Many women ask whether they should get breast implants or a breast lift. Actually these two procedures are different. In fact, some people combine the two procedures.
First, determine what you would like to achieve. If you are concerned about nipple position and your nipples point downward or sit below your breast crease, a breast lift might be right for you. While raising breast tissue, a breast lift will also reposition the nipple/areola to a more proportionate position. Your doctor can reshape your nipple as well. A breast lift can restore the youthful contour of your breasts.
If you are concerned about breast volume, a breast implant can be the right choice because it can restore volume and improve the shape of your breasts. It depends on how round or full you would like your breasts to appear. You might feel that your breasts are too small or you may want to correct asymmetrical breasts. Implants can help.
Breast implants make your breasts larger but don’t lift them. Breast lifts will lift your breasts but won’t make them bigger. A breast lift and breast augmentation can be performed alone or combined into one procedure. Combing procedures can save you both money and time spent in recovery. But normally you can have a breast lift years after your breast augmentation if you choose.
Breast lift surgery can have a great outcome but be cautious about scars. Sometimes a breast lift can be performed with minimal scarring but there is indeed scarring. Scars can be present after breast implants as well depending on the type of surgery your physician performs. The best thing to do is talk to your plastic surgeon and ask to see pictures. Ask to see patients also. A lot of patients are very happy with the surgeon’s work and are happy to show other patients their results.
Find a physician who is board-certified in plastic surgery and who devotes a good deal of his/her practice to breast surgery. Also, if you do decide to have breast implants, make sure you are happy with the size. Remember the breasts are for you and not your doctor. The doctor should not choose the size that he/she feels you should get. Often a physician will let you put an implant in your bra with a t-shirt over it. Also, there is 3-D computer imaging available so you can see how you might look. The actress, Jane Seymour said that her plastic surgeon had to special order implants for her. She is petite and wanted breast implants that worked with her small frame.
A breast lift and breast implants are a big decision. So do all of your homework first and decide if either procedure or both is right for you. If you’re considering pregnancy at any point in the future, you might delay getting a breast lift. During pregnancy, your breasts could stretch and offset the results of the lift. Breastfeeding is a consideration as well. Although breastfeeding is usually possible after a breast lift (since the nipples aren’t separated from the underlying breast tissue ) some women might have difficulty producing enough milk.
I was always confused about implants vs. a lift. I had a consultation with a plastic surgeon and he said I could just do a lift. But what happens if you lose weight and then you want bigger breasts? I went to another plastic surgeon and he said you should be at your ideal weight before having plastic surgery. But good luck with that.