Many women who come into my practice are initially confused about what procedure will best achieve the breast aesthetic they desire. It’s understandable. The barrage of social media mixed with micro-influencers and celebrity whispers of cosmetic surgery creates a great deal of mystery around what procedure will provide the best results for more youthful breasts.
When it comes to breasts, size and shape are interrelated. Breast reduction surgery is a classic example in that the procedure includes a breast lift AND reduction in the size (volume) of breast tissue. But women will often ask if they need breast reduction surgery or breast lifting surgery.
Here’s how to tell-
How To Tell If You Need A Breast Lift
Many moms will come into my practices feeling deflated about the appearance of their breasts after pregnancy and weight loss. It’s common for most women to experience some degree of saggy breast tissue and less volume overall.
A breast lift is a surgical procedure that involves removing the excess loose skin, elevating the nipple/areolar complex, and reshaping the breast to a rounder, perkier shape.
Women who need breast lifts
Most women who opt for a breast reduction struggle with the following due to their breast size and weight:
-Physical activity limitations
-Back and neck discomfort
-Poor posture
-Difficulty breathing and sleeping
-Chronic skin rashes
-Difficulty finding clothing with proper support
How Is A Breast Lift Done?
A breast lift is most often done using 1 of 3 techniques, depending on the degree of correction needed to give a beautiful outcome.
The Three Breast Lift Techniques
The Benelli Lift is also known as a “Donut Lift”. This technique involves making an incision around the outside of the areola in a donut shape.
The Lollipop Lift gets its name because the scar lines mimic a lollipop around the areola, with a round incision around the areola going down the lower-middle part of the breast to the inframammary fold.
Also known as a Full Breast Lift, the Anchor Lift is accomplished using an incision around the areolea, a vertical incision from the nipple to the breast crease, and a horizontal incision in the breast crease of variable length.
Choosing Between a Breast Lift and Breast Reduction
A breast reduction is designed to lift the breast while reducing its overall size. While a breast lift involves the simple removal of excess skin, a full breast reduction involves removing breast tissue to reduce the size of the breasts. It’s a total game-changer for women who suffer from heavy breasts that sag well below the breast fold.
The amount of breast tissue removed is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the degree of sag involved and the new size desired by the patients.
Learn More In A Complimentary Consultation
Regardless, having breast lift surgery or a breast reduction will leave you looking perky and feeling refreshed. Patient satisfaction with both procedures is very high. Recovery times for both procedures are typically about a week with breast reductions taking slightly longer.
With both procedures, the primary concern for most women is the visible scars that come with having these types of rejuvenation surgeries. In my plastic surgery practice, we pay careful attention to your scars.
