Women looking to augment the size of their breasts sometimes find they need a breast lift as well as a breast augmentation to achieve maximum effect. Dr. Thomas Liszka of Ballantyne Plastic Surgery in Charlotte, North Carolina, talks here about the need to perform the two operations together.
Aging, weight loss and childbirth can lead to a loss of natural skin elasticity. As a result, many women notice a sagging or drooping appearance of their breasts. A breast lift, or mastopexy, is a surgical option to restore a more youthful shape by raising the breast.
During your consultation, we will help you determine if you are a candidate for a breast lift and which lift is right for you to achieve the look you desire. The type of breast lift performed determines whether general or local anesthesia is necessary, the length of surgery, and recovery time. This procedure can also be performed with placement of breast implants to give you a firmer, fuller, and larger breast.
Breast Augmentation
Many women with small or uneven breasts due to genetics, pregnancy, or weight loss turn to breast augmentation to give themself a fuller, more proportionate breast. This procedure is one of the most frequently performed cosmetic surgery options, and can be performed in conjunction with a breast lift to correct sagging or drooping.
After an initial consultation, we assist our patients to determine what size implant they should have and whether a saline or silicone gel implant is best. Implants are placed through a tiny incision at the breast fold, base of the areola, or armpit. The operation takes approximately one and one half hours and is performed under general anesthesia.
Many of our patients elect to receive a state-of-the-art pain relief system that reduces the need for narcotics and allows for a quicker, gentler recovery. Typical recovery time is within three to seven days, with no exercise allowed before two weeks after the operation.
Implant Alone Not Always Enough
When a woman is interested in breast augmentation, it is important to determine if she needs a lift as well as augmentation. If they have too much droop or sag to the breast, an implant alone will not look pretty.
In that case, the implant will sit too high on the breast, and the nipple too low. The breast will look like it’s falling off the implant. Usually if the nipple is below the level of the natural fold of the breast then a lift is necessary.
Sometimes I see patients who other doctors have operated on, and who are unhappy with the results. The problem often is that they did not do a lift at the same time. The breast looks too full at the top and it looks like the nipple is falling off the breast.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
