Breast Augmentation Vs Breast Lift: Which is Right for You?

If you are looking to enhance the appearance of your bust line, there are a number of options available. The technique you choose will depend on the specific issues you are hoping to resolve and the overall outcome you want to achieve. Two of the most popular procedures for breast enhancement are breast augmentation and a breast lift. We will take a look at each of these procedures to help you determine if one, or possibly both, are suited to you and your cosmetic goals.

What is a Breast Lift?

A breast lift, also known as a mastopexy, raises and firms the breasts for a whole new contour. While some procedures may provide additional cleavage due to the new positioning of the breasts, this technique does not actually

make the breasts bigger by itself. Some of the benefits of a breast lift include:

• A fix for drooping breasts
• A repositioning of the nipple for a more natural look
• A younger, perkier contour with firmer breasts

While a breast lift is helpful for sagging breasts, there are some drawbacks to the procedure, including more scarring than with breast augmentation. Some women are also disappointed to find that their breast size does not increase with this procedure, so the results may not be as dramatic as they were hoping for.

What is Breast Augmentation?

The purpose of breast augmentation is to actually increase your cup size by placing implants into your breasts to get a larger size. Implants come in either saline or silicone, with saline often the less expensive option. However, saline implants can leak, leading many women to pay a little more for the peace of mind of silicone implants. The benefits of breast augmentation include:

• A variety of implants allow women to get the look they desire
• Scarring is usually in an inconspicuous area
• The breasts measure larger after the procedure

If a woman who is seeking a breast augmentation also has a problem with drooping breasts, the augmentation procedure alone will not reposition the nipples for a more natural look. In these circumstances, it may be necessary to perform both augmentation and a lift. This can be done in a single procedure, or the lift can be done some time after the augmentation is complete.

Which is Right for You?

The choice to have breast augmentation and/or a breast lift is a personal one. As a general rule, women who have sagging breasts will probably want to consider a breast lift. However, women must understand that they will be exchanging the drooping effect for a significant amount of scarring. When the sagging is pronounced, this decision may be an easy one to make. However, for those who have mild to moderate sagging, the decision may not be quite so easy.

For women who do not experience any sagging, but want to increase the size of the breasts, a breast augmentation is probably a better decision. Implants will increase breast size and provide additional cleavage. The choice between saline and silicone implants is not always an easy one, nor is it simple to know the best placement for the implants. A patient and doctor must work together to determine the best choice for a patient's individual body shape and needs.

In some cases, both procedures may be performed at once for a more dramatic result. The increased breast size is easily supported by the lift procedure, and the nipple repositioning provides a more natural look. If you think you will need both procedures for best results, talk to your doctor about whether you should have both done at the same time. If you are unsure of the breast lift procedure, your doctor may recommend getting breast augmentation first, and then deciding whether a breast lift is still required to achieve the desired result.

Women who are unhappy with the look of their breasts have a number of options available. Whether you are considering a breast augmentation, breast lift or a combination of the two, it is important to talk to a board-certified plastic surgeon to assess all your options thoroughly.

source: plasticsurgeryportal.com; safecosmeticsurgery.net; wikipedia.org