Should I Get Implants or a Breast Lift as Part of a Mommy Makeover?
- A Mommy Makeover typically includes either a breast lift (mastopexy), breast implants, or a combination of both procedures to reclaim more youthful breast contours.
- Breast implant surgery enhances the size, profile, symmetry, and upper poles of the breasts, while mastopexy addresses sagging and the overall projection of the bust.
- For the right patients, a dual augmentation-mastopexy procedure can provide the ultimate rejuvenation possible after pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- A consultation with a Reno board-certified plastic surgeon can help you identify the best treatment plan for your unique needs.
When it comes to a comprehensive Mommy Makeover, breast procedures to restore shape and volume after pregnancy are often a key component. After having children, many women notice their breasts have lost volume, stretched and “flattened,” developed pendulousness (sagging), or some combination of all these changes. A Mommy Makeover involves a customized set of breast and body procedures to address these concerns while restoring and enhancing your pre-pregnancy contours.
Whether breast implants or breast lift surgery are the most ideal solution to achieve the results you envision depends on several factors, including what you wish to improve, how your breasts changed after pregnancy and/or breastfeeding, and the nature of your aesthetic goals. If you’re considering a Mommy Makeover, familiarizing yourself with the differences between breast augmentation and a breast lift can help you determine which option (or combination of procedures) offers the best treatment plan for your needs.
Breast Implants — Enhanced Volume, Size, and Fullness
Breast implant surgery is designed to enlarge your breast size and restore lost volume, making augmentation a popular option for women who feel their breasts look smaller or more “deflated” after pregnancy and breastfeeding.
During breast augmentation, your board-certified plastic surgeon places silicone, saline, Motiva®, or form-stable implants within the breasts to create a fuller, rounder appearance. Many women find that pregnancy can cause the breasts to lose fullness in the upper portions of the breast, resulting in a flatter profile. Breast implants can help restore this lost volume and create a more proportionate silhouette for women who:
- Feel their breasts have become smaller after pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Want to increase their breast size
- Notice loss of fullness in the upper breast
- Desire a rounder, more youthful breast shape
Breast implants come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and profiles, allowing treatment to be tailored to your anatomy and aesthetic goals. When incorporated into a Mommy Makeover, breast augmentation can restore balance and proportion between the breasts, waist, and hips; however, implants do not correct significant sagging. If the nipples sit lower on the breasts or the skin has stretched substantially, a breast lift may be more ideal to achieve optimal results.
Breast Lift — More Youthful Profile and Rejuvenated Contours
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can stretch the skin and supportive tissues of the breasts, leading to a sagging or stretched breast shape. A breast lift, or mastopexy, focuses on repositioning and reshaping the breasts rather than increasing their size. This procedure is designed to address sagging (ptosis) by removing excess skin, tightening surrounding tissue, and elevating the nipple to a more youthful position, often serving as a more optimal breast rejuvenation procedure for patients who:
- Are generally content with their breast size
- Notice increased sagging or drooping breasts
- Have nipples that point downward or sit below the breast crease
- Experience loose or stretched breast skin
By reshaping the breast and lifting the nipple to a higher position, mastopexy can create a more youthful breast contour and improved symmetry. The result is a firmer, more lifted breast profile that better complements the rest of the body after pregnancy-related changes.
Breast Augmentation-Mastopexy (Breast Lift with Implants) — Optimal Breast Rejuvenation
For some women, the most comprehensive option may be breast augmentation combined with a breast lift, often referred to as augmentation-mastopexy or a “breast lift with implants.” This combined procedure addresses both loss of volume and breast sagging simultaneously, allowing your board-certified plastic surgeon to restore fullness while also repositioning and reshaping the breasts.
Augmentation-mastopexy may be recommended for patients who:
- Have lost breast volume after pregnancy and experience moderate to significant breast sagging
- Want fuller breasts with a lifted appearance
- Desire upper pole fullness and improved breast positioning
By combining implants with a lift, the procedure can achieve multiple goals at once. The lift portion restores a youthful position and contour, while implants add volume and projection to enhance overall shape.
Other Mommy Makeover Options
A Mommy Makeover is designed to address several areas of the body affected by pregnancy, allowing for more comprehensive body rejuvenation. Treatment plans are personalized according to each patient’s goals, but other services commonly incorporated into this surgical plan may include:
- Tummy tuck: The abdomen often undergoes significant stretching during pregnancy, which can lead to loose skin, weakened abdominal muscles, and stubborn fat deposits. A tummy tuck removes excess skin and tightens separated muscles to create a flatter, firmer midsection.
- Liposuction: Liposuction can help refine body contours by removing localized fat deposits accumulated during pregnancy, which may not respond to dieting and exercise.
- Body lifting procedures: In some cases, pregnancy or weight fluctuations can cause more extensive skin laxity. Body lifting procedures, such as lower body lifts, arm lifts, or thigh lifts, may be recommended to remove excess skin and improve the overall contour.
- Facial rejuvenation: Some patients also choose to incorporate facial rejuvenation treatments like neurotoxins, fillers, or skin resurfacing treatments into their Mommy Makeover plan.
Whether breast implants, a breast lift, or a combination of both procedures is the right choice depends on your anatomy, aesthetic goals, and desired results. A consultation with our team can help determine the best approach for achieving natural-looking breast rejuvenation while restoring balance and confidence in your post-pregnancy body. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Reno Tahoe Plastic Surgery today for more information.