or tissue and the nipple – areolar complex is too low then a lift may be necessary to achieve a higher location of the nipple. All these things can be discussed during your consultation. A careful analysis and proper selection of implants and techniques will give the patient the best results possible! (Thomas A. Mustoe, MD, FACS, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

Breast Augmentation with or Without a lift: Mastopexy

The best way to determine if you need a Breast Augmentation or a Mastopexy / Lift is to look at the size of your breast in a bra. If the breast are the perfect size in the bra but sagging, or the nipples are pointing down, or the areola are too large – You need a lift.

If the breast are too small you need an augmentaiton. It is common to combine these two procedures because in order to achieve an aesthetic result, the position of the nipple areolar complex on the breast mound is critical to beauty. In general if the nipple/areolar complex is situated on the breast mound with normal skin below it, the breast is more aesthetic.

In fact, the level of the nipple areolar complex is ideally at the level of the fold under the breast. Therefore, if your nipple areola is below this, you may find that combining an implant with a lift will yield a more attractive breast.

There are many options with regards to implants: size, style, shape, texture, componetns etc; just as there are many options for lifting depending on the level of sagging that is being corrected. The best thing is to look at the before and after photos of the doctors and spend time at a consultation in order to understand all the options and make the best decision for you. (Rami Ghurani, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

Breast augmentation vs. breast lift

Please don’t think that breast augmentation will do any lifting to the breast, it will only fill out the breast shape by adding volume to the breast. Whatever your breast looked before the surgery it will only look fuller after the augmentation. A lift, on the other hand, will add volume if performed with the augmentation but will also give you a more elevated and balanced breast look if performed properly, provided the correct breast lift is performed. These types of discussions should be held with your qualified Surgeon. (Rami Ghurani, MD, Miami Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift or breast augmentation?

The two procedures, breast augmentation and breast lift, are designed to accomplish different things. Breast augmentation is designed to increase or replenish breast volume. Breast lift is designed to reposition the areola and reshape the breast by correcting breast laxity.

One procedure should not be used to help correct or camouflage the need for the other. This inevitably results in a suboptimal result. (Remus Repta, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift, breast augmentation, or both

In order to determine whether you need a breast lift, breast augmentation, or both, it is best to consult a plastic surgeon. Without a physical examination, it would not be possible to tell you what you need. There are many types of breast lift procedures depending on the amount of drooping you have.

To an extent, breast implants can provide a small amount of lift if the drooping is not very bad. If you have small breasts that droop, you may need both a breast lift and breast implants to achieve the desired look. Only an examination by a qualified plastic surgeon can tell. (Remus Repta, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift vs. Breast implants

If your only concern is that the breasts are small and you want them larger, usually a breast implant will be enough. However if your breast appear to be droopy, the nipples appear to be low on your chest or are pointing down you probably need a breast lift. Both a breast lift and a breast augmentation will be required if you breasts are small and droopy.

The best way to know what is best for you is to be a evaluated by a qualified surgeon. The physician should be certified by the American of Board of Plastic Surgery, and be a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgewons or the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. (James Tang, MD, Houston Plastic Surgeon)

Breast lift vs implants Augmentation

The choice for a breast lift vs breast augmentation depends mostly on your anatomy, and then is a mix between desired final look / breast volume, and level of aversion to the lift scars.

In regards to your anatomy, look at yourself in a mirror and see where your nipple is in relation to the inframammary fold (the breast crease below the breast where it attaches to the chest wall.)

If the nipple is above the fold, implants work well. If the nipple is at the same level as the fold, you can still do an augmentation, but will have a more mature look.

If you are interested in a more youthful appearance, then a lift would be necessary. Once the nipple is below the level of the fold, you really should be considering a breast lift.

Start looking at before and after pictures of both breast lift surgery and augmentation. Pay attention to the side view photos and look at the nipple position related to the inframammary fold.

See if you can find someone who looks like you, and judge the results they achieved. If you cannot find someone who looks like you in the augmentation section, then you probably have the anatomy that requires a lift. (Michael A. Bogdan, MD, FACS, Dallas Plastic Surgeon)