Breast Lift vs Breast Augmentation – Find What’s Right For You

Posted June 20, 2024 in Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift

The breasts are perhaps the most defining feminine attribute of the body. Breasts look different from one woman to the next, and when age, weight gain or loss, pregnancy, and breastfeeding factor into the equation, the breasts can take on a totally different appearance. Once perky and full, breasts can become flat, deflated, saggy, and even small as the hands of time affect the appearance of the breasts. The only surefire way to restore the shape, volume, position, and size of the breasts—or get the breasts you’ve always wanted—is with breast surgery. But when it comes to the different types, like a breast lift vs. breast augmentation, knowing which one you will best. Benefiting from this is vital to getting the results you want.

Understanding Breast Lift Surgery

Technically known as a mastopexy, a breast lift is a surgical procedure that permanently changes the position of the breasts to a higher, more desirable one. Many women opt for a breast lift to improve droopy or saggy breasts, which typically occur following weight loss, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and aging. As the skin loses elasticity and becomes stretched out, the breasts lose their firmness, causing them to appear stretched out.

While the primary goal of a breast lift is to reposition the breasts, the procedure can also be beneficial in reducing the size of the areolas, which can become enlarged with time. This approach gives the breasts a more youthful, better-positioned, and contoured appearance. However, it is essential to understand that the incisions used will leave behind scars that can differ from one breast lift patient to the next. During your consultation, Dr.Brothers will discuss the best incisions to get the desired results and how the placement of the incisions will impact the scars.

During a breast lift, Dr. Brothers will remove excess skin on the breasts, tighten any lax tissue, and reposition the areola (and, if necessary, reduce it).

If you are happy with the size of your breasts and the amount of volume, then a breast lift alone may help you achieve your goals. But if you feel that your breasts lack volume, shape, and size, and you wish to enhance those aspects, then a breast augmentation with a breast lift may need to be considered. 

Since some skin is removed, the breasts may appear fuller and shapelier due to a lift. However, it is essential to note that a breast lift is not designed to change your breast size significantly.

Exploring Breast Augmentation

A breast augmentation is an entirely different surgery from a breast lift. Many times, women considering a breast augmentation vs. breast lift are not sure what the specifics of each surgery entail, which is why it is essential to understand the benefits of each and what each one addresses.

The main goal of a breast augmentation is to increase the size, shape, and volume of the breasts by placing a breast augmentation into the breasts. Changes to the breasts can appear from weight loss, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or the general aging process, but some women genetically have smaller breasts that they wish to increase in size. There are several different types of implants to choose from, each giving a slightly different effect. The shape, profile, size, and fill material can all impact your results, so discussing the options that best fit your body during your consultation is crucial. It is also important to know that a breast augmentation will not lift the breasts to a higher position, like a breast lift can.

Similar to a breast lift, incisions are necessary for a breast augmentation procedure. Through the incisions, the implants are placed into the breast, either over or under the muscle. Different incision points can be used for various types of implants, but the most common one remains a small incision in the breast crease that is barely detectable once fully healed. 

When a Breast Lift is Best

When deciding if a breast lift vs. breast augmentation is best for you, the most vital element to consider is the position of the breasts. If the breasts are sagging and slack, and that is the most pressing concern, then a breast lift will address those breast-related changes. Many women who have experienced massive weight loss or pregnancy find that their breasts have changed in where on the chest wall they sit and desire a more youthful and elevated breast positioning. 

There’s a simple at-home test you can do before your consultation with Dr. Brothers to determine if a breast lift is the surgery you need. Place a pencil in the breast fold. If the pencil stays put, there is no breast tissue ptosis (sagging), and you likely don’t need a breast lift. But if the pencil falls out of place or if the nipple sits lower than where you placed the pencil, then you’ll likely benefit from a breast lift.

When to Consider a Breast Augmentation

Unlike a breast lift, which repositions the breasts to a more youthful position, a breast augmentation strictly improves size, shape, volume, and fullness. A breast augmentation procedure is best for healthy women who have realistic expectations of how much improvement the surgery can provide yet want to improve the shape, size, symmetry, and volume of their breasts. 

If you feel your breasts are too small for your body or that you have lost their fullness, a breast augmentation can help restore a more balanced and youthful appearance to your breasts and body overall. Often, breast augmentation surgery not only improves the physical appearance of the body but also provides a significant confidence boost.

Considerations for Breast Augmentation with a Breast Lift

Many women benefit from a combination approach to breast surgery that includes both a breast lift and a breast augmentation for the most natural-looking results that will address all breast concerns. A combination approach to breast surgery is always personalized so that each step of the procedure addresses your specific breast concerns.

The most significant benefit of combining breast augmentation with a breast lift is improved breast volume and shape. That’s because the breast augmentation portion of the surgery restores lost breast volume via breast implants, whereas the breast lift reshapes and repositions the breasts. Together, a combination surgery, which is very common, results in fuller, more youthful-looking breasts with a natural appearance. The combination also gives you the best of both worlds—improved shape, perkier breasts, and more volume where you need it most.

When combining a breast lift with a breast augmentation, some patients may not need as large of an implant as compared to a breast augmentation alone because the lifting aspect of the surgery puts the breasts into a better position, giving some natural improvement to the upper breast pole. Plus, combining a breast augmentation with a breast lift can boost self-confidence and create a more proportionate look. 

Making the decision between a breast lift vs. a breast augmentation or choosing to undergo both procedures at once is an important one. Dr. Brothers and the team at PSC can help guide you in making the best breast surgery decision for you so that you feel more confident about your breasts and body.