Do I need a lift?

This is part two of a five post series for the top 5 questions to ask during a breast augmentation consultation.

Oftentimes, the patient’s personal preference is the prime factor in this decision. Breasts do not need to be restored to their “adolescent” position on the woman’s body to be beautiful. A “mature” (meaning any breast typical of a woman beyond her young 20’s in age) breast, with natural tear-drop flow and natural under-breast fold can be aesthetically exceptional. There are some conventions by which the patient and surgeon may be guided including, ideally:

• The nipple is positioned at, or above, the level of the fold under the breast.
• The nipple is located at approximately half way between the level of the armpit and the elbow.
• The distance from the notch above the breast bone to the nipple is between 18 and 24cm.

Very commonly, loss of fullness of the upper pole of the breast, which is a characteristic change after pregnancy, breast feeding, weight loss, and aging, results in the appearance of breast sagging (also known as pseudoptosis). However, restoring this volume via breast augmentation with an breast implant or fat grafting to the breast can elegantly reverse a drooping appearance without the need for a lift. I really enjoy showing patients before and after photos that demonstrate this effect. That being said, modern breast lifting encompasses a spectrum of approaches—including minimal scar breast lifting such that the procedure is usually less invasive than the patient expects.

More from our 5 part breast augmentation blog series:

• Read part 1, Top Five Questions for Breast Enhancement
• Read part 3, What approach (incision) is best for me?
• Read part 4, Over the muscle or under the muscle?
• Read part 5, Silicone, Saline, or Fat