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Am I a Candidate For Implants Without a Lift? Photos Attached.
asked 10 months ago by Sallypoo in Brooklyn, NY
Latest answer by Christian Prada, MD
Question viewed 914 times
Tags: sagging, candidate, lift
I want to know whether or not I can get bigger breasts without a lift. I dont like the scarring from a full mastopexy because I am african american and my skin would keloid from the scar. If I need a lift to achieve the look I would want , is there a type of lift that can minimize the scarring????
28 answers to Am I a Candidate For Implants Without a Lift? Photos Attached.
+3
Implants alone will not work. You need a full lift (with or without implants).
Scarring is always an issue, more so with some dark-skin races, but not necessarily so with every patient of color. For an example of a full lift in one of my African-American patients click on the link below.
Implants (even large ones) do not "lift" breasts; they CAN fill the skin brassiere out, but will not decrease the clavicle-nipple distance! Only skin removal (tailoring the breast skin in the appropriate pattern), called mastopexy, will give you the improved symmetry in...
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+1
Am I a Candidate For Implants Without a Lift?
Unfortunately, from your pictures, you are not a candidate for an augmentation alone. I would recommend a two stage procedure with a Anchor Mastopexy followed a few months later by an implant placement. Now, I know this is exactly what you did not want to hear, but it is what is needed to give you the best result. In my practice I have had very few hypertrophic scars to the breasts in my AA patients. Good luck!
Christian Prada, MD
Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon
Saint Louis Plastic Surgeon
+1
Lift + Implants, Implants alone or lift alone? Dont throw away beautiful breast tissue for a foriegn body!
You certainly cannot have implants without a lift, but you can have a hidden scar lift without implants and attain the look you are going for. In your pictures it appears that you would qualify for a procedure that I call the FEMMA-S in which I create an augmented look using your own breast tissue without using an implant. this creates the lift, minimizes the scar and saves you from potential implant complications. If later down the road you want to you can certainly...
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Lift?
Looking at your photos it's hard to imagine that you'd be happy with your shape without a breast lift. I have performed surgery on many African American patients- all of whom are concerned about scarring. For this surgery, the scarring is rarely an issue- although there are cases where it has been. In your case I would think the dramatic improvement in your shape would be worth the outside risk that your scars will heal poorly. Just my opinion.
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+1
You might sample implant surgery alone and later commit to a lift if the desired result is not achieved.
Generally, with the amount of droop your breasts demonstrate a lollipop lift with or without an implant would be advisable. But your concern about the scarring is well founded particularly for your skin type. The patient is always rolling the dice when it comes to scarring. The photo of your desired result makes me think that you can possibly achieve your goals with an implant alone because her implanted breasts do have an element of droop. However, your breasts do droop more then hers and...
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+1
Breast Lift or Implant Alone
Looking at your pictures, I think you will probably need a lift as well as an implant. It appears your breasts have a fair amount of droop and are a little asymmetric. By doing a lift and implant, you have the best chance of making things even and getting the uplifted result you are looking for. Though scarring is always and issue, that can sometimes be controlled or possibly improved upon if it occurs, but remember a larger droopy breast doesn't necessarily look better than a perky...
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No, to breast lift!
Your breasts are large and you appear to have a small torso. Because of the amount of sagging you currently have, a breast lift would entail the placement of a vertical scar from the areola to the crease under your breast. Although you could end up with a favorable scar, no one could guarantee the outcome. Placement of an implant would lead to even more sagging in a short period of time. I vote to leave well enough alone.
+1
Beautiful breasts without implants
Hi,
Judging from your pictures you would need a full lift. You also have enough breast tissue that you really wouldn't need an implant. There is a new technique that takes your existing breast tissue, reshapes it and is permanently attached to your chest muscles to lift and give you upper pole fullness, much like that of a breast implant. Women that have had this procedure are very pleased. Most of my breast lift and breast reduction patients are African American; I can...
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+1
Large sagging breasts need breast lift and contouring of existing breast tissue.
You already have large amount of breast tissue. I will never use implants in someone with your size. A lift and reduction with reshaping of your own tissue would give you a large D-cup. You do not need implants. You have to accept scars as trade off for pretty new breasts. There is no other way to achieve the look that you want.
Keloids is another risk. If you don't want to take a risk of scar or keloids, you should not have any surgery.
Vasdev Rai, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1
Do i need a lift
I do not think you need implants. A well done mastopexy should give you the lift you want and attractive looking breasts
Rick Rosen, MD
Norwalk Plastic Surgeon
Norwalk Plastic Surgeon
+1
Do I need a breast lift along with breast augmentation?
After reviewing your photos it appears that you need to have a breast lift. In the absence of lifting your breast augmentation will not have an result. You may be able to benefit from performing the breast lifting by making an incision only around the areola. This wil greatly minimize scarring, which may be more pronounced in the African-American patient. But you really need to be examined, and if necessary by more than one Board certifoed Plastic Surgeon. Good Luck!
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George Lefkovits, MD
New York Plastic Surgeon
New York Plastic Surgeon
+1
Breast lift and augmentation
I think you do need a lift and implants to achieve the shape that you desire. The question is what type of lift and what size implant. From the photos you provided, I think a full lift is what you need. The concern over the scaring and keloid formation is a valid one. Every skin type is suseptable to hypertorphic scarring and keloid formation. This is one of the risks of any surgery.
