Breast Lift vs. Breast Augmentation – What Are the Differences
Breasts are subject to significant changes in response to factors such as aging, pregnancy and breastfeeding, genetic factors, weight loss or weight gain, and hormonal fluctuations.
In time, the skin loses elasticity, and the loss of volume and firmness of the breasts is a natural process that affects women both aesthetically and emotionally.
When you are unhappy with the shape of your breasts and want a change, cosmetic surgery can help. Let’s take a closer look at two popular breast enhancement surgeries: breast lift and breast augmentation; learn the differences and ultimately understand which procedure is best aligned with your needs and goals.
What is a Breast Lift Surgery (Mastopexy)?
A breast lift (mastopexy) is a surgery that uses your own body tissues to reposition breasts while giving them firmness, more volume, and a youthful appearance.
This procedure is ideal for women unsatisfied with the appearance of their breasts, which are sagging and lacking volume because of gravity, pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations, or old age.
To ensure the best possible results, alongside a breast lift, it is recommended to also have breast augmentation with implants (breast augmentation) or breast reduction (if the natural breasts are too large). This can be discussed with the plastic surgeon at the initial consultation.
How Do I Know I Need Breast Lift Surgery?
You can test breast sagginess by inserting three fingers under the breast groove. If the breast falls over these three fingers, it is a sagging breast that may benefit from breast lift surgery.
Who Is The Ideal Candidate For The Breast Lift Procedure?
You can consider a breast lift at different stages of life, and for many reasons, one of the most evident being that a breast lift may provide a significant improvement in the appearance of breasts.
Reach out to your surgeon and discuss your aesthetic goals to determine if a breast lift is the right choice for you.
Some of the factors they may consider will include:
General health condition (if you have medical conditions or are taking any medication that could interfere with the safety of the procedure).
If you are a smoker (smoking may cause a slower incision healing process).
General satisfaction with breast size, with the desire to just correct sagginess and create a more pleasing aesthetics of the breasts.
Breast Lift Surgical Techniques
Complete Breast Lift
The procedure is used on women with severe sagging breasts and is the most commonly used technique. It involves making incisions around the areola, vertically towards the inframammary fold, and under the breast.
Periareolar Lift
It is indicated in situations where the sagging is smaller. Your doctor will tell you if you qualify for this type of procedure. The incisions are only around the areola.
Breast Implant Lift
The procedure involves not only lifting the breasts but also increasing their volume. The technique used is the standard one alongside the breast implant procedure. Their presence will contribute to a better prominence of the breasts, especially if the patient has breast ptosis associated with a reduced breast volume. The advantages of the procedure are a visible improvement in the position of the breasts and an increase in cup size.
How Fast Can You See The Results? How Long Do They Last?
The results are immediate: breasts will be lifted and symmetrical without losing their natural appearance. But the final results appear after the first six weeks and improve over time as the scars fade.
These results should last for the long term, but weight changes, pregnancy, and age can change the appearance of the breast.
Therefore, to maintain the effects of the procedure as long as possible, try to maintain a stable weight, balanced diet, and daily exercise.
What is a Breast Augmentation Surgery?
Breast augmentation is one of the most popular procedures performed around the globe: during surgery, breast implants are placed under the breast tissue or chest muscles.
Breast augmentation can also be combined with a breast lift, known as mastopexy. The procedure is recommended for people who:
Want a fuller look for their breasts
Want a breast lift along with breast augmentation
Want to correct asymmetry or any other genetic problem.
How To Prepare For Breast Augmentation?
Start by talking to your plastic surgeon about your preferences regarding the shape, feel, and appearance of your breasts.
You should consider the following:
Breast implants will not prevent sagging breasts; for this process, a breast lift is needed after breast augmentation
It is not guaranteed that implants will last a lifetime; implant rupture is possible. Also, your breasts will age with age, and factors such as weight gain or weight loss can affect the appearance of your breasts
Mammography can be more complicated
Breastfeeding may be affected.
If you have decided on surgery, you will need to have a mammogram, and your doctor may also limit your intake of certain medicines (e.g., aspirin to prevent bleeding).
You are also advised not to smoke for a certain period of time before the operation.
What Are The Implants Options?
The surgeon will present you with different types of implants, as well as options for surgical techniques.
Possible implant options are either saline (filled with saline) or silicone (filled with a silicone gel).
The amount of saline in saline implants varies, changing the shape and firmness of the implant. If a saline implant cracks, it will deflate, and the serum will be absorbed and eliminated naturally by the body.
On the other hand, the elastic gel in silicone implants gives a feel and looks much closer to natural breast tissue. If the implant leaks, the gel may remain in its capsule or slip into the implant pocket.
A silicone implant will not deflate, but if you opt for this type of breast implant, you will need to have regular check-ups to ensure its integrity (ultrasound, MRI).
Final words
In conclusion, each of the two procedures is unique and serves a different scope.
While a breast lift can help with breast position, it will not increase the size of your breast.
If you are looking for a fuller breast shape and bigger size, breast augmentation could be your solution. Most commonly, the two procedures are combined – which gives patients a fuller cup size and repositioned breast and nipples.