Breast Lift vs Breast Augmentation—Making the Right Choice for You

The appearance of your breasts can play a big role in your self-image. It’s not uncommon for women to explore their options for improving the way their breasts look. Choosing the best breast enhancement procedure can feel overwhelming, but understanding the key differences between a breast lift vs. breast augmentation can help bring clarity to your decision.

Those looking for a procedure that can correct breast shape and improve sagging may seek the benefits of a breast lift, while a breast augmentation offers the option of increasing the size of the breasts. It is not uncommon that some patients may need a combination of both.

No matter which option is right for you, Defyne offers minimally invasive, innovative procedures for breast lift and breast augmentation as well as traditional options, utilizing cutting-edge technology to provide you with more options for achieving the look you desire.

Ready to explore your options? Schedule a consultation for the True Form Breast Lift or True Shape Breast Augmentation with Defyne.

What is a Breast Lift?

Also called a mastopexy, a breast lift is a surgical reshaping and elevation of sagging breasts. 

There is a combination of factors that tend to universally lead to sagging breasts in women: age, the effects of gravity over time, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and weight loss. Genetics and the size of a woman’s breasts can also affect the degree to which breast sag occurs.

During a breast lift, extra skin is removed, and the position and shape of the breasts are modified. This also sometimes includes the area surrounding the nipple, known as the areola, where adjustments to the size of the areolae may be necessary. The nipples can be repositioned as well.

A breast lift might be the right choice for you if:

• Your breasts hang unevenly, with one lower than the other
• Your nipples point downward and/or hang below the lower crease of the breasts
• Your areolae are stretched and uneven in shape
• Your breast tissue is stretched, has lost shape, sags, or seems flatter

Traditional breast lift surgery can take approximately two to four hours, and the initial recovery period lasts around two weeks, with full recovery taking approximately 4-6 weeks.

Types of Breast Lifts

There are a few common types of breast lifts:

• Periareolar lift—also called a donut lift, this involves an incision around the entire areola and removes excess skin all around the areola and repositions the nipple.
• Crescent lift—involves only a semicircular incision around the areola and can be used for cases of mild sagging by removing small amounts of excess tissue.
• Lollipop lift—this creates incision lines resembling a lollipop, with a circular incision around the areola and a vertical line coming down from the nipple area, to remove excess skin around the areola and provide a vertical lift to the breasts.
• Anchor lift—similar to the lollipop lift, this creates a vertical lift option with an incision pattern that extends down to the breast crease like an anchor, to create more extensive reshaping and lifting of excessive sagging.

Defyne’s board-certified surgeons can help you create a personalized plan for the right approach to a breast lift. Whether it’s more traditional breast lift surgery or Defyne’s signature, minimally invasive True Form Breast Lift, the goal is to ensure that you are confident with your results.

What is Breast Augmentation?

Breast augmentation offers a surgical procedure that can increase breast size (unlike a breast lift, which provides a small reduction). 

This is accomplished using implants or fat transfer. Women who are dissatisfied with the size of their breasts or wish to restore lost volume after pregnancy or weight loss may be interested in the benefits of breast augmentation.

During a breast augmentation, anesthesia is used for pain relief, an incision is made, and either fat or an implant is placed before closing the incision. Risks of this surgical procedure include:

• Capsular contraction—in about 10% of cases, scar tissue around an implant tightens and results in discomfort, firmness, and a misshapen breast
• Implant displacement (implant moves position)
• Implant rupture
• Sensation changes
• Scarring
• Infection
• Rippling (uneven breast tissue texture)

Breast Augmentation vs. Implants

There is sometimes confusion about the terms breast augmentation vs. implants—the easiest way to think about the two is that augmentation is the procedure, and implants are the devices used in the procedure. There are a few common types of breast implants:

• Saline implants (filled with sterile salt water, FDA approved for ages 18 and older)
• Structured saline implants (more shape-stable)
• Silicone implants (filled with silicone gel, FDA approved for ages 22 and older)
• Gummy bear implants (filled with a thicker silicone gel)

Texture options:

• Smooth breast implants (create a softer feel and more natural movement)
• Textured breast implants (less likely to move or create scar tissue, but with a higher risk of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma)

It is recommended that patients participate in regular screening for implant rupture.

Breast Augmentation with Fat Transfer

Another option for breast augmentation is fat transfer, where fat is harvested from other areas of your body, purified, and then injected to increase breast volume. Fat transfer offers a silicone and saline-free alternative to implants, with a natural-looking breast result.

Although traditional fat transfer techniques can have unpredictable results, Defyne has developed a proprietary fat grafting method for True Shape Breast Augmentation using cutting-edge technology to offer a success rate that is three times higher than traditional fat transfer.

Breast Lift vs. Augmentation

Choosing a breast lift vs. implants or other augmentation will depend on many factors. 

A breast lift is ideal for correcting shape and position, while augmentation can correct size and fullness. In some cases, combining both procedures will give the most ideal results. Working with a board-certified plastic surgeon to create a customized plan can help ensure the best outcome.

The Defyne Approach: True Form Breast Lift & True Shape Breast Augmentation

Those seeking a breast lift, breast augmentation, or combined procedure have access to advanced techniques with Defyne’s breast lift and breast augmentation approaches. These procedures are both minimally invasive, with minimal to no scarring and reduced downtime, and are tailored to each individual’s specific goals.

The True Form Breast Lift

Defyne’s True Form Breast Lift addresses mild to moderate breast sagging and deflation. By combining cutting-edge technologies to achieve results, this procedure is virtually scarless, performed under local anesthesia, with a quick recovery period, and yields natural-looking results. Techniques used include:

• Enhanced viability fat transfer (EVFT) offers advanced fat grafting for volume restoration, utilizing a surfactant, poloxamer P188, for targeted and predictable volume retention.
• Radiofrequency thermal energy helps tighten mild loose skin and promote collagen regeneration.
• Microcoring is another method that utilizes the precise removal of small columns of skin to create tighter skin and enhance natural healing and collagen production.

In some cases, where breast sagging is moderate to severe, a traditional breast lift surgery may be more appropriate. Our board-certified plastic surgeons can work with you to create the right treatment plan for your situation.

The True Shape Breast Augmentation

For the right candidates, Defyne’s True Shape Breast Augmentation offers a minimally invasive alternative to traditional breast augmentation and eliminates the need for implants. It boosts breast size by 1-2 cups, creating a full, natural look.

Like the True Form Breast lift, the True Shape Breast Augmentation leverages EVFT, harvesting fat from one area of the body via liposuction and then utilizing a specialized wash containing the molecule P188 to clean the fat graft and improve quality outcomes of the fat transfer before inserting the fat into the breast.

Benefits of this approach include local anesthesia, same-day return home, and fast recovery with 1-2 days of downtime before returning to light-duty work. It also does not leave visible scars.

Those who desire a more significant enhancement may find that a traditional breast augmentation surgery is more appropriate. No matter which procedure you choose, Defyne’s team is equipped to guide you through your options and aesthetic goals, providing high-quality treatment so you achieve your ideal result.

Ready to take the next step? Contact Defyne for a personalized consultation or learn more about True Shape Breast Augmentation.