Will Breast Implants Help Me Avoid A Breast Lift?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I want to know if I just need breast implants or whether I need to get a breast lift. I don’t want an increase in size as I currently am a 36D cup size now, but I would like my breasts back up where they should be  and I don’t want the skin to stretch again as time goes on. I’m 5′ 4” and about 142 lbs. I have had three children, the last one being just over three months ago. I am planning to lose a little more weight (15 lbs) to shed the last of the baby fat. But with the breast sag that I now have, I am wondering if an implant will create enough of a lifting effect that I can avoid the need for a breast lift and its scars. I have attached pictures so you can see the shape of my breasts.

A: Your breast situation is very common and your desire to avoid a breast lift is also common and understandable. However, with breasts that sag to the point that the nipples are below the lower breast fold, the option of avoiding a breast lift no longer exists. This is particularly so when the amount of breast sagging will be aggravated by further weight loss. It is common misconception that breast implants have a lifting effect. While this is actually true when there is a slight breast sag and the nipple is close to but still above the lower breast fold, an implant will actually have a worsening effect on breast sag when there is the amount of drooping that your breasts have.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana