Do I Need Mastopexy with Breast Implants?

asked 3 years ago by jenrg in Houston, TX
Latest answer by Steven Wallach, MD
Question viewed 1,155 times

Can I lift the breasts with just the implant or do I have to get a mastopexy? I also need to decrease the size of my areola and correct my some-what inverted nipples but I would hate to have horrible noticeable scarring everywhere.

My breasts grew a bit during pregnancy but they deflated as fast as they came, so they're now pretty flat full of stretch marks and still a 34A. I want soft, perky, scar less (if possible) natural breasts with small areolas and perky nipples. What do you recommend? Thanks.

11 answers to Do I Need Mastopexy with Breast Implants?

It depends on the shape and amount of droop of the breasts

Implants can give a slight lift to breasts with just a minimal amount of droop, in particular if the implants are placed above the muscle, however this determination needs to be made by a plastic surgeon with a good judgement. If you have too much droop or ptosis, and a lift is not performed, then you will have a poor aesthetic result. The areola can be made smaller as part of the breast lift as well, but all of this needs to be discussed with your plastic surgeon after he has examined... more

Shahram Salemy, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Implants and lifts

Of course nobody wants to have a lift if they can just have an implant. However, augmentation of a saggy breast can produce a large saggy breast. It may be preferable to perform a periareolar (especially if the areolae are large), lollipop or even full breast lift to attain the best result. An experienced plastic surgeon can tell you what the likely results of each approach are. If you see three experienced plastic surgeons and hear the same thing three times, that is probably the wisest... more

Brent Moelleken, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift with implants

Usually you can not achieve the lift you want just with implants. This is something evaluated in person during an exam.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

You probably need breast implants and a lift

Hello, From the way you describe things I'd bet you are going to be best served by implants as well as a breast lift. Of course you are only going to really know this after having an examination by the board-certified plastic surgeon you ultimately choose. Breast lift surgery can be done in a fashion to reduce the appearance of scars, but without those incisions, really droopy breasts don't achieve very nice correction. Implants alone really don't lift much.

John P. Di Saia, MD
Orange Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift, smaller areolas, nipple projection, breast enlargement: Can't all be done without scars

Jenrg: As plastic surgeons, we all try to achieve the best results (for example, pretty breasts) with the least scar or other side effects or risks. Many of the things you wish for cannot be done without some kind of scar. All scars are not "horrible noticeable scarring." When a scar is needed to achieve a patient's request, we try to minimize the visibility of the scar (location, length, color, texture, etc.). Some scars cannot be hidden when a breast is completely exposed,... more

Sutton Graham II, MD
Greenville Plastic Surgeon

"You can't always get what you want"

You can't shrink the areolas without scars, and you can't lift the breasts without scars. The implants will add volume and they won't lift you. They will also make your areolas larger without a lift. So go to an honest and excellent plastic surgeon who will tell you what you need to hear and not just what you want to hear and follow their best advice for your body and your goals and expectations.

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

I recommend you choose what you want, and what you can't live with.

Only an exam can answer all these questions. The breast augmentat will enlarge and give SOME lift to the breast but may not be enough, especially if your nipple falls below teh crease where the underwire of the bra sits. To get the areola to shrink, will take surgery to reduce, and that will require scars, but they will fade. Inverted nipples require a different procedure all together. It sounds like for sure you will need to get implants to take care of most of your concerns, you may... more

Scott E. Kasden, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Mastopexy is determined by nipple position

Breast augmentation will correct a small degree of ptosis, or droop of the breast. The key however is the postion of the nipple, the center part, in relation to the fold under the breast. You can place your finger in the fold as you stand in front of a mirror and see where your nipple falls. For an augmentation to be effective and aesthetically pleasing the nipple should fall level with the fold or anywhere above. If the nipple lies below there is a chance that augmentation will push the... more

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

www.peterejohnsonmd.com

How much sagging?

Assing volume can correct a certain degree of dagging. Rather than speculate, seek a consultation from a plastic surgeon. In general, if your breast hangs more than 1 cm. below your inframammary fold, you might noy correct this with just an implant. Also, while you can decrase the size of your areola with just a circular scar, it tends not to be long lasting, especially in the face of augmentation. he most effective way to reduce the diameter of the areola is with a lollipop-type scar.... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

You only need a breast lift with your augmentation mamoplasty if your breast are sagging

Augmentation Mamoplasty is a procedure to enlarge your breast. If all you need is to fill out your breast, even if they have really collapsed as long as your nipple areolar complex is still at or about you fold under your breast. Mastopexy or breast lifting procedures lift and reshape the breast. This can be done with or with out augmentation mamoplasty. If your breast sag and your nipple areolar complex is bellow the inferior breast crease then you would be best served with a lift and... more

Carl W. "Rick" Lentz III, MD
Daytona Beach Plastic Surgeon

Implant only could lift a minimal breast ptosis

A breast implant could give a small lift effect to the breast.It is dificult to determine if this is enough for you. You might need a lift in addition to the implant.In general it is a function of the position of the nipple to the breast,the amount of skin excess and the desired correction. It seems that your best option would be an implant only with no lift .A clinical exam with a plastic surgeon in your area will give you a good recommendation on the best possible plan.