Would you believe that the breast lift has become a trendy procedure? According to the American Society for Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), it certainly has: their recently published statistics showed that more than 90,000 breast lifts were performed last year. That’s a 70% increase in popularity since 2000.

While a breast lift can make a big difference in the silhouette by returning the breasts to their youthful position, I always urge caution when women say they want this procedure. I advise them to carefully consider all their options for breast enhancement and do some soul-searching about what degree of improvement might satisfy them. I like to point out that there are options worth thinking about, and here are some of these talking points we discuss.

Great results—with a trade-off

If your goal is to completely restore sagging breasts to their youthful appearance, the breast lift is still the gold standard procedure: it improves both the position and shape of the breasts. Although women are often thrilled with the results of their breast lifts, the procedure requires a number of incisions in visible areas of the breast. Unlike a breast augmentation, where you have options for hidden scars, breast lift incisions simply can’t be hidden. Although these scars fade significantly over time, I make sure that women considering the procedure understand that it will be many months before the scars begin to mature. Women who have a breast lift also need to plan for a longer recovery period. For some patients, these trade-offs are worthwhile and they have no qualms about proceeding with the surgery.

Nice results—with less invasive surgery

If your goals for improving the appearance of your breasts include adding volume to your breasts, I can suggest another option that you may not have considered. We have a breast augmentation technique that can also provide a subtle lift. This technique includes a subfascial implant placement, in which the breast implants are placed under the fibrous membrane (fascia) on the surface of the pectoral muscle—but are not under the muscle itself.  When this method is used by an experienced plastic surgeon, the endowed breasts are somewhat supported by the fascia. If you’re the right candidate for this procedure, it may provide an acceptable level of elevation with less invasive surgery than if you had a breast lift.

Plan a consultation to learn what’s best for you

Any plan for cosmetic improvement begins with a simple conversation between you and a plastic surgeon. During this discussion, we explore your goals and weigh the pros and cons of the options you have to achieve those goals; it’s part of our strategy to do things “your way” at Ditesheim Cosmetic Surgery. If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your breasts, I want you to know what to expect from a breast lift, but I also want you to realize that you have choices!

We invite you to contact us to schedule a consultation to discuss all of your options for breast enhancement.