This story has been medically reviewed for accuracy by Toronto, ON board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Mathew A. Plant on November 12, 2020.
In past decades, the preferred aesthetic for breast surgery tended to err more on the side of “bigger is better.” But now more women than ever are seeking out a slightly different look: perkier rather than larger. Luckily, science has advanced enough that there are plenty of options for getting higher, sag-free breasts, no matter how droopy they may be. We tapped three top plastic surgeons to walk us through all the potential selections to give you a natural, lifted look.
Vampire Breast Lift
With no actual surgery involved, the Vampire Breast Lift is an option for those looking for a temporary and subtle boost without significant downtime. “Vampire procedures [like this] involve taking the patient’s own blood and spinning it in a centrifuge to separate the platelets from the white blood cells and other material [in] blood,” explains Houston plastic surgeon Dr. Camille Cash. “The platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is then injected into tissue, to create collagen production and restoration of the tissue.” Injecting the patient’s PRP into the breast tissue may temporarily create volume and fullness due to its ability to create blood vessel growth; however, it is not a long-term solution. “It’s a very limited procedure,” adds Dr. Cash. “I do not believe injecting PRP will create a substantial lift.”
Taking around 15 minutes to complete, this treatment is the shortest and least invasive of the breast-lifting procedures. As a rather safe procedure, the most common side effect is soreness at the injection site, redness and swelling, all of which generally resolves after a few days. While price varies, RealSelf readers who have gotten the procedure say PRP injections typically cost around $1,100.
BodyTite
For women who desire a breast lift but are fearful of the scars that can sometimes go with it, BodyTite is a good option. This minimally invasive procedure uses radiofrequency energy to tighten skin and ligaments, build collagen and lift the breast area. “A BodyTite-based breast lift is a relatively new procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to shrink breast skin, thereby causing a lift,” says New York City plastic surgeon Dr. Darren Smith. “The procedure involves making a few two- to three-millimeter incisions and passing a radiofrequency energy–emitting wand under the skin and another over the skin.” The two wands pass energy to each other through the skin and heat the tissue from the inside out, which in turn leads to tissue tightening and an increase in collagen production.
To be a candidate for a breast lift with BodyTite, Dr. Smith believes individuals should have only a minor droop of the breasts. “While BodyTite can be very effective in providing a small to moderate amount of lift, it cannot be relied upon for the treatment of severe [drooping].”
According to Dr. Cash, patients should expect only one to two centimeters of lift from this procedure. “This may be a procedure for patients who want a modest amount of skin tightening,” she adds. However, it’s important to note that this is a relatively new technique—and the longevity of the results is unknown at this time. Possible risks include infection, bleeding and thermal injury, which is why it’s important to consult with your doctor to discuss your best course of treatment before scheduling your appointment. On average, BodyTite costs about $6,775.
Fat transfer
If you’re not too keen on having implants inserted into your breasts, Dr. Smith says fat transfer could be an option. “Fat is harvested by liposuction from a site with a little fat to spare—usually the abdomen or flanks—through a couple [of] three- to four-millimeter incisions.The fat is then cleaned and reinjected into the breasts through pinpoint access points, to improve their size and shape.” More than one round of treatment is usually necessary to achieve the desired result, since not all the grafted fat will survive the surgery.
To be a candidate for a breast lift with fat grafting alone, the individual should have only a mild droop in her breasts. Someone who requires a more profound breast lift will not be satisfied by the results from mere fat grafting.
Additionally, Dr. Cash adds that while fat transfers can indeed make breasts larger, they can also create lumps in the breasts or microcalcifications (fat cells that have died but did not dissolve back into the body) that can be seen on mammograms. Both these lumps and microcalcifications can lead to unnecessary biopsies because of unclear breast-screening examinations.
Due to the addition of liposuction in this surgery, fat transfer generally costs a bit more than breast implants. RealSelf readers report the average price to be about $9,000, and the surgery requires about two to five days of downtime.
Implants
As the most well-known method for altering the appearance of the chest area, breast implants are a rather obvious option for lifting the breasts. “A small incision is made, usually in one of three locations—under the breast, in the fold, at the lower border of the areola or in the armpit,” says Dr. Smith. “A silicone gel or saline implant is inserted through this incision into position under the breast mound.”
When it comes to lifting the breast area with implants, Dr. Smith asserts that patients should be realistic when it comes to results. “To be a candidate for a breast lift with just implants, the individual should have only very little droop of the breasts and be okay with an increase in breast size,” he says. “There is a limit to how much upward movement an implant can provide, and being overly reliant on an implant to lift the breast can lead to unfavorable outcomes like ‘bottoming out’—which is when a heavy implant stretches the soft tissue of the breast and causes unaesthetic lower fullness.” In other words, someone who has significant drooping will not get the lifted result they want by an implant alone—they would be better suited for a traditional breast lift.
When considering breast implants, patients must also consider the potential risks associated with the surgery. Infection (potential implant removal), bleeding (a possible return to the operating room) and an extremely low risk of breast implant–associated anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) are possible. The FDA also recently proposed guidance recommending warnings for breast implants, so be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of implants with your doctor before booking your surgery.
The procedure costs about $6,350 and requires about two to three weeks of downtime, making it one of the more invasive of all the options.
Mastopexy
Finally, a traditional breast lift, or mastopexy, is the easiest way to get the most dramatic change in the breast area. “A mastopexy is a procedure designed to reduce the amount of excess breast skin and rearrange the tissue of the breast to reduce the degree of drooping,” says Dr. Smith. The course of treatment for mastopexy depends on how droopy the breasts are, which will determine the number and location of incisions.
“There are many options for breast lifts, with donut, lollipop and anchor incisions [being] the most common,” says Marina Del Rey, California, plastic surgeon Dr. Luis Macias. The difference between each kind of breast lift is centered mostly on the placement of incisions.
Donut lift
The donut lift uses an incision that circles solely around the areola, making scarring rather minimal. This results in a very minimal lift for patients with breasts that have mild sagging and are on the pointy side to begin with.
Lollipop lift
For breasts with more moderate sagging, a lollipop lift may be preferred. “A lollipop lift is used in most patients—one can lift the nipple significantly and remove tissue from the lower part of the breast, where it is usually in excess,” adds Dr. Macias. This type of lift uses incisions that circle around the areola and vertically down from the areola to the breast fold, just like the shape of a lollipop.
Anchor lift
The anchor lift is used for patients with more severe sagging who need a little more reduction in the area of the breast fold. The incision is carried along the bottom of the breast fold, around the areola and vertically from the areola to the breast fold, resembling the shape of an anchor. This type of lift results in the most visible scars, since it requires more incisions.
Damage to the nipple or areola is possible during all these mastopexy procedures if blood supply is cut off, and nipple sensation may also be changed or diminished. Additionally, the incisions associated with a breast lift may lessen the breast tissue that connects to the nipple and therefore could affect the patient’s ability to produce breast milk in the future. So Dr. Smith advises that patients who have not yet had children keep this in mind when deciding whether a breast lift is best for them. Ultimately, this is the most powerful way to lift droopy breasts. The cost of a breast lift varies widely but averages at about $7,900 and requires one to two weeks of downtime.
