University of Virginia Plastic Surgery
1300 Jefferson Park Avenue 4th Floor
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Phone: (434) 924-1234
Location Hours: Monday–Friday | 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Breast Augmentation vs. Lift: Which Is Right for Me?

Smiling young woman laying on her side with head in hand and low cut top exposing cleavage

Women who are interested in breast enhancement have many options. Breast augmentation and breast lift procedures are popular choices with our patients from Richmond, VA, and beyond. However, many women don’t know all the differences between these two procedures. How do you decide which option best suits you?

Choosing plastic surgery is always a very personal decision, and there are many details to consider. In this blog post, we’ll outline the benefits of both breast lift and breast augmentation—and explain why combining them may be your best option yet. Here are a few facts to keep in mind when choosing your breast enhancement procedure.

Breast Augmentation Benefits

Breast augmentation is the best choice for increasing breast size and fullness. During the procedure, the surgeon places an implant underneath the breast tissue or chest muscle, creating an elegant, flattering fullness.

Breast Augmentation Case 1 Before & After View #2 | Richmond, Charlottesville & Roanoke, VA | University of Virginia Plastic Surgery
Before & After Breast Augmentation
Breast Augmentation Case 13 Before & After View #1 | Richmond, Charlottesville & Roanoke, VA | University of Virginia Plastic Surgery
Before & After Breast Augmentation
Breast Augmentation Case 70 Before & After View #1 | Richmond, Charlottesville & Roanoke, VA | University of Virginia Plastic Surgery
Before & After Breast Augmentation

Many women are interested in breast augmentation to repair a “deflated” appearance. Deflated-looking breasts can be caused by life events such as pregnancy or significant weight loss, leading breasts to appear disproportionately small.

While augmentation can make breasts look bigger, they cannot “fill up” sagging skin or lift droopy breast tissue. Most doctors do not recommend placing an implant in a droopy breast for this reason.

Breast Lift Benefits

A breast lift can help breasts appear perkier and more youthful. The surgery does this by removing lax, loose skin and placing the breast higher along the chest wall. Issues such as breastfeeding, weight loss, and age can cause breasts to become saggier over time. A breast lift can fix this and minimize the signs of aging.

While this procedure can create a more lifted appearance, it cannot add volume or make breasts appear bigger. In fact, many patients say that their breasts appear slightly smaller after they’ve recovered from breast lift surgery.

Breast Lift (Mastopexy) Case 60 Before & After View #1 | Richmond, Charlottesville & Roanoke, VA | University of Virginia Plastic Surgery
Before & After Breast Lift Surgery
Breast Lift (Mastopexy) Case 36 Before & After View #1 | Richmond, Charlottesville & Roanoke, VA | University of Virginia Plastic Surgery
Before & After Breast Lift Surgery

Perks of Combining Procedures

Many women interested in breast enhancement procedures want to fix multiple issues at once. Many life events, such as weight loss and pregnancy, can cause problems that overlap between the two procedures. Because of this, many women enjoy combining a breast lift with a breast augmentation. By lifting a sagging breast and adding feminine volume, patients can achieve more complete results.

There are many different choices for patients considering breast enhancement. Both breast augmentation and breast lift create unique results for different kinds of patients, and a board-certified plastic surgeon is your best choice for ensuring safe, satisfying results.

If you would like to learn more about a breast lift or breast augmentation, request a consultation online. You can also call our practice at (434) 924-1234 (Charlottesville) or (540) 932-5771 (Fishersville).

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