As women age, they often face concerns like wrinkles, loose skin, and sagging breasts. These physical changes can vary in intensity, but the desire for a firm, youthful bustline remains common among women of all ages.

While breast augmentation can increase fullness and improve shape, it doesn't always address issues of sagging or droopiness. To lift and reshape sagging breasts, a breast lift (mastopexy) can be performed. Combining a breast lift with augmentation often provides the most comprehensive results, enhancing both the position and volume of the breasts.

What Can a Breast Lift with Augmentation Achieve?

A breast lift with implants combines two procedures into a single surgery, offering a popular solution for enhancing breast aesthetics. Breast augmentation alone enhances fullness but doesn't correct sagging. By adding a breast lift, the breasts are raised and reshaped, resulting in fuller, elevated breasts and enhanced cleavage.

What Does the Surgery Involve?

The combined procedure typically takes one to two hours and is performed through a single incision. By addressing both augmentation and lifting in one surgery, patients benefit from a single recovery period, which is especially advantageous for those eager to return to their daily routines and responsibilities.

Is Combining a Breast Lift with Implants Safe?

According to this study, combining a breast lift with augmentation is both safe and effective for eligible adult women. The study found that complication rates were similar to when each procedure was performed individually.

Some women choose to further enhance their results by adding procedures like a tummy tuck or liposuction to address excess abdominal skin and fat—a combination often referred to as a "mommy makeover."

Who Is an Ideal Candidate?

Determining the most suitable procedure can be challenging, but consulting with a plastic surgeon helps create a personalized surgical plan. Ideal candidates are healthy women with realistic expectations. A combined breast lift and augmentation is appropriate for women who:

• Have small breasts with sagging
• Have lost breast volume and skin elasticity due to pregnancy or significant weight loss
• Have naturally sagging breasts
• Experience asymmetry, with one breast larger or positioned higher than the other

Often, women face both volume loss and sagging—concerns that a breast lift alone may not fully address.

What Are the Advantages of Combining Procedures?

Undergoing a breast lift with augmentation offers several benefits:

• Customized Results: The combination allows for sculpting the breasts to the desired size and shape, achieving firmness, proper positioning, and increased volume in one surgery.

• Optimal Outcomes: While implants increase volume and improve shape, they may exacerbate sagging over time as skin elasticity decreases. Adding a breast lift removes excess skin and provides support to both natural tissue and implants.

• Single Recovery Period: Completing both procedures simultaneously reduces total downtime, with patients typically returning to work within one to two weeks.

• Cost Efficiency: Performing the surgeries together can result in cost savings on surgical fees, anesthesia, and facility charges, compared to scheduling them separately.

Final Thoughts

Sagging or disproportionate breasts can impact self-confidence, but various surgical options are available to address these concerns. Understanding the benefits and procedures involved in combining a breast lift with augmentation empowers women to make informed decisions about their breast enhancement options.

Consulting with a qualified plastic surgeon is essential to develop a surgical plan tailored to individual goals and needs.