Breast Augmentation

Some patients may wish to have, or may be recommended to have, based on their pre-operative assessment, both an augmentation with a breast implant, as well as a breast lift at the same time. This would depend on the degree of sag (ptosis) in the breast tissue, before surgery.

To a certain degree, and depending on the size of the implants being placed in, the implants alone will lift the breasts. However, if there is marked ptosis, then a specific lift procedure would be recommended.

There are various techniques for breast lifts available, each with a different pattern of scars they would leave on the breast. For a minor lift, a periareolar (scar hidden around the nipple only) scar is utilised. For a medium lift, a periareolar scar and a vertical up and down scar would be required. For a more significant lift, an inverted T-scar would be required, part of which would be hidden in the fold below the breast.

One of the risks of this combined procedure is subsequent recurrent ptosis of the breasts, due to the sheer weight of the implants used for the augmentation. One advance in this procedure, which is likely to help avoid this problem, is the utilisation of a special implant that has a greatly decreased chance of drop, as it has a greater adherence to the surrounding breast tissue. The use of this implant, in addition, is likely to sustain the longevity of the surgical results.