Moneer Jaibaji, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon
San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1
You need a breast lift
From your photos, it is clear that you will need a breast lift. This will raise the nipples and will also reduce the size of your areolas. The result will be as if your are in a push-up bra. The scarring will be a lollipop. In my practie, I operate on a large number of African American women and suprisingly the scars tend not to be bad....even in women who have a tendency for hypertrophic/keloid scars. Now, if you still want to be bigger, than implants can be placed at the...
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Breast Lift
From your photographs it appears that you might obtain a nice result with a breast lift or mastopexy alone but you probably would be unhappy with an augmentation alone. It appears that your nipples are situated below your inframammary folds. If this is this case, your are unlikely to obtain anice result with an augmenttion alone. Looking at the volume of breast tissue in your "ideal result", it looks as if this could be achieved with a mastopexy without the need...
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John Whitt, MD
Louisville Plastic Surgeon
Louisville Plastic Surgeon
+1
The lift will get you there
The nipple should lie above the breast fold, and near the mid-point of the upper arm. Breast implants just will not get you to the look that you want. Keloids should not be a problem for you,and we don't 'like' the scar either, but an implant alone will not work.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd
+1
Candidates for breast lift
Based on the photos you provided, you would benefit significantly from a breast lift. Although you are African American, each person is unique and the way one person scars may be much different from the way another person may scar. Unfortunately, your breasts will not be bigger without implants.
On this site, I do my best to give advice without a physical examination but I want you to know that a physical examination by a board certified physician is always the best way to get the most...
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Breast augmentation together with breast lift
No you are not!
Your photos show large drooping breasts with the right breast slightly larger than the left. Under no circumstances should you have a breast augmentation without a lift. That will only make your current situation worse and your drooping will go past the belly button if the implants are not under the muscle. If they are placed under the muscle they will be no where near your current breast tissue position and you will look like you have 4 breasts. With your current breast...
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Aaron Stone, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1
Breast Lift or Not?
Your photos show a significant amount of breast ptosis. Just placing in an implant without a lift will create more droopy and un-natural looking breasts. You will have the "rock-in-a-sock" look. They will be larger but they would hang even more. Your breasts already have a significant amount of volume and therefore, I would not recommend placing in an implant. A full breast lift with the longer scars (anchor scar) would give you the most lift and also...
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Steven Svehlak, MD
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon
+1
Implants without a breast lift
The heaviness of your breasts and your low nipple position create a very unfavorable situation if you only have implants placed. I would recommend a breast lift (probably a inverted T shaped scar) with or without implants, depending on what you are looking for in terms of size. There are ways to help incisions heal better and minimize scars, however any surgical procedure designed to dramatically change the shape of your breasts will have scars assoicated with it -...
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Am I a Candidate For Implants Without a Lift? Photos Attached
From the third photo of the result desired it appears to me the person had a large implant + donut lift. In you I feel a donut most likely would not lift enough even with a VERY large implant, like 750 or more. But in the end it is your decision.
+1
You are not a candidate for implants without a lift!
As you are hearing, you should not have implants alone unless you want a larger and more droopy looking breast that will only result in disappointment and more surgery down the road.
This is often not what patients want to hear when they have had generous breast volume and a nice breast shape at a young age only to see their breasts stretch and fall. You still have lots of breast volume but the shape can only be improved with a breast lift. Combining the lift with an...
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+1
Implants without lift
Your photos show significant ptosis and I believe a lift would be needed to give your the best result. You may not even need an implant due to the size of your breasts. Donald R. Nunn MD Atlanta Plastic Surgeon.
Donald Nunn, MD, DDS
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1
You will probably need a breast lift
From the pictures that you submitted, I see a significant amount of drooping of your breasts. I do recommend a breast lift if you are planning to have implants. There are ways that can help prevent or minimize the scarring. See a board certified plastic surgeon for your surgery.
+1
Implant vs implant/lift
You have so much breast tissue and it hangs low enough that any option open to you has significant downside. If you put the implant under the muscle you will get a snoopy nose deformity. On top of the muscle, a rock in a sock deformity. If you get a lift as well be prepared for additional revisional surgery to keep your tissue centered over the implant to avoid a long breast deformity. Get more than one opinion and beware the surgeon who trivializes the risks! Good luck!
+1
Breast Lift with Breast Augmentation
If you were to have an implant without a breast lift your shape would be unsatisfactory. An above muscle implant would likely make you droopier and a submuscular implant would create a "snoopy dog" appeance which means that the nipple and breast gland would not be centered in the middle of the implant. You may not need an implant at all with a lift if you are happy with your breast volume, but have a good discussion with your plastic surgeon.
+1
Q: I Would Like to Have Breast Implants. Do I Also Need a Breast Lift?
Dear irregular,
Your breasts have a significant amount of sagging. If you would like to have breast implants, a lift is also needed. I have treated many African American patients without having keloid scars develop, although there is always a small risk of this occurring.
Warmest wishes,
Dr. Fan
+1
A breast lift is required
The breast implant has to be centered close to the nipple. Yours are low and the breast mound would be much to low. i would advise against breast implants only.
+1
You need a lift.
You definitely need a lift in addition to implants. I would, unfortunately, recommend the anchor lift. I'm sure others will recommend the vertical (lollipop) lift, but I think you are too droopy for that type of lift. Scarring is always an issue, however not all African Americans scar poorly.
Good Luck!



