Will I need a lift with my breast augmentation? Is a BodyTite lift possible if needed? (Photos)

Question

Wanting to have breast augmentation. Wondering if I will need a lift? Also would I be a canadite for the bodytite lift if a lift is needed Thank you.

Semih Yildiz, MD, FEPOBRAS · Answer

In my experience, this is a borderline breast augmentation decision, but the lift question is mainly about nipple position, lower-pole skin, lower fold position and how much shape control you want. Your photos suggest some natural droop and loose lower breast skin and higher fold; an implant alone may add volume, but it may not reliably raise the nipple or tighten the breast envelope.
BodyTite can sometimes help mild skin laxity in selected areas, but it is not a substitute for a true breast lift when the nipple or areola needs repositioning. I would make this decision with measurements in person, including nipple-to-fold position and skin quality.

Ted Eisenberg, DO, FACOS, FAACS · Answer

Do I need a breast lift? You might not need one. 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. 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

Sean Hill, MD · Answer

Answer from Dr. Sean Hill, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon – Lone Star Plastic Surgery (Frisco, TX):
Thank you for sharing your photos and your question. Based on what I can see, you appear to have:
* Good overall nipple position* Mild skin laxity/deflation* Loss of some upper pole fullness, but not significant true ptosis
That’s actually a very favorable situation.
⸻

Gary M. Horndeski, MD · Answer

BodyTite will not be effective. You have small areolas and they are asymmetrical in size. You would benefit from a circumareola approach that can enlarge the areolas and make them more symmetrical. Implants can be placed at the same time.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Frank Agullo, MD · Answer

If your nipple sits at or below your inframammary fold, an implant alone leaves the nipple pointing down and the upper breast looking weirdly stretched. In your case, the nipple areola complex is low, but above the inframammary fold. You could get away with a breast augmentation and BodyTite, although a doughnut lift might look even perkier. Either way, expect a natural droop to the breast with improved cleavage and upper pole fullness.

#StayBeautiful,

@RealDrWorldWide

#StayBeautiful,

@RealDrWorldWide

Jeffrey M. Darrow, MD · Answer

Thank you for your photos. An implant will add weight to your breasts.  If your nipple/areola are below the level of the fold underneath your breast, the additional weight may increase that slightly so a lift may be in your best interest to give you better breast position in addition to an enhancement to your breasts.  During your consultation measurements of your breast dimensions will be done to determine what implant best fits you and will be key to helping you understand if a lift would benefit you and whether you would accept additional incision lines for a better breast position.    I am not aware that Bodytite can effect that level of lift.  Best wishes.

Donovan Rosas, MD · Answer

Patient concerns regarding the appearance of their breasts can typically be divided in two pools: volume, ptosis (droop). The procedures to address these issues are as different as the issues themselves. However, these concerns are not mutually exclusive. Many patients, whether they are aware or not, will benefit from both.
There are two factors which can help to answer the question of which surgery will deliver the most satisfying result: mastopexy, augmentation or both. Patients must first consider the position of the NAC (nipple areolar complex i.e. the pigmented portion of the breast) as it relates to the inframammary crease. If the nipples are at or below the level of the crease the patient may benefit from a lift or mastopexy. The breast lift is designed to elevate sagging breasts to a more youthful position. It also helps to reshape and tighten the skin of the breasts. This is typically accomplished via a periareolar (around the nipple) incision with or without a vertical incision. 
Mastopexy is an effective way to address sagging breast, however, the changes which accompany weight loss or pregnancy can also decrease volume of the breasts. When a woman wants the volume restored, or increased, a breast augmentation will also be needed in conjunction with mastopexy. Augmentation can help restore the volume loss which is well known to women following children. There are a number of options available to women considering augmentation ranging from size and implant type to access incision.   
A breast augmentation alone may also be appropriate if ptosis is mild. If the patient is comfortable with the natural appearance of the breasts but desires them to be larger, a breast augmentation alone is the right procedure.  Augmenting significantly ptotic or sagging breasts tends to magnify the problem. In these cases, a mastopexy performed in conjunction with an augmentation is preferred.
Based upon your photos, nipple position appears preserved. It does not appear that a lift will be necessary. BodyTite as a lift modality is unpredictable as it depends on tissue response to thermal injury. This response can vary from patient to patient and one side to the other.
There is a procedure for every problem. To determine which technique is right for you, consult with a board certified plastic surgeon Patient should discuss their concerns with their physicians in order to make an educated decision.

Fernando Ovalle Jr., MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question!

Based on your photos, you do appear to have a mild to moderate degree of breast ptosis (drooping), particularly with the nipples sitting at or slightly below the inframammary fold and the breast tissue itself sitting low on the chest. In my opinion, implants alone would likely add volume and look good in the short term but would probably not give you the lifted, youthful shape most patients are hoping for. More importantly, there would also be a higher risk of a “waterfall” appearance over time where the implant sits high and the natural breast tissue continues to hang lower.

Because of that, I do think you would likely benefit from some form of small lift in addition to augmentation if your goal is improved upper pole fullness and better nipple position.

As far as whether a less invasive tightening option like or RF-assisted skin tightening could replace a formal lift: based on the degree of laxity visible in your photos, I would be cautious about relying on that alone. These technologies can provide modest skin contraction and can sometimes help borderline cases, but they do not remove excess skin or reliably reposition the nipple. In patients with moderate ptosis like yours, the improvement is usually subtle compared to a true mastopexy.

That said, a thoughtful in-person consultation with a plastic surgeon could help further answer your questions and help you make the right choice for you:

1) Augmentation alone accepting some residual droop, and a shorter longevity to the overall result (likely needing a lift in the next 5-10 years)
2) augmentation + RF tightening for modest improvement with fewer scars and likely a slightly but not longer longevity than the first option
or 3) a formal augmentation-mastopexy for the most complete correction (but the trade off will be the extra scars, which in most patients fade well over time!)

Thank you again and good luck on your journey!

Ram Kalus, MD, FACS · Answer

Thank you for your question and photo. A examination in person would be necessary to precisely advise you but based on your photo you have pretty breasts that appears to be to be more symmetrical than most women. A properly planned and performed augmentation alone should achieve a beautiful result. I recommend whenever possible a subfascial (above the muscle) augmentation.

Do your research, and seek out an experienced board certified plastic surgeon whose results and reviews appeal to you. Best of luck.

Do your research, and seek out an experienced board certified plastic surgeon whose results and reviews appeal to you. Best of luck.

Kadir Berat Oyur, MD · Answer

It’s completely normal to feel a bit anxious when you notice differences during the healing process, but please rest assured that what you’re seeing is a very common part of the recovery journey. Asymmetry and localized swelling are standard in the first few weeks, as each side of the body heals at its own pace and internal inflammation settles differently. The "tightness" or "hard" sensation you're feeling is typically just temporary internal scar tissue and edema, which will soften significantly as your tissues relax over the coming months. We recommend continuing with your post-op care instructions and being patient with your body; you’ll likely see everything balance out beautifully as the final contours emerge.

Will I need a lift with my breast augmentation? Is a BodyTite lift possible if needed? (Photos)

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