Breast Lift: Q&A

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Crescent Vs. Full Lift with Breast Implants

I am 28 have had 2 children, currently a 32 B looking to go to a C. I have received 3 different opinions:

1.Might be ok without lift just Augmentation

2.Augmentation with lift, for best results a lollipop/full lift, but might also achieve desirable results w/ doughnut lift.

3.Augmentation with crescent lift allowing the Dr to shape and move the nipple as well as tighten the skin.

I realize a lift is necessary to achieve the results I want however I am not sure which approach I should take. Any advice is much appreciated!

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21 Doctor Answers | Asked by 4067anon in Oregon

Doctor Answers (21)
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Knowing what lifts and implants do and don't do

Several things are quite clear with your photograph and consideration of options. 1. You are correct that you would be best with just an augmentation as long as you realize what a breast augmentation with implants will do. It will fill out your breasts and increase their size by a cup size (the minimal). It will give the appearance of a lift because of the filling out but will not actually lift them. It will make your areolas look smaller in proportion to a larger breast but will not... more

Crescent lift vs. periareolar lift with breast augmentation

I would agree with the periareolar / possible lollipop and breast augmentation opinion. Depending on factors such as implant size, tolerance for scars, need for projection, etc. a full lift might also be necessary. We do not favor the crescent lift because it distorts the areola and is a weak lift, especially with your degree of asymmetry.

Breast dilemma: to Lift or Not to Lift

The answer to your question lies in letting you surgeon know specifically what you would like to look like following the surgery. For example, how perky do you want to be, how large (a "C" cup means different things to different people), what shape do you want to have, do you want more cleavage as your breasts are widely spaced apart, etc? The best way I have found is to bring in a medical photo from a plastic surgeon's website for discussion. I would anticipate that the look... more

Best Breast Lifting Option?

Thank you for the question and pictures. Your pictures demonstrate asymmetric breasts ptosis. I think you will be best off with a breast augmentation in combination with a circumareola and/or vertical mastopexy procedure. A crescent lift will not be effective. You are doing the right thing by educating yourself about the pros and cons of each type of procedure. Keep in mind that most patients who undergo mastopexy surgery are pleased with the results. As long as they are happy... more

Recommended procedure for you

Hi there- Please be aware that recommendations made based on photos should always be taken with a large grain of salt, as it is not possible to understand the qualities of your tissues in two dimensions.... Having said that, I think that if your goal is for your breasts to be as beautiful as possible, you would be best served by a breast lift (lollipop or inverted-T) with implants. The most important thing, however, is NOT the procedural details, but the SURGEON you choose to do this on you. Ch more

Breast lift with an implant. The smaller procedure is not the best for most patients.

Great question. From your photos it appears you have some asymmetry which you would benefit from correction with a breast lift. An implant alone will not be appropriate, and the peri-areolar or crescent lifts end up widening the areola and flattening the breast. I would recommend a vertical mastopexy with an implant on both sides because the scars should match. Discuss this plan with your board certified plastic surgeon. I hope this helps. Dr. Trussler

Indications for breast lift

My answer is based on your photo so please note this may not be "my final answer". From the photo it appears you do not need a lift on the right side as the nipple is above your breast fold. On the left side, there appears to be loose skin in the bottom of your breast and the nipple is slightly lower. The amount of ptosis on your left side seems minimal, so I recommend a donut lift to reduce the size of the areola (which is large relative your breast) and tighten the skin at... more

Breast lift vs. augmentation with asymmetry present

Your questions are quite valid and its easy to see why you have received so many different opinions. We see many patients with your similar set of problems.Since your left breast is only about 1.5 cm lower than the right breast,I would reccommend doing a bilateral breast augmentation combined with a circumareolar lift on the left.The crescent lift is not very effective and the scar is anattractive. The lollipop lift is unnecessary and leaves and undesirable scar also.

