Can I get a breast lift without implants if I'm happy with the size but want perkier breasts?

You only get implants if you want to be larger. Period.
I don't know who it was...but someone started telling patients that they needed to get an implant to get a nice result wtih a lift. Rubbish! In fact, it is better to avoid implants if having a lift.
By definition, any patient needing a lift has skin that has already failed to hold up the existing weight of their breast. Adding weight to that makes no sense. Sure, you have removed skin, but the skin that remains is the same skin that gave way once already.
But for you, who doesn't even want to look any larger, for sure you don't need implants.

Yes, you can definitely get a breast lift and forego breast implants, it just depends on what your desired result is.  A breast lift allows the operating surgeon to raise the position of your nipple, reduce the areolar size, if necessary, and remove any extra skin, thereby providing the patient with a more youthful breast shape that is very natural in appearance.  A breast lift alone will not afford a patient a larger chest or more fullness of the upper pole of the chest.  These requests can be met with the addition of a small breast implant.  It is important to note that the purpose of a breast implant is not to provide a patient with a breast lift, but rather for enhancement of a patients bust line.  Occasionally, an implant may correct breast ptosis but this is more the exception than the rule, as this only works if the patient had minor breast ptosis and wanted to increase their cup size.  I would recommend consulting with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your concerns and goals.  After a physical examination, the plastic surgeon will be better able to determine which option would work best for you. 

If you are happy with your breast size, a breast lift without an implant is perfect. Typically, if you tighten the breast envelope around the existing breast gland, you will put the same breast in a tighter, smaller package.  Sometimes, this is perfect.  Sometimes a small implant or fat grafting can be added.  Discuss these options with your plastic surgeon. 

A breast lift can easily be performed without implants. There is an excellent technique to rearrange the breast tissue and essentially move the lower breast tissue that has sagged into a more superior position, even using some of the pectoral muscle to help support the tissue.  The results can be excellent, especially with a C or D cup breast. However, if there is minimal remaining breast tissue above the nipple (meaning the breast has bottomed out substantially), then a small implant will restore a youthful appearance without significantly increasing breast size.

If you are happy with the size and volume of your breast (cup size), you should get the Mastopexy procedure alone without the use of implants. However if you want to have both an improved shape of the breasts and increase cup size, both procedure may be necessary.

Mastopexy or breast lift can accomplish the following:


Lift the lower portion of the breasts.

Improve the location of the nipple to a higher position

Reduce the size of nipple-areloar complex


Breast augmentation using implants can do the following:


Increase the overall volume of breast or cup size

Increase the fullness in the upper pole of the breasts

Improve the appearance of the cleavage area.


Your plastic surgeon can specifically design and tailor an operation that can best help you reach your goals and desires.

Hope this was helpful.

Dr. Sajjadian

Hello, What a great question! Thank you.  The short answer is that "yes, you can have a breast lift without implants". Basically, when I meet with patients seeking breast surgery, I ask the patients what they want. Usually, there are three answers.  Some women tell me that they just want "their breasts back where they belong". To me, this means that they need a mastopexy or a breast lift.  Some women tell me that they want "their breasts bigger or fuller or like they used to be before pregnancy".  To me this means that they need breast augmentation.  Some women tell me that they want both.  If you just want your breast perkier and lifted, then you only need a breast lift.  If you just want your breasts fuller, you may only need a breast augmentation.  If you want your breasts lifted and fuller, then you need breast augmentation and a breast lift.  Therefore, if you're happy with your breast size and only want your breasts lifted, you only need a breast lift.  Thank you for such a great question. I hope that I have answered your questions regarding breast lift and breast augmentation. If you have any more questions regarding breast surgery or plastic surgery in general, please contact my office.  Sincerely, Dr. Katzen. 

