Breast Augmentation Instead of Breast Lift

from plastic surgery

Some women optimistically and erroneously believe that breast implants will raise their droopy breasts. This is not true. Implants do increase the projection of the breast and nipple, but they do not raise the nipple higher. In some cases, breast implants can lower the breast mound and thus cause the nipple to appear relatively higher, but the actual nipple height does not change.

Augmentation Alone in Cases of Mild Droop

Because augmentation does not affect nipple height, women who choose augmentation alone must be prepared for persistently low nipples after surgery. Because most women with mild droop would prefer low nipples over the scars of a lift, this is a reasonable option, provided they understand these issues.

Augmentation Alone in Cases of Moderate or Advanced Droop

In cases of moderate or advanced droop, augmentation alone often results in unfavorable cosmetic results. Because the nipple in these cases is so low, it might appear as though the nipple and natural breast tissues are hanging off the implant and that the implant is causing an unnatural bulge in the upper half of the breast.

In an effort to avoid this appearance, you might think that lowering the implant farther will solve the problem. Unfortunately, lowering the implant in cases of moderate or severe droop can cause a double-bubble.

Recommendation

Bulging of the upper half of the breast or double-bubble of the lower half can occur in mild droop, but they are more likely with increasing degrees of droop. Even so, women with moderate or advanced droop can still choose to have augmentation alone—provided they want to increase breast size and they understand these issues. If after an augmentation alone, they are dissatisfied with the appearance of their breasts and wish to have a lift, they may do so. Because a secondary lift more easily remedies the problem of upper bulging than lower double-bubble, I recommend that women choosing to have an augmentation alone proceed with the goal of implant placement as low as possible, while not so low as to cause a double-bubble. If in doing so an upper bulge exists, it can either be accepted or remedied with a lift.

Breast Augmentation in Combination with Lift

Women who desire both larger and higher breasts may seek to combine breast augmentation and lift. Most plastic surgeons perform both procedures concurrently. One distinct advantage of having both a lift and augmentation is that the implants can lend an aesthetic shape to the upper half of the breasts, whereas a lift alone often leaves the upper half of the breasts hollow.