Breast Implants: Q&A

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Breast Implants Now, and Lift One Year from Now?

I have stage 3 ptosis (@ 3.5) I am 5'6", 137 pounds, 21% body fat. I have 5 children. I am an avid weight lifter, runner (30miles a week) and am a combat instructor. When I was nursing my children my breasts were a DD cup. I am now a deflated C/D. My husband and I both enjoyed my breast size and shape when I was nursing. We are not interested in super perky breasts or high nipple placement. My surgeon is recommending 600-800cc subfascial implants now with a lift @ year later based on the results I want. Thoughts?

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C cup ptosis 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in 600-649cc 130-149 lbs

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18 Doctor Answers | Asked by 1587anon in USA

Doctor Answers (18)
Community Comments (0)

Breast implants and lift later

You have given excellent details and the photo helps so much. What to do depends entirely on your goals. Anatomically, you need a full lift to elevate the nipple and re-shape and tighten the breast. This is because you have too much skin for the breast to sit up in a youthful, toned position. Based on how slender and how active you are, I would think this might be all you need. You would have a small, athletic, sporty look. Using 600-800 cc implants in my... more

Combine Lift With Implants

I agree with other comments posted: 600-800cc implants seem inappropriately large and separating the procedures seems unnecessary. The lift is desirable because of your nipple position and breast laxity. Neither would be corrected with implants. "Blowing up the balloon" with large implants will create excessively large, still very droopy breasts. Reshaping your breast and elevating your nipple-areola complex and breast back up onto the chest will play an important role... more

Implants and lift

Those are very large implants, and with the sagging quality of your skin they may fall right back down with that volume.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift and augmentation

There are several issues to discuss regarding your question. 1) 600-800 cc implants are way too large for your body type and shape. Your surgeon is likely trying to fill your stretched out skin envelope by performing an augmentation first. This will not raise your nipples and may give you a deformity with your native breast hanging off your implants. 2) If you are going to stage your surgery, performing the breast lift first would be better. You could improve... more

You need to have lift first

You need to have lift and implant. There are you two ways to do this and plastic surgery comunity is divided on the best approach. The safest approach is to have the lift first and implant 3 months later. The fastest approach is combined lift and implant I would recommened lift first and implant later based on the long term result,decreased risk of nipple loss and less tension on the scar.

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift and Augmentation

I agree completely with most of the previous responses. Because of your lifestyle, you absolutely do not want to have an implant larger than about a 350 cc. This should be quite large enough, if not too large, since you need the implant over the muscle because of your muscle building and other activities. You also should have the lift and augmentation done at the same time. There is no reason not to if the surgeon knows what he/she is doing and sits you up after the... more

It can be done that way but not the best

You do not need to do the lift at the same time but in a patient with ptosis(droopiness) as severe as yours, I would do the 2 surgeries concurrently. Without the lift, your shape will not be good and you will likely be disappointed. I would also recommend under the muscle placement and smaller implants. 600-800 cc's are way too large for your frame- think heidi montag's new size, she looked more beautiful with a smaller size - and you would look out of... more

Breast implants and breast lift should be done together.

Hi. 1) Based on your picture and on my pretty big experience in Manhattan, here's what I think: 2) First and foremost, you need a breast lift. If you only have breast implants, you won't just have droopy breasts. You will have a major deformity, with your breasts hanging below the implants. 3) For somebody with your build and lifestyle, I think it is a big mistake to use implants larger than 400 cc's. Huge implants age very poorly, stretch your tissues, and will interfere with your... more

Breast augmentation and lift, which one first?

You have a very physical lifestyle and are in excellent shape. If you want to stage your breast surgery, I would do a lift first with an augmentation to follow. Things to consider: 1. 600-800 cc implants are really big. 2. Breast implants do not lift breasts. 3. Most surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery can do a breast lift and augmentation at the same time. When I consult with a very athletic woman who wants large breasts, I counsel them that breasts bounce when... more

Breast lift and breast implant - which first?

Based on your description and photo, I believe you need both a lift and implants to give you the best result. Although some surgeons would disagree, doing them together in your case would be fine. I think doing an implant without a lift for you would be a mistake. You would likely have perky implants (600-800 cc is too big for you in my opinion), but with loose nipples and breast tissue hanging off them. If anything do the lift first then wait and... more

If you need a breast lift with your implants, have it

From the appearance of your breasts in the photo, placement of these very large implants will likely create large, sagging breasts. Certainly, they will impede your athletic endeavors. Large implants will not lift the breasts, but could make your nipples point downward and stretch the tissues further. If the plan is to stage breast augmentation with a mastopexy, usually the mastopexy is performed first.

Breast augmentation now with a lift later can work

When there is doubt about the need for a breast lift, or concerns about the acceptability of the scar, it is a very reasonable option to complete a breast augmentation and complete a lift say, one year later if needed. The grade III ptosis that you describe means that the nipple is dependent, off the lower portion of the breast pointing downward. You should know that with augmentation alone, the implant will tend to push the nipple lower and accentuate the droop. Still this may not... more

Augmentation and lift

The implant sizes you mention sound too large for your frame and lifestyle. While it is impossible to give you specific recommendations without examining you, I think you need both implants for increased volume and some sort of a lift to help with nipple position and excess skin. However, since your tissues are less resilient, the smaller the implant that makes you happy, the better for you in the long run. Also, the more of your breast that is implant, the more unnatural they will... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Why wait?

I do implants and lifts at the same time. I also can't say that I would opt for implants quite as large -- as they say - they bigger they are the faster they fall.

Lift FIRST!

I would do a full lift first allow healing for 2 months than implant a 400 to 600 cc high profile implant, in that order. From MIAMI Dr. B

Breast Augmentation and Lift (Augmentation Mastopexy)

Augmentation Mastopexy (Augmentation Lift) is a complex topic in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and a topic on which every Plastic surgeon has a definite opinion. A few facts and opinions - - Breast implants do not lift. Breast lifts - Lifts. Implants FILL and DRAG the breasts inferiorly causing sagging. - No one has EVER won the battle against gravity. Your odds of winning are poor and hampered with 600-800 cc implants you will see rapid sagging LESS than a year after surgery. - If you... more

Large breast implant or breast lift: which comes first?

I appreciate your details. My concern (not necessarily your expressed concern) is the location and size of your areolae. They appear larger than average and will become only larger. IF you desire this, then it is not an issue. Furthermore, the implants you describe may be comparable to your pregnant breast size but their size is larger than average and will likely impair or affect your intensive exercise activity not that you are not pregnant.

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

32 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Breast Implants Now, and Lift One Year from Now?

I think that with your appearance and your excellent physical condition you should undergo both a mastopexy and implant at the same time. I think either procedure alone would not give you nearly the result of the one combined procedure.