Are you looking for a lift but also needing volume too? Have you been wondering: should I combine a breast lift with a breast augmentation? While it is possible to have both procedures done at the same time, there are a few factors to consider when combining the surgeries.
- Is a Breast Lift Right for Me?
- What Happens During a Breast Lift Procedure
- Combining a Breast Lift with a Breast Augmentation
Is a Breast Lift Right for Me?
First, it’s important to know if a breast lift is the appropriate procedure for you. You might be a good candidate for a breast lift if you’re at a healthy, stable weight but your breasts have a sagging or drooping appearance. Common culprits of sagging include: gravity, pregnancy and nursing, and significant weight loss.
One way to check for sagging breasts is to try the pencil test. Stand in front of a mirror with a pencil. Place the pencil sideways underneath your breast in the crease where your breast meets your chest. If your nipple is below the pencil, your breast is considered to be sagging according to plastic surgery standards.
What Happens During a Breast Lift Procedure
A breast lift, also known as mastoplexy, can be thought of as a breast push, much like what happens when you wear a push-up bra. During a breast lift, skin is removed from around the breast and tightened underneath to push up the breast tissue.
Unlike a transaxillary breast augmentation, a breast lift does leave scars on the breast. The scars will be around the areola, the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple. The areola and nipple are not removed during the surgery, it should be noted, just the surrounding skin. Two short scars will also be underneath the breast.
The breast lift surgery is a fairly simple procedure to recover from. Patients are usually back to work in 5 to 7 days.
Combining a Breast Lift with a Breast Augmentation
Is it possible to combine a breast lift with a breast augmentation? It definitely is. However, there are some factors to consider. When a breast augmentation is performed at the same time as a breast lift, the implants push against the new scars. If the implants placed are overly large, they will put too much pressure on the scars, causing them to spread out and become unsightly.
However, if the procedure is performed with a conservatively-sized implant, the scarring should not be an issue. For patients looking to simply regain the volume in their breasts that they used to have, combining the two procedures might be a great option for them.
For patients hoping for a much larger implant, staging the two procedures might be a better option to avoid unnecessary scaring. To stage the surgeries, Dr. Bartell would first perform a breast lift. Then, once the scars from that procedure healed, he would then perform a breast augmentation.
Breast Lifts in Madison, Wisconsin
If you are interested in a breast lift, please schedule your consultation today. At your consultation, Dr. Bartell will help you decide which or both procedures are right for you. Sometimes women feel as though their breasts are sagging when really, they’re simply lacking in volume. For these women, a breast augmentation can give them the volume and also the lift they’re looking for without the scars involved with a breast lift. You will be able to navigate these considerations at your consultation with Dr. Bartell, who will evaluate your concerns and recommend the right procedure.
Dr. Bartell is a below-the-neck body recontouring expert, providing breast augmentations and breast lifts in Madison, Wisconsin.
Dr. Bartell Body Recontouring Specialist
Should I Combine a Breast Lift with a Breast Augmentation? brought to you by Dr. Thomas Bartell