Does a breast reduction include a lift [Explained]

Dr.Edna Skopljak

Dr.Edna Skopljak

Edna Skopljak is a Doctor of Medicine. She has over 10 years of experience in the medical field. She is also a volunteer at several organizations, and is always looking for ways to improve the health of her community.

If you are thinking about reducing the size of your breasts for medical or personal reasons, you may be considering breast reduction surgery. A common question that comes up for women in the decision-making process of having a breast reduction is, “Does a breast reduction include a lift”.

Our article will provide all the information you need to know to answer this question.

Does a breast reduction include a lift?

Yes, breast reduction surgery almost always involves a breast lift. Typically, the only reduction technique in which a lift would not be included would be a liposuction-only breast reduction. In all other methods, lifting and repositioning the breasts is necessary to achieve optimal results.

While these can also be performed as two separate procedures, a breast lift goes hand and hand with having a breast reduction.

When a woman undergoes breast reduction surgery, they remove excess fat, tissue, and skin to improve the shape. This choice is made due to various reasons, which may include chronic back and shoulder pain, nerve pain, and even poor self-confidence.

Discomfort caused by large and heavy breasts can affect women in different ways, and many of them turn to breast reduction to alleviate their issues.

A breast reduction will almost always involve lifting the breasts. After the fat and tissues are removed, the doctor must perform additional alterations in the form of a lift in order to achieve a good result.

This involves removing excess skin, so the breasts sit properly and repositioning the nipples to fit the newly shaped breasts. An uninformed candidate may not be aware of this, but without including a lift portion in the surgery, the client would most likely be dissatisfied with their results.

The difference between breast reduction and lift

Breast reduction surgery is sought after by women who have excessively large breasts for their frames and are experiencing issues because of them. The issues range from physical discomfort to pain to rashes and also difficulty exercising.

The procedure involves removing extra breast fat, tissues, and skin to leave the patient with improved size, shape, and overall proportions.

A breast lift is for women who have sagging breasts due to age, weight changes, or pregnancy. By removing breast tissues and restructuring the breast, the shape will be altered to be perkier and firmer. A breast lift also changes the position of where the breasts sit on the chest and the direction of the nipple.

While the end results of a breast reduction and a lift are similar, the difference lies in the procedure as well as the issue the patient is experiencing pre-surgery. The American Society of Plastic Surgery has a detailed list of the different issues patients experience.

The extent of lift included in breast reduction surgery.

Since breast reductions are required to reduce large, heavy breasts, this means they are most likely to droop down as well. Removing the tissues and fat alone is not enough and would look visually off once healed. Surgeons will remove any extra skin and also possibly reposition the nipple in order for the outsides of the breasts to match the new volume of the inside.

Things to remember when deciding between breast reduction and lift

If you are hoping to achieve a specific set of results, discuss your ideal outcome with your surgeon during the initial consultation.

While a lift is going to be a part of the final breast reduction results, it may not be to the extent you desire. A surgeon will be able to recommend the best route for achieving the results you want.

Conclusion

If you have been asking, “Does a breast reduction include a lift?” and not getting any answers, we hope our article provided clarity. Make sure to research a credible, experienced surgeon and discuss all of your concerns with them prior to committing to having the surgery.

Sources:
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/blog/whats-the-difference-between-a-breast-reduction-and-a-breast-lift