The lift you need

I believe that an augmentation with a lift is necessary. Whether a periareolar or a vertical (lollipop) lift is used depends on how much movement is necessary in the surgeons opinion to achieve the best result. Typically if the nipple needs to be raised more than 3 cm then the vertical lift will be necessary. You must realize that in surgery the lift portion of the procedure is very artistic, Each lift may be temporarily performed once the implants to determine the which lift will... more

A crescent lift is NOT really a lift

Your photo shows that your left breast is slight larger and more ptotic that your right breast. Both of your areolas are stretched out. Personally, I think the most you would need is a periareolar lift. A reasonable approach (and this is the approach I often offer), if you are willing to accept periareolar scars as a trade-off for an improvement in shape and proper nipple position, is to have the implants placed with a lower areolar margin incision. If the breasts look fine, the... more

Best type of mastopexy for small lift

Thank you for the picture. It makes answering the question much easier. You need to have the nipple areola complex lifted as well as the breast tissue itself and you do not have a lot of extra skin. The more extra skin a patient has that needs to be removed the more scars are necessary to accomplish the removal AND produce a fine scar. In your situation, I would do a peri-areolar lift, with special attention to lifting the breast tissue itself to a higher position on... more

Crescent breast lift is a poor option for most

A crescent breast lift is a procedure where skin is removed from the upper breast above the areola in the 'crescent' shape in order to pull the nipple upward. The implant can be placed through this upper incision as well, just like a periareolar approach to breast augmentation except that the scar lies on the top edge of the areola rather than the bottom. The result is so modest, and the risk of a wavy scar are so great that we rarely use a crescent lift pattern. It is a nice idea that... more

Crescent breast lift with breast implants not effective.

Hi. 1) Results of crescent breast lift are just too limited, and we don't do this operation, even with breast implants. It is essentially equivalent to just having implants. 2) You seem like an ideal candidate for a "doughnut" lift with moderate sized implants. This would also reduce the size of your areolas, specially the left one, which is a good thing. 3) You do not need a vertical (lollipop) lift. More scarring and more risk and not good for your anatomy. 4) Having just a... more

Circumareola lift and breast implants

What is the best for you in terms of a alift and implant? First there is always going to be some asymmetry. But, the left is clearly lower than the right. My preference is to do a circumareola lift to raise the left one and match the right one.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Crescent vs. full lift with breast implants

My opinion from your kindly posted photo is to do a 350 cc high profile round saline or silicone submuscular or sub facsial + a Benilli lift (donut lift). From MIAMI Dr. B

Depends on what you want

From that photo, I would do an augmentation mostly. You have large areolae - for that I would do a circumareolar reduction -- scar around the areola and make it smaller. It does not look as if you need a full lift.

Variations on breast lift techniques with implants

One reason why you have received different opinions about which version of a lift would be the most appropriate is that it can be very difficult to predict how much "lift" you get with implants alone. That in turn depends to some degree on the size of the implants. My guess is that with moderately sized implants you would not need the vertical, or lollipop version. So one strategy that we frequently use is to put the implants in first, then sit the patient up and determine how much... more

Lift vs. augmentation

The real question is what are your goals and what are you willing to accept as imperfections. Breast surgery, especially with implants, is an imperfect operation with known potential side-effects and risks. You will need to prioritize what you want and what you can tolerate. A simple augmentation with an appropriate implant will do wonders. Your sagging is mainly glandular and a result of deflation. I suspect that that is all you need especially knowing that a crescent lift has limitations... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

You will need to have lift pointing

Based on the pictures that you attcahed, you will need to have lift sooner or later. I would recommend to have augmentation to start with. Your nipple/aerola complex is large but pointing up. The placement of the implant will help to fill your breast and give some lift. You can have the lift as a second stage if you need or desire it. I do not recommened lift and augmentation as a single stage procedure because of high complication rate. The other issue is the shape of your rib cage and wide... more

Kamran Khoobehi, MD

28 reviews

New Orleans Plastic Surgeon

Breast augmentation with lift

Thanks for the photo - it really helps to answer the question. First, you do not have an easy starting point. Dr. Aldea nicely stated that you are asymmetrical, the chest wall angles outward making cleavage very challenging, and the left breast points more laterally. Your right breast could have an augmentation alone but the left one needs a lift. A periareolar looks better than a crescent because the crescent can elongate and stretch the areola. I would suggest that both be done... more

WHICH Method of Breast Augmention / Lift?

From this photographs, like the majority of women, you demonstrate asymmetry of your breasts (Left breast appears larger and hangs lower and more sideways than the right breast. Both breasts fall off your chest to the sides and both areolae are large with sideways pointing nipples.) As regards your stated options: "1.Might be ok without lift just Augmentation" - Maybe so especially on the right. But your surgeon will know for sure in the OR. " 2.Augmentation with lift, for... more