Goal is 300-350cc - Is a breast lift necessary? (Photos)

Question

My Surgeon said I’m borderline needing a lift and could go either way. If so, she would do a mini lift in conjunction with the augmentation. I would like natural looking breasts and nothing too large. Goal is 300-350cc. The plan is to go under the muscle with motiva round, high profile.

Frank Agullo, MD · Answer

A woman walked into clinic last spring with a screen full of selfies on her phone and an answer she already wanted, 'do I need a lift with my aug?' She had read for three weeks online and was sure she did. We stood in front of the mirror together and I marked her inframammary fold with a surgical pen. Her nipple sat a finger width above the line on each side. She had not been told to look for that ratio anywhere in her reading.

Augmentation alone at 325cc. A year out her shape was exactly what she had wanted, no lift scars on her chest.

Where the nipple sits relative to the IMF is the entire question. Above the fold leans aug alone, or aug plus a small doughnut lift for better symmetry and perkiness. BodyTite if skin is borderline. At or below the fold leans an honest mastopexy, and an implant alone in that setup will make the heaviness worse.

#StayBeautiful,

@RealDrWorldWide

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

Your breasts are low on the chest wall. I recommend a breast lift using the Bellesoma. This will reshape your breast tissue creating upper pole fullness without implants, elevate them higher on the chest wall and more medial to increase your cleavage. Vertical scars are avoided, nipple sensation (in 95%) and the ability to breast feed are maintained. Later, fat transfers or small implants can be placed if additional volume is desired.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Vasileios Vasilakis, MD, FACS · Answer

Hello,
Thank you for the question. From the photos, I agree with your surgeon that you could go either way. You might want to consider to not undergo the lift during the augmentation, wait a few months, and if not happy then undergo the lift at a later stage. 
I wish you the best. 
Vasileios Vasilakis, MD, FACSDouble Board Certified Plastic SurgeonHouston, TX.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Sillygoose2020,

determining whether you need simply a breast augmentation versus a breast lift can be somewhat complicated. It depends on a number of factors including skin laxity and current nipple position. Generally speaking, if the nipples are lower than the inframammary line the patient will most likely need a breast lift. If the nipples are at or above the inframammary line we can generally get by with just a breast augmentation depending on the size of the implant the patient wants. I often still using implant when I perform a breast lift because it provides more upper breast fullness after the lift. To be sure a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon will help determine what the patient actually needs.

Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Harry T. Haramis, MD, FACS · Answer

If you want to keep a natural look, then implants (of the size range) alone will achieve that. Usually, dual plane will give benefits of muscle coverage but also allow for a “lift” effect by filling out the breast more.

Breasts will keep their lower, more natural appearance and slight asymmetry.

I would only recommend adding a lift if you wanted, high and tight breasts with more symmetry.

Further discussion with your/a plastic surgeon is recommended.

Ted Eisenberg, DO, FACOS, FAACS · Answer

In office evaluation needed for a definitive answer. Do I need a breast lift? You might not need one. After I measure and discuss goals with my patients, we then look at pictures of women (my patients) with similar measurements with different size and style breast implants. They also get to see what they would look like when the breasts have fully dropped and fluffed and in clothes. You get to see actual results and the surgeon's experience and not a virtual idea of what can be achieved. Women tell me that this process is very helpful in determining what size and style breast implant is right for them. Mildly Sagging Breasts: If your breasts are mildly droopy, a saline or silicone gel implant placed behind the pectoral muscle might help create the illusion of perkiness. That’s because as the implant fills out the top of the breast, it also fills out the bottom, making it look as if the nipple has moved higher. It hasn’t. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Kadir Berat Oyur, MD · Answer

Determining whether a breast lift is necessary alongside an augmentation is a very common crossroads for many patients seeking a natural and elegant result. While an implant alone can provide beautiful volume, it cannot physically reposition the nipple or correct significant skin laxity; if the breast tissue currently sits lower on the chest wall, adding volume without a lift can sometimes lead to a "bottom-heavy" appearance. A "mini lift" or periareolar mastopexy can be a wonderful solution for borderline cases, as it subtly tightens the skin envelope and ensures the nipple remains at the most youthful and aesthetically pleasing point on the new breast mound. Given your goal for a subtle improvement with 300--350cc Motiva implants, incorporating that small lift could be the key to achieving that seamless, naturally elevated look you are after.

Semih Yildiz, MD, FEPOBRAS · Answer

In this situation, the lift decision is usually about nipple position and skin envelope control, not just implant size. From the photos, you appear in that borderline range where an implant alone may add fullness, but it may not reliably raise the nipple or tighten the lower breast enough for the most natural shape.
A 300-350cc submuscular implant can be reasonable for a modest result, but if your nipple sits at or below the fold on exam, a small lift may give better long-term position and symmetry. I would trust the in-person measurements over cup-size goals alone.

Goal is 300-350cc - Is a breast lift necessary? (Photos)

Answers (8)

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