Dear Anon,

     The only way to lift the breast without increasing its size is to perform a a breast lift.  A lift can raise  both the nipple/areola complex as well as the breast itself to a perkier position.  What a lift cannot do with any reliability is to produce upper pole fullness, that is, it cannot produce convexity at the upper part of the breast.  The only reliable way to produce that fullness is with an implant.  I, respectfully , disagree with a few of  my  colleagues who are making the argument that implants should be used for volume increase only and not for shape.  I believe they are mistaken.  Their argument may be valid if implants are placed in front of the muscle, where the implants are sitting against the breast tissue and exert direct weight on the breast.   However, today, implants are preferentially placed behind the muscle.  In this position the muscle supports the weight of the implants with very little, if any, force imparted onto the breast tissue and skin outside it.  This phenomenon is easily illustrated by women who originally had breast implants and then became pregnant.  Very often after child birth and postpartum atrophy you see the implants sitting in their original position but the breasts have deflated and dropped to a lower position below the implants.  This finding would never be the case if their argument was valid.  As a second illustration to dismiss their claim that implants are for volume only and not for shape is that it is relatively simple to to tell the difference visually between women who underwent a lift alone versus women who underwent lift with implants.  The women who underwent lift with implants generally have much more upper pole fullness and a fuller cleavage.  This, again, would not be true if the statements that implants are only for volume and are actually contraindicated in cases where lifts are desired without desire to increase volume. 

Good luck,

Ary Krau MD FACS

 

Yes, you can absolutely get a breast lift (mastopexy) without implants if you are happy with the size of your breasts but want them to appear perkier. A breast lift focuses on repositioning and reshaping the existing breast tissue, removing excess skin, and tightening the surrounding tissue to lift the breasts and restore a more youthful contour. It can also reposition the nipples and areolae for a more youthful appearance.
This procedure will not increase breast volume, but it will improve the firmness and shape of your breasts, giving them a lifted and more youthful look. If you are content with your breast size and only want a perkier appearance, a breast lift alone is often the best option.
It's important to consult with an experienced plastic surgeon to discuss your goals and ensure you're a good candidate for the procedure. In some cases, if there is a slight loss of volume in the upper part of the breasts, the surgeon may recommend a fat transfer or a small reduction of tissue, but implants are not necessary if you are happy with the size.
Krishna Vyas, MD, PhD, MHSHarvard, Hopkins, & Mayo Clinic Trained Aesthetic Plastic SurgeonNew York, New York

Implants can be very useful in creating architecture and projection, improving asymmetry, and adding extra volume to small or lax breasts that have been depleted by nursing or changes related to weight loss or aging. If you are already happy with your current breast volume adding weight with implants will only defeat the purpose of trying to make them more lifted or perky with a mastopexy. You would be best served by having a mastopexy (or breast lift). If there is a little too much tissue a very small reduction of tissue along with reshaping of the breast with mastopexy will give a very natural and uplifted result. A small deficiency of volume in the upper pole can be corrected with fat transfer and mastopexy. This has the added benefit of liposuction of stubborn areas of fat in the abdomen, flanks and thighs as donor sites for fat (preferred sources for fat transfer).

Absolutely, if you're happy with the size of your breasts but want them to appear perkier, a breast lift (mastopexy) can be an excellent option. This procedure focuses on lifting and reshaping the breast tissue by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue to support a new, more youthful breast contour. The nipples and areolae can also be repositioned or resized to better match the newly shaped breasts. A breast lift doesn't increase the size of the breasts; rather, it aims to improve their position and firmness, providing a more lifted, rejuvenated appearance. It's an effective solution for those who are satisfied with their breast volume but seek enhancement in terms of lift and shape due to sagging or changes following pregnancy, breastfeeding, or weight fluctuations.

An uplift operation is performed when the patient is happy with the breast volume and the tissues need lifting to bring nipple areola to better position and remove excess skin. Certain techniques can produce a perkier results with uplift where an internal lift can achieve such results. Normally implants are needed to give upper pole fullness. Internal lift can give some fullness in upper pole without adding any implants.