Breast lift (mastopexy) with implants

"I liked how my breasts looked when I was pregnant. Now they look deflated."

Can I get implants with my breast lift?

Yes,a Breast Lift can be performed with or without an implant. A full discussion of breast lift without an implant may be seen by reading our breast lift procedure page.

Who are the candidates for a breast lift with implants?

If you have sagging breasts and a loss of fullness in the top portion of your breasts, you are likely a candidate for the procedure. Women who find they liked the fullness their breasts during pregnancy better than post-pregnancy are good candidates for a breast lift with implants.

It's normal for the breasts to sag as you grow older. The breasts, like the rest of the body, tend to sag with age. The sagging can be exacerbated by childbirth, genetics, stretch marks on the breast skin, weight gain, and weight loss.

Many women seeking a breast lift in our Baltimore office wish to regain the full, pert, projecting breast that they had in their teens and some say they dislike the scooped out appearance of the breasts and the loss of fullness in the upper part of the breast. As we age, the breast skin and ligaments that hold the breast to the muscle beneath (the structures that support the breast) become stretched and weaker.

Treatment of sagging breasts with a breast lift and implants

Breasts sag when the skin gets looser and when the amount of breast tissue decreases. There are two ways to tackle the problem. Dr. Rodriguez is an experienced breast surgeon who will explain your options fully after your consultation and examination. The problem of loose skin is covered with the breast lift (mastopexy) procedure.

To address the issue of loss of volume or fullness in the breast, a breast augmentation (implant) is often recommended at the same time as the lift. The breast implant fills up the extra skin of the breast. The round shaped implants manufactured by Allergan Corporation and Mentor Corporation work well to restore the fullness that was in the upper aspect of the breasts.

In some cases with just slight sagging of the breasts, an implant alone without any additional mastopexy (breastlift) may lift the breast. In most cases, the implant is placed beneath the pectoral muscle and the breast lift is then performed. The shape of the breast mound is usually better when both breast augmentation and breast lift are performed together. Although breast lift surgery will raise the gland and the nipple the overall effect on the shape of the breast is a slight flattening.

The placement of an implant (even a small one) will fill out the breast and improve the projection. Note: The average breast implant weighs about 12oz (350g). This additional weight on the chest may accelerate the rate of ongoing breast ptosis if the implant is placed above the muscle.

Is that too much surgery to do on the breast all at one time?

No. We perform the combination breast lift with breast augmentation on a frequent basis. The down time for a breast lift with implants is no more than if either procedure was performed alone.

We find that when mastopexy (breast lift) and augmentation are done at the same time, less skin has to be removed, therefore resulting in less scarring. Most of our mastopexy-augmentations are done using the crescent or partial circumareolar incision. Only in very droopy breasts do we use the 'lollipop' incision. To get a better idea of the various techniques and the types of scars associated with each one see our blog post, Breast Surgery: What type of scar do I get with different breast techniques?.

Can I get more cleavage with my implants?

Yes, increased cleavage is easily attained with this procedure. However, there are two types of cleavage: medial cleavage and upper pole fullness. Dr. Rodriguez discusses the difference between the two in his blog post covering the types of breast cleavage.

Plastic Surgery Interactive Quiz from Dr. Rodriguez

To find out if you should consider having a breast lift with your breast augmentation, please visit Dr. Rodriguez's interactive plastic surgery quiz 'What's Right for Me?'.

Can I finance my breast lift procedure?

Yes, we work with several finance companies. Please call the office at 410-494-8100 or see our financing section to find out more information.

Make arrangements for your breast lift consultation with Dr. Rodriguez in Baltimore by giving us a call at 410-494-8100. We also offer a virtual consultation option.