Do I Need a Breast Lift, Breast Augmentation With a Lift, or Just Augmentation?

When I consult with women considering breast augmentation at my Toronto practice, I sometimes have to explain that they probably need a breast augmentation with a lift. That’s typically not an easy conversation to have because many women believe they can get the results they want with breast augmentation alone.

But after discussing it, they understand that the results of a breast lift combined with breast implants will be much more attractive than without the lift. On the other hand, some women are quite happy with the size of their breasts and come in knowing they only want a lift. Even in those cases, it may be beneficial to combine the 2 procedures.

How do I know if I need a breast lift or just augmentation, you may ask? Usually, it requires a consultation with a Royal College-certified plastic surgeon. In this blog post, I’ll explain the reasons for getting a breast lift or breast augmentation and describe why combining the procedures is best in some circumstances.

When to Get a Breast Lift

Women’s breasts can sag for various reasons. Pregnancy stretches the breast skin and, in many cases, the skin’s elasticity doesn’t rebound after a woman has children. Age is another reason for breasts to lose their youthful shape. A breast lift can:

• Reduce excess skin
• Minimize signs of aging breasts
• Create symmetrical breasts when 1 is larger than the other
• Reposition the location of nipples on the breast
• Adjust the size of areolae

The ultimate goal of breast lift surgery is to reshape the breasts so they appear perkier and more youthful, as you can see in the before and after pictures below. The Aesthetic Society explains more about the benefits of a breast lift.

When to Get Breast Augmentation

Patients considering getting breast implants at my practice have many reasons for making this highly personal choice. They may have always had small breasts and want to enhance the size of the breasts to feel more feminine or increase the clothing styles they can wear. Or they may want to restore lost volume from having children or because of age.

Getting breast implants can not only increase the size of your breasts, but the procedure can also improve your breasts’ shape and feel. Breast augmentation surgery can also:

• Correct breast asymmetry
• Create breasts that are in better proportion to your body type
• Reverse an inverted nipple

One of the common themes I hear from many breast augmentation patients is that they feel self-conscious about the appearance of their breasts and believe breast enhancement surgery can improve their self-esteem. You can read more about the top reasons people choose breast implants in my related blog post.

When to Get Breast Implants With a Lift

It’s important to understand that you can’t improve the appearance of sagging breasts with implants alone. In fact, breast implants can make breasts look even saggier because they add weight. When there is minor sagging (called ptosis), breast augmentation alone may be okay. In most cases, however, combining the procedures produce beautiful results. Patients often worry about having incisions on the breasts, but anti-scar creams can greatly fade the appearance of scars.

I perform hundreds of cosmetic breast surgeries every year and can help you make the right decision based on your needs. You can see the types of results I get by viewing before-and-after photos of my actual breast augmentation and breast lift patients. You can also contact us to request a consultation using the online form or call us at (416) 925-7337 (Toronto) or (905) 743-9888 (Oshawa) to schedule an appointment.