Breast Lift Q&A

84%

WORTH IT RATING

219 Reviews

Ask a Question

View Before and Afters

Average Breast Lift Cost: $7,800

Learn about Breast Lift

1,232 people and 670 doctors are talking about Breast Lift

Get Free Email Updates

Breast Lift or Breast Reduction?

asked 1 year ago by Floridachic in St. Petersburg, FL
Latest answer by Gary M. Horndeski, MD
Question viewed 415 times
Tags: 130-149 lbs, 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 7 in, DD cup, options

I'm a 5'4, 140lbs 30 year old AA female w/no kids. Due to loosing weight my breast has lost elasticity & are large plus heavy (34DD), which have caused extreme neck, shoulder,& back pain. Ive gone to a chiropractor, massage therapist,& primary physician to receive help i.e. meds but cant find relief. I did consult w/a local plastic surgeon but was told I didn't qualify for a breast reduction but a breast lift. My insurance won't cover cost due my breast mass not being lrg enough. Please help!

14 answers to Breast Lift or Breast Reduction?

Breast lift or breast reduction?

Hi, Unfortunately, we have allowed insurance companies to dictate what is medically necessary. I'm sure your Drs. have ruled out other causes to your pain so that it is evident that the weight of your breasts are the culprits. The Ultimate Breast Lift/Reduction is a new class of breast lifting techniques that require an extensive knowledge of mathematics to successfully perform. It was developed to not only restore the youthful appearance to sagging breasts, but also to transfer... more

Gary M. Horndeski, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.horndeski.com

Breast lift vs reduction

You need both a lift and a reduction but the weight of the tissue removed in the reduction won't be enough for insurance to cover you. This is what I call a lift and partial reduction in my own practice. This is considered cosmetic and you should save up for it and then go to a great surgeon and have it performed. Good luck!

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Lift and reduction procedures are similar in concept and planning.

Nearly all procedures for lift and reduction are conceptually similar in that these procedures attempt to reposition or "lift" the nipple/areola complex to it's normal position often using the inframamary fold as a reference point. In reduction procedures breast volume is removed as well as excess skin. In lift procedures only skin is removed and indeed volume may be added in the form of implants ti give a better shape and minimize skin resection. Insurance companies... more

Thomas R. Walek, MD
Providence Plastic Surgeon

Breast Reduction

I agree with Dr. Rand and Dr. Sattler both. I would recommend a small reduction and a lift at the same time. Insurance requirements vary, but I am not surprised you don't qualify as they reserve coverage for massive breasts. Regardless, if you pursue this as a cosmetic procedure I think you would be able to achieve your goals.

Francisco Canales, MD
Santa Rosa Plastic Surgeon

Breast lifts often include a small reduction

You've got two options- both involve moving or REMOVING the sagging breast tissue you have in the bottom of your breast. You clearly need a breat lift with a small inferior reduction or an augto-augmentation flap (Graf flap, Hammond flap etc) to reposition your sagging inferior breast tissue. Check out my website for an example of this concept.

Scott Sattler, MD
Bellevue Plastic Surgeon

Lift or reduction

Insurance companies have certain criteria and guidelines they follow to determine if the surgery will be a covered benefit. If you were denied by your insurance company, you have the option to pay a fee for service. Some plastic surgery offices offer financing options. You may want to check this out.

George John Alexander, MD
Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon

Breast Lift or Reduction?

Thank you for the question and pictures. I agree that you may benefit from breast lifting surgery. Depending on your goals, breast implants may be helpful in achieving/maintaining upper pole breast fullness. The breast lift will serve to remove redundant/loose skin of the breasts and raise the breasts' position on the chest wall. This change in position may serve to help with the neck shoulder and back pain. Unfortunately, there can be no guarantee... more

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Same thing

They are essentially the same procedure in my hands. the difference is who pays, the patient or the inusrance company. i don't like being in between, so i take pictures, and send to insurance company. it is up to them.

Adil Ceydeli, MD
Panama City Plastic Surgeon

Is it a breast reduction or breast lift with a small reduction?

Your breasts are large and droopy but not sizable enough to qualify for breast reduction coverage per insurance company criteria and you do have symptoms associated with them. You could benefit from a small reduction that would also, by nature, involve a lift. The incisions would be exactly the same as those with a breast lift. What you could call this procedure is just semantics. It is either a breast reduction not covered by insurance (cosmetic breast reduction) or a breast lift... more

Steven Turkeltaub, MD
Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

Breast Lift Always Part of A Breast Reduction

In reality, a breast reduction always includes a breast lift to one degree or another. It is the rare person whose breasts are naturally large but sit exactly where they are supposed to, The extra weight causes ptosis and a drop of the breast itself. Insurance companies often want to see a certain amount of tissue removed from the breasts before they will cover a breast reduction. Each company is different, so youwould need to check out the requirments with... more

Christopher V. Pelletiere, MD
Barrington Plastic Surgeon

Lift or reduction

The back pain that causes a breast reduction can only be alleviated by removal of a considerable amount of tissue so that weight is lifted and your breasts aren't quite straining your back that much. Even if insurance approved your reduction, your plastic surgeon would be required to weigh the specimen and reach a certain number which would probably leave you at a size that you don't desire. Done as a cosmetic operation you would obtain the size and volume that... more

Ricardo A. Meade, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

Breast lift or reduction?

There are two ways of looking at your situation. Cosmetically you want breasts lifts with reduction in size. Medically or functionally you want breast reductions with lifting of your breasts. Either way you do not have a massive amount of tissue to remove and I am not surprised your insurance company won't pay. You would be much happier physically and emotionally having your breasts both reduced and lifted. It is worth saving your money and going to an... more

Lori H. Saltz, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

www.ljcsc.com

Breast lift

You can have a small reduction with your lift but you will have to pay the surgeon directly for the surgical fee.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Sagging and heavy breast.

A breast lift will improve the appearance and properly position the nipple on the breast mound. However a breast reduction will provide you with symptomatic relief and a lower breast.