Has getting dressed in the morning become a chore because no matter what you wear, you feel like your breasts are ruining the look of your outfit? Maybe they’re too small and don’t fill out the cute top you just bought. Or maybe your problem is sagging, and finding a bra to accommodate your excess skin makes you want to stop wearing a bra altogether.
You’re not alone in your struggle. In 2022, nearly 440,000 women chose breast augmentation or breast lift surgery to regain their figure and confidence.
But which procedure is best for you? Should you combine your breast augmentation with a breast lift?
Below, we explore each procedure and its results.
What to Know About Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is an outpatient procedure that typically takes around 45 minutes and requires about one to two weeks of recovery. Before your breast augmentation surgery, you will decide what type of implant you want (silicone or saline), the placement of the implants (under or over the pectoral muscles), the size of the implants, and whether a breast lift is also recommended.
Dr. Lo specializes in scarless breast augmentation that utilizes incisions underneath the arm.
Reasons to Undergo Breast Augmentation
Women undergo breast augmentation or breast implant surgery for many reasons, but it is most often to restore their self-esteem and confidence in how their breasts look. Women with small breasts who wish they were larger or have breasts that are disproportionately smaller compared with the rest of their body are good candidates for breast augmentation.
Other reasons you may choose breast augmentation include:
- Loss of shape or volume after pregnancy, breastfeeding, or significant weight loss
- Correcting uneven or asymmetrical breasts
- Restoring volume lost after mastectomy surgery
Breast augmentation is safe for anyone who is in good physical health.
What to Know About Breast Lift Surgery
A breast lift, or mastopexy, is designed to lift and recontour sagging breasts, removing excess skin and molding the breast into a youthful contour. It is an outpatient procedure that takes around two hours to complete and requires approximately one to two weeks of recovery.
Before your breast lift surgery, you will learn what type of incision will be used and decide if you want to add breast augmentation to your breast lift.
Reasons to Undergo a Breast Lift
As with breast augmentation, women who choose breast lift surgery do so for several reasons. Many women who have had children, breastfed, or lost weight want to restore shape to their breasts and correct the droopy look. For some women, age or other changes have caused their skin to lose elasticity, causing their breasts to sag and their nipples to point downwards.
Other reasons include:
- Neck or back discomfort from the weight of sagging breasts
- A wish to look and feel better in bras, bikinis, and other clothing
- The desire for a more youthful body contour
If you are done having children or have reached your goal weight, a breast lift is for you.
Benefits of Combining a Breast Lift With Breast Augmentation
Some women may choose to combine breast augmentation with a breast lift. Both procedures help boost your confidence.
Optimal Breast Contour
Breast augmentation performed on its own can restore volume to deflated breasts and correct asymmetry. However, it does not address sagging breasts and may worsen the problem by adding implant weight.
On the other hand, a breast lift performed on its own focuses on issues stemming from skin laxity, such as sagging, stretched-out nipples, or uneven breasts. A breast lift can tighten and reshape the breasts, but it does not add volume to the existing tissues.
Adding a breast lift to your breast augmentation gives you the best of both worlds. You get to restore volume to your breasts and get a lifted look and more youthful breasts.
Shorter Recovery Time
If you undergo breast augmentation or a lift at separate times, you can expect about one to two weeks of recovery per procedure before returning to normal activities. When you combine the two, you recover simultaneously.
Whether you get breast augmentation, a breast lift, or combine the two, you’ll begin to see the results of your surgery immediately and even more when the swelling resolves in about seven to 10 days.
Be patient; it may take several months before your breasts are completely healed and you see the final results.
Am I a Good Candidate for Breast Augmentation With a Lift?
The best candidates for breast augmentation with a lift are women who have one or more of the issues associated with wanting breast augmentation or a breast lift. Loss of volume and skin laxity play a part in your decision to add a breast lift to your augmentation to improve your overall breast look and self-esteem.
Check out the exceptional results of these women who added a breast lift to their breast augmentation.
Learn More About Combining Your Breast Augmentation With a Breast Lift in Philadelphia
The best way to find out if you’re a good candidate for breast augmentation combined with a breast lift is to contact Dr. Adrian Lo for an appointment. He will listen to your concerns, examine you, and work with you to create a customized treatment plan designed to leave you looking as beautiful as you imagined.
To schedule a consultation, call 215-829-6900 or fill out our online contact form.