07 Oct Beyond Breast Implants: Should You Combine Your Augmentation With A Breast Lift?
Understanding Breast Augmentation And Complementing Procedures
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgery procedures performed in the United States, with more than 300,000 breast augmentations performed in one year. The procedure centers around increasing the size of a person’s breasts via inserting breast implants in the body. However, there are limitations to the surgery, and some patients may want to complement breast augmentation with a breast lift.
Breast augmentation explained
Breast augmentation solely focuses on incorporating implants to increase the size of the breasts. Different methods, materials, and placements can be used to achieve certain looks. Prospective patients should understand that the procedure is usually customized to achieve certain goals. For example, some people may want to correct visible breast asymmetry, a condition where the breasts are not the same size. Saline and silicone are the two most popular substances used in implants which are usually inserted either on top of or under the chest muscles. But while augmentation can make breasts look larger, the process doesn’t raise the breasts’ profile.
Breast lifts explained
While breast augmentation simply makes breasts larger, a breast lift works to visibly raise the height of the breasts or create a perky effect. Formally known as mastopexy, the surgery works to tighten the skin around the breasts by removing any excess skin and possibly repositioning the nipple higher on the chest. The procedure is often a solution for individuals concerned about droopy or flat breasts, as well as people that feel the nipples have gotten larger because of common life events like pregnancy, breastfeeding, or even significant weight changes.
Can breast implants and a breast lift be performed together?
The short answer is yes, both procedures can occur at the same time. And in fact, surgeons will often recommend combining the surgeries for patients that wish to do both. For these clients, the ultimate goal is to not only increase the size of the breasts but improve the profile for a more youthful appearance. When performed together, the surgery is often referred to as an augmentation/pexy. One of the best benefits of opting for a dual procedure is that a patient doesn’t need to undergo multiple invasive surgeries and will ideally recover in less time.
Make an informed decision
Both breast augmentations and breast lifts are often casually referred to as boob jobs. But both surgeries are very different. More importantly, not all people are ideal candidates for either procedure. For this reason, individuals interested in exploring plastic surgery to improve the look of the breasts are encouraged to seek a consultation from a board-certified plastic surgeon. A surgeon can evaluate the patient and work together to determine the right volume, material, and even implant shape for a breast implant, as well as determine what steps to take if a breast lift is needed.