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I Want Silicone Implants Without a Lift, is my Ptosis Bad Enough to Not Recommend Implants Without a Lift? (photo)

I'm 5'1 Weight 127 lbs

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ptosis 5 ft 0 in to 5 ft 3 in 110-129 lbs without lift

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29 Doctor Answers | Asked by Pamela New in New York, New York

Doctor Answers (29)
Community Comments (1)

is my Ptosis Bad Enough to Not Recommend Implants Without a Lift?

I would not recommend implants if you were not willing to have a lift should you need one. I think the chances are high that you would have an unsatisfying outcome, with your own breast tissue draping off the implants. If that occurs, your choices would be to live with that unsatisfying appearance have a lift remove the implants. Based only on the photos, I think my predicted outcome is high enough that I would suggest not having the implants unless you... more

Breasts with Ptosis Need a Lift

Hello Pamela, After reviewing your breast photographs and reading your question, I believe that you will obtain the optimal result with a breast augmentation and a lift. Your areola are wide and give the illusion that your breasts are lower than they really are. I recommend that you have a consultation with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who can examine you and help you select the best style silicone implant and the appropriate lifting technique (Donut vs. Peri-areolar)... more

Surgery

You have some ptosis and your areola are relatively wide. The aesthetic result will be improved with a lift and a reduction of the size of the aeola. The implants will have added cosmetic benefit as well as an increase in volume

Breast Lift with or without implants

Though you don't "need" a lift, to optimize your result you should probably have one. Though an in-person exam is more ideal, your picture show you to have a fairly significant ptosis. With that in mind, implants alone will bit be able to lift your enough, unless you use very large implants. You would likely best be served within augmentation and modest lift, either just around the nipple or lollipop style.

Lift or augmentation

Hello. It is hard to determine from pictures alone but it most likely depends on the look you are going for. If you would like very perky breasts with a full upper pole I would definitely recommend a lift. If you are going for a more natural look then you might be happy with the result you would get from an augmentation alone. I would recommend a consultation to decide the best choice for you. Jaime Perez, MD Breast Augmentation Specialist Plastic Surgery Center of Tampa more

Ptosis and implants

Implants will not correct your ptosis. If you just want implants then you have to be prepared to accept some ptosis or undergo a lift.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Minimal scar breast lift needed together with implants when you have sagging.

Hi. 1) You will not have a good result with implants alone. 2) I assume you are concerned with the scar. You just need a circular scar around your nipple (which will also make your areolas smaller, which you need). This scar fades. 3) I'll tell you one thing for sure. If a woman loves the perky shape of her new breasts, she will forget about the scars. If she does not like the shape, she will be unhappy even if there are no scars.

Do I need a beast lift, or just breast augmentation (photos)?

It is likely you do not need breast lift, but appear to have high inframammary creases that should be lowered to drop the implants so they are centralized behind nipples. May (or may not) want to reduce areolar diameter and tighten skin envelope a bit for best result.

Sagging breast will need a lift

Thank you for your question and for providing the photos. In my opinion you need a lift. Your nipple areola complex is very low on the breast with no white skin below the areola. In addition to elevating the nipple areola complex, you also need the breast tissue itself repositioned higher. Depending on your goal for breast size, you may or may not need an implant. Remember, breast implants add weight to the breast and work against the lift. Hope this helps... more

Breast Implants and Lift

I think almost all plastic surgeons would recommend a breast lift with the breast implants from the photos presented. However, I may feel different after an exam, discussion of implant size, and determination of goals. Kenneth Hughes, MD Los Angeles, CA

Silicone Implants but No Breast Lift

Without knowing more about your specific desires, I think breast implants without a lift will not give a good result. I would suggest a breast lift with small implants at the same time or later as a staged procedure.

It's a mistake to not get a lift when you need one.

I think it would be a mistake to not do a lift. Implants alone will not lift your breasts, they will likely create a snoopy nose deformity as mentioned in another surgeon's reply, they will only make your large areolae larger, and they will not help your asymmetry. A lift (likely vertical lift) with implants will give you a better more youthful shape, make your areolae more proportionate with your breasts, and improve your asymmetry. Yes, the downside is you'll have a lollipop shaped... more

To lift or not to lift, that is the question

To lift or not to lift, that is the question . . . Forgive the pun! I am asked this question almost daily - your issue is very common. I think you would have the best cosmetic result with a combined breast lift and augmentation, but the choice is yours. You do have breast ptosis (sagging), so the question is - are you OK with that? You should understand that breast implants will NOT correct sagging. I think a lot of women come to my office thinking that implants... more

Lift scar question

Hi thank you for the post. this is a common question. Patients want the lift, but don't want the scars. Based upon your pics, I would agree with the other PS here: you can pass with implants alone, but you are BETTER off with the lift. If you like the "hang" and don't care so much that the nipple is pointing down, you can have just the implants for now. You can always opt for a lift in the future. You don't burn any bridges by staging your procedure. It will simply... more

Do I need a breast lift and /or just implants?

