Do I need to have a combination reduction and lift for a lifted breast?

Breast reduction involves reducing the size of the breast. A breast lift involves lifting the nipple-areolar complex and reducing the excess skin of the breast. Breast reductions can involve just liposuction in patients who have more fatty tissue than glandular breast tissue. Liposuction alone indeed does reduce the volume of the breasts. However, sagging of the breast can result and liposuction alone is therefore performed usually in highly selected patients.
Many different types of breast lifts are now available in conjunction with a breast reduction, including lifts just around the areola (periareolar), vertical/lollipop mastopexies (incision around the areola and down to the breast fold, and full breast lifts with an anchor incision. For patients who have very loose skin in the armpit or back, axillary or bra lifts are also often combined with breast reductions.

This is a great
question as the difference between a breast reduction and a breast lift can be
confusing at times. A breast lift
removes excess skin (and at times a small amount of extra tissue for shaping)
and reshapes the breast to lift them and give them an overall more youthful
appearance. A breast reduction will
remove excess skin and breast tissue with the goal of making the breast
smaller, but also more aesthetically appealing.


A breast
reduction is a breast lift that also removes some of the excess breast tissue
to help patients achieve the size that fits their body.

Many of the
patients that I see for a breast reduction have been thinking about the
procedure for years. They usually have
concerns of back pain, difficulty wear or finding bras that fit them and difficulty
exercising. Breast reductions typically
improve most of these concerns. Patients
are usually extremely happy after their reduction, as they have had these
concerns for such a long time.

There a several
methods in which a breast reduction is performed but the goal of all the
different surgical methods is to reduce the overall size of the breast, lift
them and improve the overall shape.

Please discuss
your breast reduction surgery with your board certified plastic surgeon.

A breast reduction includes a lift.  The lift repositions the nipple, reshapes the breast and removes excess skin.  The main difference between a lift and a reduction is the size.  If you want to go smaller, tissue can be removed.  

Great question! When considering breast surgery, it’s important to understand the differences between a breast reduction and a breast lift.
Breast Reduction: This procedure reduces the size of the breasts by removing both excess breast tissue and skin. In the process, the nipple-areola complex is lifted to a more youthful position, and the breast is reshaped. Essentially, a breast reduction also functions as a breast lift because the removal of excess tissue and skin naturally elevates the breast.
Breast Lift: A breast lift, or mastopexy, focuses on removing excess skin and tightening the remaining skin around the breast. It lifts the nipple-areola complex, but it does not significantly reduce the size of the breast, although some minor tissue removal may occur.
For many patients, if the goal is to both reduce the size and lift the breast, a breast reduction alone typically addresses both issues. However, in some cases where the breast is mostly fat and the primary concern is sagging, a breast lift alone may be sufficient.
It is important to consult with an experienced plastic surgeon who can customize your surgical plan and determine the best technique for you based on your individual anatomy and goals. Be sure to ask about experience and options for surgical techniques.
Krishna Vyas, MD, PhD, MHSHarvard, Hopkins, & Mayo Clinic Trained Aesthetic Plastic SurgeonNew York, New York

Hello and thank you for your question!
Your breasts will be lifted along with the breast reduction. Schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. Best wishes!

Thanks for your question. By definition a patient undergoing a breast reduction gets removal of excess skin and breast tissue and there is uplift of the nipple areola complex. While someone undergoing an uplift only gets removal of excess skin and uplift of nipple aureola complex. In both procedures, the areola might need reduction to make smaller and proportionate.

Hi. Thanks for posting your question regarding breast lift and breast reduction.
They are essentially very similar procedures. The difference is in the amount of breast tissue removed. In a breast lift procedure, the nipple areolar complex is lift to a better position on the breast, and some breast tissue is removed and the breast envelope tightened. In a breast reduction, the nipple areolar complex is also lifted, but much more breast tissue is removed. 
All the very best.
Dr Ray Goh

A breast lift is part of doing a breast reduction since the nipples are placed at the right place on the chest when changing the volume of breast tissue. 

A breast reduction and a breast lift both involve the removal and tightening of excess skin resulting in  the breasts being lifted.  A breast reduction also involves the removal of excess breast tissue resulting in a reduction in the size of the breast.  I hope this clarifies your concern. 

almost all breast reactions include in essence a lift.  In the process of reducing the breast skin and tissue the breast is lifted

Breast reduction surgery involves removing excess breast tissue, as well as typically reducing the size of the areola and lifting the position of the nipple. Therefore, if your goal is to have smaller breasts AND get a lift, breast reduction surgery will accomplish both.  If you are happy with the size of your breasts, but would like them to be more lifted, mastopexy alone (without reduction) would be recommended.