When it comes to surgically enhancing your breasts, you have several options. Breast augmentation with implants and breast lift both improve the appearance of the breasts — but in very different ways. It’s common to feel confused when attempting to find the procedure (or combination of procedures) that is right for you.
To help clarify your options, Dr. Sean Maguire of Physician’s Center for Beauty breaks down what each procedure can and cannot accomplish, and he explains the benefits of performing both procedures in tandem.
What Breast Lift Can and Cannot Accomplish
Breast lift is designed to improve the position of saggy, flat breasts. The procedure repositions the breast tissue and the nipple in a more youthful and perky arrangement on the chest wall. But breast lift cannot significantly increase the volume or fullness of the breasts.
Signs You Could Benefit from Breast Lift
Perhaps the best way to tell whether you could benefit from breast lift is to look at the position of your nipples. Are they at or below your inframammary fold (i.e., the crease where your breast meets your torso)? If so, breast lift may give you the youthful-looking breasts you desire.
What Breast Augmentation Can and Cannot Accomplish
Breast augmentation fills out small or asymmetrical breasts by placing saline or silicone implants in front of or behind the chest muscle. Depending on the shape of the implant used, breast augmentation can produce a round breast shape (with equal fullness on top and bottom of the breast) or a teardrop-shaped breast (with a gentle slope and more fullness at the bottom of the breast).
Placing implants generally does not improve the position of the breasts or fix loose, saggy skin.
Signs You Could Benefit from Breast Augmentation
You could benefit from breast augmentation if you desire greater breast fullness and projection. For the best aesthetic results, your breast skin should be firm and elastic, and your nipples should sit above the inframammary fold.
The Best of Both Worlds
If you are concerned about a lack of breast fullness and breast sag, you may be a great candidate for combination breast lift with implants. The breasts are moved higher on the chest wall and augmented with saline or silicone implants during the same operation.
Ultimately, the right way to determine the procedure that best aligns with your goals is to meet with a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Maguire. Please call (502) 897-7546 or email our office to request an appointment with Dr. Maguire today.
