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Is Raising my Low IMF the Same As a Breast Lift? (photo)

asked 4 months ago by LovesPups in USA
Latest answer by Michele A. Shermak, MD
Question viewed 276 times
Tags: alternative, crease, inframammary

Hi. It's been suggested my IMF is very low, and that raising the fold could improve my shape. Is this the same thing as a lift? I would love to have a fuller, rounder shape, more circular. I feel like my breasts are long and I have no cleavage. The right almost looks like a v shape. I have very small high profile saline implants and I wonder if they should be filled more to improve the shape and fullness as well? Thanks so much for your suggestions! This will help me when I go back to see my PS

13 answers to Is Raising my Low IMF the Same As a Breast Lift? (photo)

Implant plication is NOT a mastopexy

Your photographs show that the implants have descended inferiorly and are bottoming out. The capsule for the implant needs to be plicated inferiorly to give you a lift or smaller implants placed. A mastopexy is an operation that lifts the breast tissue NOT the capsule of an implant. If you would like your shape and fullness improved, you will need a mastopexy through a peri-areola incision. It would move your own breast tissue more medial and up as well as your nipple... more

Gary M. Horndeski, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

www.horndeski.com

Raising the IMF Same Thing as a Breast Lift?

Raising a low IMF is definitely not the same thing as a breast lift. Your before photos indicate that your implants had bottomed out and the fold was pushed down too low. Raising and reinforcing the IMF was the appropriate correction, however your after photo was taken from a different angle so it is hard to tell how well the problem has been corrected. You are still quite early after surgery and things will still settle in with additional changes to your breast shape. Adding more fill to... more

Braden Stridde, MD
Federal Way Plastic Surgeon

Is Raising my Low IMF the Same As a Breast Lift?

Raising a low inframammary crease to treat the problem of inferior implant displacement or "drop out" is what you had done, and this is not the same as a breast lift. Breast lifts are used to treat a breast that is hanging too far OVER the inframammary crease and/or a nipple that is hanging below the level of the crease, and the lift is done to lift the nipple and the breast tissue IN RELATION to the crease. You do not have any overhang, and your nipples are not too low... more

Robert M. Grenley, MD
Seattle Plastic Surgeon

Raising the IMF

Raising the IMF has been a great technique for tightening up the breast. It is unclear if you are showing before and after photos, and what the right photo represents. The photos on the left seem to indicate that lifting the IMF would be a very good way to go. The space around the breast implant is too large so it needs to be tightened up. It's possible that may require some internal tightening sutures as well at the time of surgery. More often than not, if you want more volume, then you... more

Michele A. Shermak, MD
Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

www.drshermak.com

Not the same thing

No raising your inframammary folds is not the same thing as a lift. Your pre-operative photos show a classic indication that your implants have "bottomed out". Your early post operative results seem to show that the reconstruction to your inframammary folds was successful.

Renato Saltz, MD
Salt Lake City Plastic Surgeon

www.saltzplasticsurgery.com

A Breast Lift VS. Raising the Infamammary Fold

The inframamary fold (IMF) is a discrete anatomical structure where the chest ends and the breast begins. It is a dense attachment of the breast skin to the chest cage. Certain breast operations intentionally disrupt the IMF to place a large implant (rarely a really god idea) or perform a mastectomy ( again not a good idea as it makes breast reconstruction much harder). A sharp, crisp curved IMF is crucial in creating an attractive breast and there are several methods to create it... more

Peter A. Aldea, MD
Memphis Plastic Surgeon

Strattice worked

Thanks for your question. I believe your revision with Stattice really improved your shape. I am not sure what your final expectations are, but you are still early with changes to come.

Vishnu Rumalla, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon

tarrantplasticsurgery.com

Low breast fold after breast lift

The low breast fold is more to do with the bottomed out breast implant with the point of projection well below the nipple. It appears that the repair has gone well raising and centering the implant within the breast. It is possible to change the implant profile or base diameter to adjust the fill, though you have just been through a difficult situation. Wait a bit until the result is stable and well healed. Best of luck, peterejohnsonmd.com

Peter E. Johnson, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Breast Augmentation/Mastopexy Revision Concerns?

Thank you for the question and pictures. It seems like you have had a good repair of the bottoming out of the breast implants. I would suggest that you wait an additional 6 months before evaluating the end results of surgery. Once the repair is solid then use of different size/profiles of breast implants may be considered to improve fullness/cleavage concerns. Best wishes.

Tom J. Pousti, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon

Raising the lower breast fold (IMF) and mastopexy

The inframammary fold, the area underneath the breast, is called the IMF. In reviewing your first two photos, it appears as if you have what is commonly described as bottoming out. To answer your question: Yes, raising your IMF is considered a mastopexy. It is only one component of a mastopexy procedure, however. It may be that you need some elevation of the IMF, tightening of the lower pole skin, and elevation of implant position in order to create more upper pole fullness, centralize the... more

Antonio Gayoso, MD
Saint Petersburg Plastic Surgeon

www.gayosoplasticsurgery.com

Bottoming out

You have bottoming out and restoring the fold is the way to go. A lift involves multiple things including tightening the skin envelope and lifting the tissues.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Is Raising my Low IMF the Same As a Breast Lift? (photo)

NO! Best to be examined in person for these issues, even though your posted photos help. I believe acellular dermal matrix and relifting could improve the bottoming out.

Darryl J. Blinski, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon

IMF Elevation

It appears that your implants have bottomed out. Horizontal excision along the IMF, and internal pocket plication can help to raise the IMF and improve your appearance. In women with a long torso like yours, I prefer to use the moderate or moderate plus profile implants due to their larger base diameter which will place more implant above the level of the nipple.