Increase size and make breasts appear closer together. Can I get just implants or do I need a lift? (photo)

Hi, according to your pictures I can say that the lifting surgery won’t be necessary for you. After your consultation and measurements we can find the most suitable implant sizes for you.

Implants provide volume but not much lift. The amount of sagging you have is very mild and most patients would choose implants and forego the lift. If the sagging truly bothers you to the point where you would prefer a lift, one of the limited procedures should suffice. With these procedures, the cleavage would be improved but your anatomy would not allow great cleavage. The cleavage can be further improved with fat grafting if this is an important issue.

Dear kickie9,

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

If you undergo breast augmentation alone, the implants have to be centered underneath the existing breasts and will result in wide separation, poor cleavage and lateral displacement. The technique I recommend is a breast 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. 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. You can always get a lift later if you feel you are not perky enough when fully settled and healed. Dr. Ted Eisenberg, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon and Author. RealSelf Distinguished Hall of Fame Inductee. Philadelphia, Pa., USA

To make your areolae to be at the same location, you would need a lift on at least the lower side. Even with implants and possibly a fat transfer, your breast will still be somewhat fat apart. We cannot move the bases of your breasts. wider implants and possibly fat can help fill in the gap.

Small implants may be sufficient with an areolar reduction However to bring them closer fat grafting would help