Breast Lift: Q&A
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Does Breast Lift Require Augmentation Afterwards?
I want to get a breast lift. In my first consultation with a cosmetic surgeon he said my breast may lose 15% of volume because of skin removed. Does this mean most women get breast implants at the same time as a lift, or is this a path to greater complications?
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32 Doctor Answers |
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anon
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If you like your breast size- don't get implants
If you like your breast size then don't change it. There are many different types of breast lifts today;
1-skin only circumareolar breast lifts - a bad technique that flattens out the breast. The scars are not acceptable and the position of the nipples is rarely symmetrical. Most importantly, the durability is about 1 year,if you are lucky!
2-An anchor scar skin only lift - not much better than the above. The breasts have a nice shape, but the scars are awful and the sag returns within a...
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Everything depends on you as an individual
This is a great question that gets to the point- there are no sweeping answers that apply to every patient. What you have been told is likely true, in that during a lift, some tissue (mostly skin) is taken away in order to re-suspend your breast in the new, improved position. That being said, some women with larger breasts and more drooping (called "ptosis" and pronounced without the "p") may need more involved lifting procedures that actually involve removing even more...
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Augmentation Mastopexy
The reshaping of the breast with the lift procedure tightens the width of the breast. This often means a bra fits differently, by as much as a half-cup size smaller, even though no significant amount of breast tissue is actually removed.
Implants can help to restore or add volume, as well as contribute to a fuller, rounder shape.
It is common to place breast implants together with a breast lift.
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Breast Reduction/lift - Atlanta, GA
I have had very large breasts longer than I care to remember. I was wearing a minimizer bra...
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Augmentation with breast lift
During your consultation your board certified plastic surgeon will discuss your options breast lift alone or breast augmentation with lift. There are alot of things to consider. With a breast lift alone your are raising the nipple/areola into a higher position on the chest, taking out the skin to tighten, and possiblly taking out some breast tissue(you can discuss this with your doctor). However the upper pole of the chest will remain the same. If that area is flat it can be filled up...
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Breast lift surgery with implants
A breast lift surgery may be customized to help the patient meet their specific aesthetic goals. If you require to position the breasts hiring your chest or to correct some extra tissue or sagging, a breast lift alone may suffice. However if you prefer additional volume or fullness a breast implant may be in order. A breast implant can fill your tissue envelope and can also help minimize the number of scars that you will ultimately require. Choose your plastic surgeon...
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You don't always need an implant.
When talking with women about breast lifts and the size of the breasts, the most important question is: are you happy with the size of your breasts now? Sometimes this is a little difficult to figure out if you have a lot of sagging, so the other way to look at this is: are you happy with the size of your breasts when you are in a bra? If this is the case, you do not need breast implants.
When performing the breast lift, very little volume needs to be removed with the skin removal. And...
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Breast Lift: Plus or Minus Implants
In our office we help many patients with that same decision, along with several others. You are right to have questions.
First, I would suggest that you may lose very little of your current volume if you choose breast lift (mastopexy) alone. It should improve breast contour and projection. It may also enhance breast firmness. Patients frequently report they change bra size a little (up or down) because the reshaped breast fits in a bra differently.
Second, I suggest you make the decision...
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Depending on your goals a breast lift can be done with or with out an augmentation.
If you are happy with your breast size but just want a lift after loss of shape following pregnancy or weight loss a breast lift may be just the right decision for you. This can be done with no real size loss but doesn't give quite the projection you could gain with a lift with a breast augmentation. Your decision to have either a lift alone or a lift with a breast implant is an important decision and requires a in depth consultation with your Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. While I...
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If you like the size of your breasts now, don't get implants.
A good breast lift moves up your breasts and your nipples INTERNALLY and a little bit of skin is removed. At most, you should lose no more than 5% of your breast size with a lift. And the breasts look bigger anyway because they are higher on your chest. So this is not a good reason to get implants.
If you have "empty" or "deflated" breasts, on the other hand, then a combination lift-augmentation can be a good choice. Many women fall into this category after having children.
