Breast Talk Combination Breast Lift-Augmentation

By Hiba Bittar, MS, COO

Moki Media

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Breast Talk Combination Breast Lift-Augmentation

Should a breast lift and breast augmentation be done in separate stages?

There has been an ongoing discussion about combining breast augmentation and breast lift into one single procedure amongst plastic surgeons. My goal in this article is to inform you, the patient, about this combination procedure and provide you with the surgical options that best suit you.

The tools plastic surgeons use for breast augmentation and lift has expanded recently. In addition to implants, which have existed for decades, plastic surgeons who have embraced lipo-transfer or fat transfer into the breast are now able to offer their patients a “natural breast augmentation.” Breast lift options and techniques have also evolved with plastic surgeons offering different lifting options. Using a grading system based on the degree of a patient's breast droopiness, medically known as ptosis, your surgeon can customize your breast lift to your needs. The decision to choose a one-stage breast lift-augmentation procedure in the same operative session is actually that of your plastic surgeon, and his comfort level or level of expertise in the procedure.

“Combination breast lift and augmentation is one of the most commonly requested procedures by my patients and the most routinely performed in my practice”, says board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Hakki. Dr. Hakki often uses fat transfer into the breast to achieve the desired enhancement in combination with a breast lift and in one operative session. Fat injections into the breast are ideal for patients who need a breast lift-augmentation, but don't want to use an implant. There is one catch; fat transfer to the breast offers a moderate increase of one cup size in the breast. Fat injections into the breast allow for controlled reshaping of the breast with fat placement delivered at multiple levels and in different quadrants of the breast, thereby achieving the “perkiness” often desired by patients seeking breast enhancement.

Dr. Hakki opened his practice over 30 years ago, and he never performs a breast lift and augmentation in separate stages, always offering his patients the quick, easy, one-step, single stage approach. With that being said, a one-stage breast lift-augmentation is not an easy procedure and many plastic surgeons can't handle this complex approach. When combining the two procedures in one stage, the level of difficulty is higher than when performing either procedure alone. While the augmentation increases the volume of the breast, the breast lift reduces the skin to achieve the lift effect. In Dr. Hakki's experience, the combination approach produces great results with a low complication rate as well as a low revision rate. When given the choice, and informed of possible complications, Dr. Hakki's patients still select the one-stage approach over the two-stage approach. The safety, convenience and reduced cost of having one operation instead of two tend to be major factors behind patients' selection.

When using an implant for the augmentation, Dr. Hakki uses a completely sub-muscular placement of the implant. When using fat transfer for the augmentation, he typically transfers an average of 500 cc's in order to retain about half that amount. He places the fat in specific localized areas in the breast to adequately correct the emptiness and enhance the size of the breast. The breast lift technique is then customized to each individual patient's needs, depending on the degree of skin laxity. If the patient has very little droopiness, an implant alone may do the trick, or maybe a peri-oral or crescent lift incision. If a minor lift is needed, a Q lift or lollipop lift techniques is used at the time of implant. A full lift or inverted T technique is used when the breast is truly droopy.

Do you need a lift? Try these steps to grade yourself

If your nipple falls below your breast fold but is still above the bottom side of your breast and you can see breast tissue below the nipple, you have mild droopiness

If your nipple falls below your breast fold but you still can see a tiny bit of breast tissue below the nipple, you have moderate droopiness

If your nipple falls below your breast fold and no breast tissue can be seen under it, you have severe droopiness.

If your nipple touches your belly button, please call 301-843-9769 and book your appointment today!

Call now for a free consultation with Dr. Hakki and find out which procedure fits your needs.