Breast Lift or Breast Augmentation—Which is Right for You?

Are you unhappy with the size or shape of your breasts? Do you want to undo the sagging effects of aging, pregnancy, or breastfeeding? If you answer “yes” to one or both questions, you may consider a breast surgery as the remedy. But which one—breast augmentation or breast lift—will meet your aesthetic and lifestyle needs? In this post, San Francisco Plastic Surgery Dr. Kenneth Bermudez gives his advice on good candidates for each procedure.
 

Is Breast Augmentation Right for You?

If you are unhappy with your smaller bust size or simply wish to increase the size of your breasts, you may consider breast augmentation surgery. This procedure will enlarge your breasts without repositioning them to a higher place on your chest. At Bermudez Aesthetic Medicine, we offer the procedure using saline and silicone breast implants, and Dr. Bermudez can help you to decide which is the right implant type, size, and shape for your body frame and surgery goals.

Dr. Bermudez also offers breast fat transfer surgery, a natural form of breast augmentation that uses a patient’s own fat (harvested through liposuction from excess fat on the patient’s stomach, buttocks, or thighs) to increase breast size.

Is a Breast Lift Right for You?

if you are happy with your breast size, but want firmer breasts at a lifted, more youthful position on your chest, you may wish to consider breast lift surgery. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, aging, and weight loss are all factors that cause ptosis, or sagging, of the breasts, and this procedure counteracts this effect. This procedure involves removing excess breast skin, tightening the remaining skin, and relocating the nipple to a higher position on the breast mound. However, unlike breast augmentations surgery, a breast lift will not add volume to your bust.

Take “the pencil” test: To determine if you are a candidate for breast lift surgery, place a pencil under your breast fold. If the pencil doesn’t fall, and/or if your nipple is lower than the pencil, then you may be considered a good candidate for a breast lift.