Overview
- Breast lift removes excess skin and tightens the breasts.
- Sometimes, augmentation with saline or silicone implants is needed for volume restoration.
- Dr. Vincent Voci in Charlotte offers combined procedures but recommends two separate surgeries for best results.
- He skillfully repositions breasts during the lift for improved shape and firmness.
- Implants are inserted if additional volume is desired.
In cases of excessive breast sagging, women often opt for a breast lift procedure, which involves the removal and tightening of redundant skin surrounding the breasts. In certain instances, complementing this lift with breast augmentation surgery becomes necessary to restore volume, utilizing saline or silicone implants. Dr. Vincent Voci, a distinguished plastic surgeon in Charlotte, offers the option of combined breast augmentation with lift procedures, although he typically recommends two separate surgeries for optimal results. During the breast lift, Dr. Voci skillfully repositions the breasts higher on the chest wall, enhancing their shape and firmness. Should additional volume be desired, implants are expertly inserted to achieve the desired aesthetic outcome.
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Surgical Technique
During this procedure, the lift will occur first. This begins with the surgeon removing excess skin residing on and around the breast in order to reshape it. The underlying muscle and tissue will be pulled tight and lifted so that the breast sits in a higher position. In addition, the nipple is usually repositioned. For excessively large breasts, the colored part around the nipple (known as the areola) will need to be surgically reduced. The surgeon will remove the outer circle and reposition the skin.
Breast Lift Incision
Breast lifts are performed with varying incision patterns. Some common incision patterns include:
- All the way around the areola
- Circumareolar (around the areola) with an additional vertical incision (a vertical line that will travel down the breast to the natural fold below the breast)
- Full circumareolar, vertical, and horizontal incision (referred to as an anchor or inverted "T")
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation with a lift can usually be performed as a single surgery. However, some patients will choose to have this broken into two separate procedures. Some women are unsure of how large they want to go or how they will feel about the breasts’ appearance after the lift has been accomplished. If it has been decided ahead of time that an implant will be placed during the lift procedure, it is usually positioned below the pectoralis muscle. This adds additional support to the breast and acts as an internal bra, which results in a longer-lasting outcome.
Breast Aug With Lift FAQs
Will Implants Help Sagging?
Breast augmentation surgery will help with size, but will not lift a sagging breast. If there is moderate to severe sagging, women should be leery of any surgeon who recommends implants alone. Patients who are happy with the size of their breasts, but want to correct the sagging, will usually benefit with a breast lift procedure (without the placement of implants).
Which Incision is Best?
During your consultation, the incision placement will be discussed after your breasts have been thoroughly assessed. Women with smaller breasts will usually benefit from an incision that circles the areola only. Larger breasts, or those that have severe sagging, may need the anchor-shaped incision in order to garner the best results.
Long-Lasting Results?
Breast lifts are designed to last a very long time. As long as you do not experience a huge weight gain or become pregnant, the results can last for years. The implants are surgically placed in a way that protects the breasts from sagging. Age and gravity are unavoidable elements that will create some natural sagging throughout the years.
What About Scarring?
Unlike breast augmentation alone where the incisions can be carefully hidden, it is hard to conceal the incisions that are made during the lift procedure. The number of scars and their location will depend on the surgeon’s incision strategy. Every effort is made during surgery to minimize scarring. With proper scar care and an avoidance of sun exposure, the scars will fade and become thinner over time. Most women feel that the physical results following this surgery far outweigh the scarring left behind.
