28 Y/O, 117 lbs, 4'10- Should I get a breast augmentation, a breast lift, or both? (Photos)

Dear @ckass1120 thank you for your question and showing your pictures. Actually the size of your breasts looks adequate for your height, but if your desire is to have a little more volume you can consider both options, prosthesis or breast fat transfer, taking into account the pros and cons of each surgical procedure. Particularly in your case I would be inclined to a rebalancing with your own fat to restore the lost volume. For more information and recommendations is best to consult with one or several board certified plastic surgeons. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS

Hi, thank you for sharing your question. You are a great candidate for breast augmentation. You do not need a lift.

Hi & thanks for your question!
It really depends on what you are looking to achieve. It does not appear that you need a lift, implants would give you full, larger breasts. Schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. Best wishes!

Thank you for your question. Your breasts aren’t much sagging. Therefore, there is no need to get the breast lift, which would give you a visible scar. Inframammary (under the breast) incision breast augmentation would be good for you. After getting this surgery your sunken upper pole and sagging shape of breasts will be significantly improved, while the scar will be minimal.

It depends on your goals. Your nipples are located in line with your breast fold, and possibly a little higher. Breast augmentation alone may be sufficient however please note that the weight of the implants can accelerate the rate of sagging. As a result, you may want to consider proportionately sized implants rather than going bigger.

If you are happy with the size of your breasts in a bra then you do not need implants. The technique I recommend is a lift using The Bellesoma Method. 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 can be performed if additional volume is desired.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

I recommend an in person consultation with a plastic surgeon to discuss your goals and be measured. 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, if interested, and they choose what looks right for them. 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. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

Thank you for your question and photos. As you already stated, a precise treatment plan or specific implant recommendation can only be determined with a careful examination and detailed discussion with your plastic surgeon.

From your photos and dimensions it appears that you still have very pretty breasts and it is indeed expected that a woman’s breasts will change with pregnancy, but that does not necessarily mean you need to have an augmentation, unless you know for sure that you do.

That said, volume (300 versus 400), is far less significant than implant width and projection. Implant width is similar to shoe size. The implant literally needs to fit into your breast and chest. The volume and projection are what will determine the “look” you want, similar to the style or type of shoe you would select. It is true that for a given volume a high profile implant will have a narrower diameter, and it is also true that a person such as you with a petite frame will require a narrower diameter implant than a patient with a broader chest or larger frame. Other considerations such as saline versus silicone are also important, as are "round" versus "anatomical" or "form stable" or "shaped", smooth surface versus textured, and softer versus firmer with the different levels of gel cohesivity.

The term “natural” can mean different things to different people and the profile of the implant does not necessarily determine that. You can certainly achieve a “natural” appearing result with a high profile implant if properly selected, but as a rule, the larger the implant and the higher the profile, and certainly if the implant is positioned too high, the greater the chances you will look “augmented” because of exaggerated upper pole fullness or convexity.

In my practice, besides a thorough interview process and physical examination with careful measurements, we use on lay sizers within an unpadded bra to help you understand what you are likely to look like in a bra, bathing suit, or T-shirt with a given size implant. In addition, and this is critical, we ask all of our patients to provide us with photos of their desired final look, with images of women’s breasts that most closely resemble the look they are trying to achieve. This serves as a visual guide that thankfully rarely leads us astray. The most common reason for patient disappointment after breast augmentation is size-too big or not big enough. This algorithm which we have been employing for over thirty years has proven to be very successful.

Because all of these factors can leave you quite confused, it is crucial that you select an experienced board certified plastic surgeon whose aesthetics align with your own, and with whom you feel comfortable. Don't be reluctant to seek a second or even third opinion if necessary to be sure and feel confident about moving forward with scheduling surgery. Expressing your desired cup size is notoriously inaccurate, and final breast size is the most common reason for patient disappointment after breast augmentation, either too big or not big enough.

Take your time, do your research. Best of luck to you.

Dear ckass1120,
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

Based on your photos it appears you are a great candidate for a breast augmentation. This would give you more volume and upper pole fullness. An in person examination is always best, but from the provided photos it does not appear a lift is needed.