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Breast Lift Vs. Breast Implants: When to Consider Each Surgery                                                                                

A woman’s sense of femininity and self-image are often closely related to her breast appearance. Dissatisfaction with breast appearance can impact confidence, self-esteem, and a positive body image. Cosmetic breast rejuvenation procedures like breast lifts, breast augmentation, and breast lifts with implants are designed to enhance and restore the breast’s appearance. However, they focus on improving different aspects of breast appearance.

When you’re considering breast rejuvenation procedures, it’s important to ask which one is the right option. Dr. Sandra Margoles explains the difference between the procedures and how they can benefit you.

Understanding Breast Lift Surgery

Many factors, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, age, genetics, gravity, and weight fluctuations, can impact the appearance of the breasts. Breast lift, also known as mastopexy, focuses on elevating the breasts and repositioning the nipples and areolae to a more pleasing position, creating a more enhanced figure.

A breast lift helps create better proportions and balanced figures by restoring the appearance of sagging breasts by improving:

  • Deflated breasts
  • Stretched or drooping areolae
  • Nipples that point downward
  • Pendulous breasts
  • Asymmetrical breasts
  • Sagging skin

While breast lifts effectively revitalize breast appearance by improving position, breast lifts do not increase breast size or fullness.

Understanding Breast Implants

Breast augmentation enhances breast fullness, size, proportions, and projection. The procedure achieves these effects through breast implants, including saline or silicone implants. During your consultation, Dr. Margoles will help you determine the best option for your anatomy and aesthetic goals. The FDA requires you to be at least 18 years old for saline implants and 22 years old for silicone implants.

To increase your self-confidence, breast implants can transform and enhance the appearance of your breasts by:

  • Adding or restoring breast volume
  • Reshaping the breasts
  • Creating a more voluptuous, better-proportioned figure
  • Restore symmetrical concerns

Breast augmentation addresses size, projection, and fullness; however, it does not address concerns regarding breast position or sagging.

Key Differences Between Breast Lift and Breast Augmentation

While breast lift and breast augmentation both enhance the appearance of the breasts, they focus on different aspects. A breast lift focuses on lifting the position of sagging breast tissue, improving its appearance but not increasing its size. Breast augmentation focuses on increasing breast size and projection by adding volume through implants but does not address sagging.

When to Consider a Breast Lift

Choosing a breast rejuvenation procedure is a highly personal decision. However, breast lifts are the right option to correct sagging breasts. 

You might consider a breast lift if:

  • Your breasts are sagging, have lost volume and shape, or have deflated and become longer
  • Your nipples point downward or fall below the breast crease
  • Your areolas have elongated or stretched out of proportion to the breasts
  • You have asymmetrical breasts
  • You have stretched skin

When to Consider Breast Implants

The decision to choose breast implants is uniquely personal, and patients should consider that breast implants are not lifelong devices when determining whether this procedure is appropriate. Breast implants should be removed or replaced every 10 to 20 years or as recommended by your plastic surgeon.

You might consider a breast augmentation if:

  • Your breasts are disproportionately small
  • You want larger breasts
  • You have asymmetrical breasts
  • You want to improve your breast shape
  • Your breasts have lost volume

Can You Combine a Breast Lift with Implants?

To address both lost volume and sagging breasts, a breast lift with implants combines the effects of both procedures to rejuvenate the breast appearance in one procedure. A breast lift with implants is designed to not only restore breast size and fullness but also improve breast position and projection.

Combining a breast lift with a breast augmentation allows you to address multiple concerns with the appearance of your breasts simultaneously, helping you achieve your aesthetic goals more quickly.

How to Choose the Right Surgery for Your Goals

Choosing the right breast rejuvenation procedure greatly depends on your aesthetic goals. If you are looking to restore a youthful appearance to sagging breasts without increasing breast size, a breast lift is most likely your best option. However, if you do not have sagging breasts and want to increase the size of your breasts, breast augmentation may be the correct choice. If you are experiencing sagging breasts and would also like to increase the size of your breasts, a breast lift with implants is likely the right procedure for you.

Recovery and Results: What to Expect

Following a breast rejuvenation procedure, you may see visible enhancements to your figure immediately. However, it’s important to expect bruising and swelling that may last a few weeks. In 3 to 4 months, swelling will resolve and the implants will settle as your body heals, revealing your overall results.

Recovery time for breast lift and breast augmentation procedures is similar, but individual recovery experiences depend on the characteristics of the procedure and the body’s healing ability. As breast augmentation is typically less invasive, it requires slightly less time for initial recovery than a breast lift.

Consulting with a Plastic Surgeon for Your Breast Surgery

The first step toward achieving optimal breast rejuvenation results starts by a consultation with a highly skilled plastic surgeon. As a skilled breast rejuvenation specialist, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sandra Margoles will take the time to understand your aesthetic goals and explain the differences between breast augmentations and breast lifts so you can make an educated decision about the best procedure to achieve your goals.

Making the Best Decision for Your Body

Many factors can impact your breast appearance. Genetics, age, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and weight loss can take their toll on your figure. With many breast enhancement procedures available to improve the appearance of your breasts, the options can be overwhelming. Scheduling your consultation with a skilled breast rejuvenation specialist like Dr. Margoles is the best way to determine which procedure will address your concerns.

Breast lift and breast augmentation candidates are those who want to revitalize the appearance of their breasts. Dr. Margoles recommends candidates for Greenwich breast rejuvenation should:

  • Be in good overall health
  • Live a healthy lifestyle
  • Be non-smokers or willing to quit before surgery
  • Have no immediate plans for pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Realistic expectations of the procedure and a positive attitude
  • Understand the surgical risks

Schedule Your Breast Rejuvenation Consultation Today!

Selecting the right plastic surgeon for your breast rejuvenation will help you choose the correct procedure—a breast augmentation, breast lift, or breast lift with implants—to address your unique concerns. Dr. Sandra Margoles invites you to schedule your consultation to begin your transformation and enhance your confidence with the best breast rejuvenation procedures in Greenwich, CT. Contact us at (203) 869-2939 or complete our online form to start your breast rejuvenation journey today!