Breast Lift with Implants

A breast lift with implants is a combination procedure that raises sagging breasts while also increasing a woman’s cup size. A mastopexy with breast augmentation also benefits breast lift patients by keeping breasts firm and perky for many years. Implants are not as affected by gravity as breast tissue, and will maintain their height and shape more easily than natural skin and tissue.

The Mastopexy with Augmentation Procedure

A breast lift with implants is performed in much the same way as a standard mastopexy, except with an implant inserted below the mammary gland or under the pectoral muscle during the breast lift procedure. Your doctor will first make an incision to remove the excess sagging skin that causes your breasts to droop. Before the breast lift surgery, your doctor will discuss with you the type of incision to make. Whether your doctor uses the anchor-shaped, doughnut, or lollipop incision is dependant on your breast shape and size as well as the doctor’s personal preference. After inserting an implant beneath your pectoral muscle or mammary gland, the doctor will finish the breast lift with implants procedure by closing the incision.

Benefits of Breast Lift with Implants

Breast implants will add to the overall breast lift results by increasing your bust size and lifting the breast in one step. Also, many women benefit from the mastopexy with augmentation procedure by prolonging the results of a breast lift. Gravity, pregnancy, and weight loss can all cause your breasts to become droopy, even after breast lift surgery. Implants, however, are not affected by gravity in the same way human breast tissue is. When you undergo breast lift with implants, your breasts will generally remain full and perky for a longer time.

Risks and Complications of Mastopexy with Augmentation

As with traditional breast lift and implant surgeries, there are some risks to consider before undergoing the procedure. Breast implants have been known to cause other complications not associated with the breast lift procedure. Read more about possible breast lift complications to be sure you have thoroughly considered the possible risks of breast lift surgery and specifically those associated with implants before undergoing surgery. The following possible side effects may occur if you opt for a breast lift with implants:

Scarring

The mastopexy with augmentation creates noticeable scars. Often a permanent scar is visible from the bottom of the nipple vertically to the base of the breast, or around the areola. It is also possible to get the doughnut mastopexy procedure with implants, which creates a circular scar around the nipple. Scars will diminish with time; however, scarring is definitely something to consider before undergoing the surgery.

Infection

When operating on a patient, surgeons take hefty precautions to prevent infection, which is one of several possible breast lift complications. However, as with any surgery, infection is still possible in the mastopexy with augmentation procedure. If there is an infection, the implant will have to be removed for approximately six months, meaning there will be a dramatic difference in the size of your breasts for that period of time.

Capsular Contracture

If you choose to receive a breast lift with implants, there is the possibility of further complications than with a standard mastopexy procedure. Capsular contracture appears when there is scarring and firmness around the implant, causing it to look and feel unnatural as well as cause discomfort. More common with silicone implants than saline implants, mild capsular contracture may not even be noticed. Severe capsular contracture may require removing the implant and inserting a new implant in its place. Placing the implant below the muscle reduces the risk of capsular contracture.

Nipple Numbness

There is the possibility of losing sensation around the nipples following breast lift surgery with implants. Often, loss of nipple sensation is not permanent and will return a few weeks after breast implant surgery.

Implant Deflation

Mastopexy with augmentation can occasionally result in implant deflation if the placed implants are not filled enough. If there is not enough pressure inside the implant, the shell of the implant will fold back and forth with the natural movement of your body and may eventually tear. This creates the possibility that the implant may leak and then deflate, returning your breast to its original size within about a day. There is about a four percent chance of this complication during the first year after your surgery, and the risk decreases after that.

Implant deflation is not a serious issue with saline breast implants because the salt water is not overly harmful for the body. However, implant deflation may pose more of a problem for patients with silicone breast implants, which were released back on the market in November of 2006.

Rippling

In some cases, receiving a breast lift with implants can result in visible “waves” along the top side of the breast. Referred to as “wrinkling” by some doctors, the condition is caused by under-filled saline implants moving within the breast, and occurs more frequently with smooth implants than textured ones. Placing the implant under the breast tissue reduces the chance of rippling.

Implant Displacement

If you receive a mastopexy with augmentation, it is possible that your breast implant may “drift” underneath your breast in one direction. If it moves significantly, surgery may be necessary to reposition the implant. Larger implants are also more likely to move down your body with age. Implant displacement is not generally a common problem.

Hematoma

A hematoma is a collection of blood around the implant that can occur any time after the surgery, although it is more likely to occur shortly following the procedure when there has been trauma to the tissue. Hematomas can happen after a breast lift with implants, and can cause further problems such as capsular contracture and even possible infection. The body is able to absorb small hemotomas. Unfortunately, larger hematomas require specific surgical drains to promote healing, which may leave a small scar where the drain is placed. There is also the risk of puncturing the implant during the draining process, causing the implant to deflate.

Ptosis and Implants

Ptosis is the clinical word for sagging or drooping breasts. Many women are interested in increasing their cup size, but have moderate to severe ptosis in their breasts. It is highly recommended that these patients undergo a breast lift with their implants. If women with sagging breasts don’t opt for a breast lift procedure when they receive implants, it is likely that certain complications may arise following implant surgery. Doctors often warn of conditions known as “double bubble” or “bulging.” A double bubble is a deformity where bulges of skin hang out below the breast implant. “Bulging” is another condition where it appears that excess breast skin is hanging unnaturally off the implant. In both cases, a breast lift can be performed following implant surgery to increase the aesthetics of the breast.

Locate a Cosmetic Surgeon near You with DocShop

If you want to learn more about getting a breast lift with implants, search DocShop for a comprehensive list of qualified surgeons in your area. Find out whether or not a mastopexy with augmentation is right for you by discussing your options with a cosmetic surgeon.