Breast Augmentation vs. Breast Lift: How to Choose the Right Procedure for You
The size of breasts can influence how a woman feels about her body. If you are uncomfortable about your breast size, you might think of surgical procedures. The most common surgeries are breast augmentation and breast lift.
What is breast augmentation?
Breast augmentation (augmentation mammoplasty) is a surgical procedure that involves breast enlargement. Breast implants are placed under the chest muscles or the breast tissues. Before you resolve to undergo this surgery, it would help if you consult with an expert.
Four vital considerations determine if you can undergo breast augmentation surgery. These are implant shape and size, placement incision, type of the implant, and the risks associated. Breast augmentation enhances the breast’s appearance (if you think they are too small), reduce the size after pregnancy or breastfeeding, and correct uneven breasts.
What is Breast Lift?
Also known as mastopexy, a breast lift is a surgery that intends to change the breasts’ position. The tissue is reshaped by removing excess skin, raising the breasts. If your breasts are sagging or the nipples point downwards, you might consider a breast lift.
Why is a breast lift done?
With time, your breasts change and lose elasticity. Several issues cause the change in breast elasticity, including pregnancy-the breast ligaments stretch to support the breasts. Other reasons could be changes in weight- as your skin changes, the breasts lose firmness and gravity, pulling the breasts.
A breast lift reduces sagging by raising its position (the nipples and the areolae). In the process, the breast size can be reduced so that they have the appropriate proportion. You can consider a breast lift if you have either of the following:
- Your breasts are flatter and longer or sagging
- The nipples fall below the breast creases or point downward
- The areolae are no longer proportional
Though patients with sagging breasts can undergo a breast lift, you might have to postpone the decision if you intend to conceive. Ladies who are breastfeeding should avoid the procedure to get excellent results. Women with larger breasts might not love the appearance- the breasts will sag again years after the surgery.
How do you choose the right procedure?
Before settling for either or both procedures, several factors should influence your decision. These include:
- Nipple’s position – if the nipples sit below the breast crease or point downwards (your breasts are sagging), a breast lift is viable.
- Breast’s volume –It refers to the breast’s fullness. Age, weight loss, or pregnancy can alter the breasts fullness. Both surgeries can are viable for excellent results.
- Breast size –if your breasts are smaller, the appropriate surgery should be breast augmentation.
Either way, both surgeries vary and have advantages and disadvantages. If you want to increase the size of the breasts, you should consider breast augmentation. On the other hand, breast lift should be viable if you have loose or sagging breasts.
Patients who want to increase the bust’s size should do both surgeries. When you combine both surgeries, you will get two benefits; fuller and firmer breasts. Since breast surgeries are personal decisions, you need an expert’s input –you can contact Hetal Fichadia, located in Portland, OR, for comprehensive information and the appropriate surgery.
Dr. Fichadia is a double board-certified, comprehensively trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon. She completed general surgical training at St Elizabeth’s Medical Center, an affiliate of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA, and subsequently completed a highly competitive plastic surgery program at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR. She has presented research from her time in Boston and Portland at national and international surgical meetings such as Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons and annual meeting of American Society of Plastic Surgery.