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The procedure is tailored to your goals
Breast implants certainly can be performed at the time of a lift if you are interested in a larger cup size. However, if your primary goal is to elevate the nipple or reshape the breast, and you're happy with your size, then all you need is a lift.
But your question about an augmentation at the time of a lift increasing the risk of the procedure is a good one. The short answer is that it can increase the risk of complications, the primary one being problems with the incision healing. In...
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Some lifts are done without implants
I meet many patients who need a lift because of a lowered nipple position relative to the crease below the breast. If they feel that they are large enough in their bra, the lift can be performed without an implant. They will lose the extra skin and therefore some volume, but will look paradoxically bigger than before surgery because of the elevation of the nipple and the conical shaping of the skin tightening. This patient may still want an implant though if they want superior pole...
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Many women get implants with a lift.
June-
Good question. With a breast lift, also called a mastopexy, patients lose a small amount of volume during the procedure. This will make your breasts a bit smaller as they are lifted. Many patients want to increase fullness along with getting their breasts lifted. A breast implant with a mastopexy helps give a better shape and size. In my practice, I find that the happiest patients are those that have had implants with their lift. This does not usually lead to greater...
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Not always
As previous surgeons have noted you will loose some volume in moving forward with a Breast Lift only. However, if you are happy with your current size or even a little smaller a Breast Lift only may be the option for you. If you don't wish to go any smaller than you already are or wish to be larger than I would recommend you combine breast implants with your Breast Lift. Although combining the procedures can be more difficult it can be done and patients can...
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Breast lift without implants and minimal scars
If you like the size of your breasts in a bra, you do not need an implant. You can have a vertical lift with internal tissue suspension to obtain a high rounded and tight breast. It will settle with gravity and natural stretch, but the end result will be a full, round and natural one. No need for a large horizontal scar in any lift, in my experience.
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Breast lift with augmentation
A breast lift can be performed with or without augmentation. It really depends on your expectations and your anatomy. Without pictures or examining you, it is very difficult to give you specific advice. Some patients who are not sure what they want elect to have the breast lift and then later have the implants placed. Other patients choose to have it all done at the same time. Please make sure that you are being treated by a board-certified plastic surgeon....
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Only get implants if you want to be larger than you are now
I do hope you are only seeing surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery--most "cosmetic surgeons" are NOT certified by this board.
Skin is part of what currently fills your bra. So, yes, removing extra skin will remove some of your current volume. But the breast lift also reshapes your breasts, which makes a bra fit differently, too. If you are currently happy with your breast size, I would not add an implant. An implant...
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Breast lift with or without implants
Breast lifts may be performed either as separate operations or in conjunction with insertion of breast implants (augmentation). These alternatives produce different results and patients should seek a plastic surgeon who will discuss fully the possibilities, limitations and complications associated with each procedure.
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When to Get Breast Implants with Your Breast Lift
This is a common occurrence for women looking to undergo a breast lift. If you will be satisfied with smaller looking breasts then just the mastopexy will be sufficient. However, if you are looking to restore or increase volume of the breasts, then I would recommend breast implants as well. Performing these procedures together is very common and is performed safely and effectively everyday.
As far as additional complications are concerned, there are additional things to consider when...
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Breast lift vs Augmentation
If you are happy with your breast volume when wearing a bra, then a lift procedure is most appropriate. The only drawback with a breast lift is that it does not provide long term upper pole breast fullness - breast tissue is somewhat "fluid" and will drift down until the breast assumes a natural shape - a gentle slope above and curvature below. If you desire upper curvature, then breast implants will be necessary. I would strongly recommend staging the...
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Mastopexy/augmentation
A breast lift by definition will make the breast more perky.This will involve removal of a small amount of skin and tissues. It should not make a big difference but an implant will be required only if a larger size is needed.Breast lift /augmentation is an interesting procedure where the implant is used to add volume and upper pole fullness and the lift make the breast perkier.
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A breast lift (mastopexy) can be done without an implant
A breast lift repositions the nipple and areola (and ofter resizes them) and reshapes the breast. Sometimes this is done with an implant and sometimes not. It depends on what size the patient wants. A breast lift can also call for removal of tissue. It is referred to as a breast reduction in that circumstance.
