Uneven breasts - is a lift a good choice for me? (photos)

Good morning,
I would recommend a donut mastopexy to lift your nipple position and tighten your skin- it's a very nice procedure which hides the scars around the outer border of the areolas- no vertical scar yay! For your augmentation we would go under the muscle, with saline or silicone implants, depending on your preference, to provide some upper pole fullness and cleavage. We would figure out the exact size and profile when I measure your chest, we review photos together, and you have an opportunity to try on the implant sizers here in the office!

Your nipples are located below your breast fold. For this reason, a breast lift would be recommended. The implants need to be centred behind your nipples so without a lift, they would sit rather low on your chest and you wouldn’t have any upper pole fullness.

Thanks for the question. A mastopexy, or breast lift would be a great choice for you. This procedure will aid in getting breast aesthetics to the optimal aesthetic location on your chest wall along with allowing some symmetry correction. If you still desire more breast volume and upper pole fullness after your lift, I would wait a minimum of 8 weeks before considering breast augmentation. I would not recommend doing these procedures at the same time.

The best technique for you would be 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 or small implants can be placed totally submuscular.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

Thank you for your question and photos. An examination in person would be required to provide you with a definitive and accurate opinion, but based on your photos alone, your result from an augmentation alone would not likely achieve the result you are hoping for. Your nipple/areolae fall below your inframammary fold (the crease beneath your breasts) and an augmentation alone will not be able to achieve a significant enough lift that would result in a pretty breast shape. In addition, your areola are slightly wider than optimal. The only way to achieve the prettiest proportions, shape and volume for you would be an augmentation mastopexy (simultaneous breast lift and breast augmentation). This can also be accomplished in a staged fashion. The main advantage of doing it in two stages is that you probably have a bit more latitude in getting to be larger if you have healed from your initial breast lift. If they are done simultaneously we would want to be a bit more conservative with implant size since the risk of complications is higher with larger implants when inserted at the same time as a mastopexy or breast lift.

Do your research and select an experienced board certified plastic surgeon whose aesthetics align with your own, based on his or her Before and After gallery.

Bottom line, I would strongly advise you to resist the temptation of getting a breast augmentation alone. Best of luck to you.

Dear Skynicole,
tuberous breasts are not simply small or underdeveloped breasts. The appearance of the breast can range from mild to severe, and typical traits include: enlarged, puffy areola, rather wide spacing between the breasts, very little breast tissue, sagging, higher than normal inferior breast fold, and narrow base at the chest wall.The type of surgery best for you will depend on the severity of your condition.My preferred technique for tuberous breast correction involves a multistep procedure where the breast tissue is released in a radial pattern to prevent herniation into the areola and placement of a custom implant size is in the breast to allow appropriate expansion of the breast in the restricted dimensions. This can often be done in a single procedure but sometimes may require two surgeries.That said, it is best that you visit a board-certified plastic surgeon for an in person examination. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Thank you for sharing your photos! We women are incredibly aware of our breast appearance -- maybe even more than men are. Breasts are sexual and sensual, a big part of what makes us women, and they can dictate our sense of attractiveness and desirability (for better or worse). Breast augmentation is one of the top three most popular plastic surgery procedures performed. So many women embrace this procedure because it carries little risk of complication. And because an implant can be inserted through a tiny incision in the navel or armpit (and moved into place under the skin), or under the areola or breast, it's a quick, nearly scarless operation.

If you are looking for perkiness, you may need a lift—but if you also want more volume, an implant may be sufficient to increase your breast size and give your breasts a perkier appearance. A breast lift raises droopy breasts from one to several inches and excess skin is removed. If you just want to go bigger, the only way to do that is with implants or fat grafting which is the newest technique for you to enlarge your breasts without resorting to implants. Specially prepared fat taken from another part of the body, such as the stomach or hips, is placed under the breast tissue to provide increased breast size without the need for artificial implants. The technique is called autologous fat transfers and autologous simply means "your own." These are some of the factors I weigh with my patients when evaluating what type of procedure to do. I suggest making an appointment with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can explain in detail to you what your options are.

A full consultation would be necessary to fully answer you questions. This would allow evaluation of tissues and measurements etc. You may be able to hold off on lift scars with breast implants alone. Be aware that based on you physical exam findings, you may be best suited by using slightly different size implants in order to get you the best chance for symmetry after surgery.

From your photos it appears you will want to have a lift in addition to the augmentation. There are different types of lifts and you may be a candidate for a more minimal approach. Visit with a board certified plastic surgeon near you to discuss your goals for surgery and learn more about your options.

Thank you for the question and photos and it would appear that you would benefit from a circumareolar mastopexy at the time of an augmentation. So go on some complimentary consultations with experts and compare recommendations after a full examination and discussion of desired results and look at photos of similar patients and become fully informed about the desired procedure

Dr Corbin