Do I need a lift in addition to implants? (photos)

Hi & thanks for your question!
It looks like you may need a lift. Schedule a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your options. Best wishes!

Thank you for your question. Looking at the photos you have provided I would recommend a breast lift and implant. If you only place an implant you will still have a significant droop to the breast and it won't look right. I would suggest seeing a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon in person to evaluate you and discuss your options. Best of luck to you.

In my opinion, yes, you will need a lift. Lifts can be done separately or at the same time as a breast augmentation. There are advantages and disadvantages to both strategies. The breast implant needs to placed within the natural boundaries of your breast. It can be adjusted to sit lower for smaller breast size, but it is rarely a good idea to lower the fold for larger breast sizes because it can cause problems with implant malposition in the future. If you are not concerned about upper breast fullness, you may want to consider a lift and fat grafting. Fat grafting involves using liposuction to harvest your own fat, processing the fat, and then injecting the processed fat into your breasts in thousands of tiny droplets. Fat grafting is good at adding volume. It is not very good at adding projection or perkiness because it is so soft.

Dear jspam4090,
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 just get implants, you will have larger and more sagging breasts. You have plenty of breast tissue, but need a lift. Nothing will replace the lift.

Dear jspam,
Adding breast implants to your already very large and pendulous breasts would not be the best course of action. You would likely end up with either a waterfall deformity or a rock in a sock appearance. Reconsider having a breast lift. Good luck!

From the provided photos a lift is recommended for you. You can elect to add implants if you are wanting more volume. The best place to begin is a consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon near you.

Hi and welcome to our forum!From your photos, I note that you demonstrate relatively symmetric breasts with more than ample volume. The distance from the top of the breast bone to the nipples is significantly increased, the areolae are enlarged, there is significant loss of superior pole breast volume, the nipples reside at the level of the fold beneath the breasts and you demonstrate moderate-significant sag.Breast augmentation alone will result in larger breasts of the same shape. It will not add significant upper pole volume without external support from a bra. Adding a lift will elevate the nipple areolar complexes into anatomic position, will decrease areolar diameter, will remove excess stretched out breast skin, will increase superior breast pole volume, and will conify the shape of the breasts. Larger breasted individuals may suffer neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, bra strap grooving, and chronic rashes beneath the breasts due to their added weight. Be careful what you wish for...Visit a board certified plastic surgeon for in-person evaluation and discussion.Best wishes...

From the photos, you have substantial droop and without a full lift won't get a good result. If you are really adverse to the lift, you can do implants and stage the lift later, but it is unlikely you will like the look with implants alone.