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Unless your Breast lacks adequte tissue or you simply desire larger breasts, implants are not required
A Breast Lift may or may not be accompanied with a Breast Augmentation depending on the anatomy of the patients breast and her desire to be larger as well as more perky. I do not agree with the assessment that a pure breast lift without reduction will result in a 15% decrease in breast size necessitating a augmentation to compensate for this decrease. A breast lift by itself removes an insignificant amount of breast skin resulting in a negligible change in the overall breast size.
A Breast...
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Breast implants may be needed with a breast lift to increase volume
Whether you need an implant with a breast lift depends on the fullness of your breast and what you have in mind.
If, pardon the expression, your breasts look like pancakes with nipples attached on them, then a breast lift will not provide any shape to the breast.
To provide a perky and full looking breast, either you need to have the volume already, or the volume has to be added with an implant.
see video
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Staging procedures enables you to fine tune your result
Skin removal alone, should not cause a 15% reduction in breast volume. In fact, the "tightening" of the skin brassiere should in fact improve the shape and position of the breast mound and nipple-areolar complex. You should realize that any cosmetic procedure will work well for some time but will not stop the aging process. Perky breasts will eventually droop again and possibly even increase (with weight gain and menopause). At such times, you may note that the superior pole...
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Treatment for sagging breasts
If you're sagging or asymmetrical, and are looking for perkiness, you'll need a lift--or, if you also want more volume, a lift and implants. A breast lift raises droopy breasts from one to several inches and excess skin is removed. If you just want to go bigger, the only way to do that is with implants. The great thing about these techniques is that they can now be down with minimal scarring and performed as an outpatient procedure without the need for general anesthesia.
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15% reduction in breast size with a lift is unlikely
It is true that you will lose a small amount of breast tissue with the average breast lift, but only about a "shot glass size" amount. A breast lift mostly reduces skin, not the breast tissue. If you are happy with the size of your breasts when you have a bra on, then you should not get implants; just have a lift. If you think your breasts are too small, even in a bra, then you should consider adding implants.
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Breast lift without implants
SEE VIDEO BELOW BY CLICKING MORE:
Certainly the more you have done, the more risks you take.
There seem to be regional differences in implant use with mastopexy (breast lift) Europeans tend to perform more lifts without implants whereas in the USA, most lifts utilize an implant. This is probably related most to the perception of a "lifted or perky" breast.
see video
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Breast Lift is NOT One Size Fits all
Hello,
Not all patients have breast lifts with implants. Much of this depends upon how things are in your case and your preferences. Talk about these things with your chosen surgeon before surgery to lessen the chances that you might consider additional surgery later.
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What you desire determines what you need
Think about what will make you happy as your final result. Together with an assessment of your normal anatomy, a plastic surgeon can determine what is required to achieve your result. In general, a breast lift or mastopexy by itself removes very little volume but can compress the remaining volume as it firms the consistency of the breast. THis will lead to a smaller volume and size. The shape of the breast will change and different types of lifts can restore volume in the upper portion of...
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Package Deal
Breast Lift (Mastopexy) involves tailoring the excess skin of the breast and re-packaging the existing breast tissue into a smaller skin envelope. At the same time, the nipple is lifted higher on the mound of the breast, and the areola diameter is reduced.
It is inevitable that some small amount of breast volume will be lost during the process of reducing the skin envelope of the breast. Whether this lost volume will be significant cannot often be determined in advance.
It is not generally...
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Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
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Breast Lift Options
Breast lifts alone require removal of some excess skin and then the breast is molded to improve the shape. Very little to no breast tissue is removed. If you want more volume, then implants can be inserted as well. This really depends upon what you want.
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Wow June
This question may have prompted the greatest number and most long winded answers in realself.com history. Many of the answers are valid and complete, so I will not reiterate. Just a word of advice, simultaneous breast lift and augmentation is one of the most difficult procedures in plastic surgery. So, if there is even a remote possibility that you would be happy with the volume of breast tissue that you already have (minus 5-10% for tightening of the skin, 15% seems a little high), do...
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