After reviewing your photos it appears that you would need a lifting along with breast implants to get you the best result possible. If you do either just implants or just a breast lift you would be compromising the result. You shoud consult with a Board Certified plastic surgeon and have your breasts examined in order to fully discuss with you the options that you may have and examine before and afetr photos. Good luck!

Implants with lift

You could certainly have implants placed and not have a lift, however the contour of your breasts may be less than ideal. On the other hand, with a lift (mastopexy), in exchange for better contour, you will have much more scar on your breast. A good option to consider is to have the implants placed first. If you are not happy with the contour of your breasts, you could always have the lift done later.

Breast lift with augmentation

Scarring is always a concern for women who want a breast lift (mastopexy). Based on the photos you submitted; a mastopexy along with breast augmentation would be recommended to provide the best aesthetic result. Most women feel that having perkier, better positioned breasts is a good trade for the mastopexy scars. I suggest you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who will outline the location of the breast lift incisions before making a decision. more

Saggy breast may improve with implant alone

The frontal photo shows the left breast and areolar is not bad but the right breast and areola is a lot lower. Ideally the nipple areola should be approximately at the mid-arm level. If the surgeon places the implant lower, i.e. below the current inframammary fold your breast will look much less droopy. The question is how perfect do you want the breast to look. If you want the nipple areolar to be perfectly centered on the breast you will need a breast lift as well... more

Benjamin Chu, MD

12 reviews

Honolulu Plastic Surgeon

Breast Implants without a lift

Hello Pamela and thank your for the photos. Even though the best opinion will be given by a Certified PS during in-person consultation, my suggestion based just on your pics is to consider a Breast Lift and Implants , for a long lasting and optimal result. Best Wishes

Augmentation Without Mastopexy

Thank you for the question and the photos. Judging from your pictures an augmentation without mastopexy (breast lift) will most likely result in a "snoopy" breast deformity. This is where the breast tissue "hangs off" the inferior aspect of the breast implant. Therefore I would recommend a lift with implants to give you the optimal result. I suggest that when you are ready, consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon for an in-person examination and a discussion of your goals. more

Breast lift needed?

In my opinion, the drooping of your breasts is too significant to simply put in implants. Some skin needs to be removed to resolve your ptosis.

Implants with no lift??

Hard to tell from those photos but it looks like your nipples are too low to look great with implants alone with no lift. You can always do them though and have the lift done later once you are convinced that you need it to be happy.

You cant always get what you want

You need to be seen in person, but it looks like your nipples are below the inframammary line -- thus, you would do better with a lift and implants. Although large implants may give the appearance of a lift, with their added weight, the breasts will only sag faster. Speak to a board certified surgeon and get all the options.

Breast lift with or without implants

Thank you for the question and the photos. To achieve a better result I think you would benefit from a vertical lift and implants. Best of luck ...

Breast Lift Necessary?

Thank you for the question and pictures. I do not think that you will do well with breast augmentation alone; a breast lift operation also will be necessary to treat the breast ptosis present. As you know, one of the downsides associated with breast lifting surgery is the necessity of additional incisions/scars. For some patients the necessity of additional scars is a “dealbreaker” ; for these patients it is better to avoid breast surgery altogether... more

Breast augmentation

If you want a perky result, then you will need a lift. If you just want to be larger and do not mind some sagging, then try implants without a lift. I would use a sub muscular placement, so if you decide later to have a lift it might help blood supply to the nipple. Good luck.

To Lift or Not...That is the question.

Thank you for your photo and question. You do have some degree of breast ptosis and skin laxity. It is slightly worse on the left. The best outcome wound be and augmentation with a lift to correct the nipple position and skin laxity. Having said that, you could get a perfectly reasonable result with just augmentation if you are willing to live with a bit of ptosis. Good Luck!

Ptosis after augmentation

Although you may be quick concerned about the scarring, I feel lift (mastopexy) with reduction of areolar will results in more attractive breasts.

Implants without a lift?

Thank you for your question and for providing photos. While not a substitue for an actual exam, the photos help. It looks to me like you have too much ptosis to have implants without a lift. With the degree of sag that you have, if an augmentation was done, the breasts would sag off the implants, leaving a poorly shaped breast. Your results would be much better if a lift was done at the same time as the implants were placed. Of course, an examination by and consultation with a plastic... more

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Comments (1)

Pamela New 19 Feb 2013

I truly appreciate your responses, I have seen a surgeon recently who highly recommnded that I do not get an augmentation without a lift, he clearly told me that I wouldn't be happy with the results without a lift. I am going to a second surgeon tomorrow for his opinion as I'm strongly against a lift --I would rather live with the sagging than scars :( Thank you!

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