November 30, 2010 | Breast Implants
2 minute read
Updated for 2018
Choosing the correct breast enhancement option and surgical incision placement requires customization. Dr. Daniel uses an individualized approach to let each woman’s unique goals, breast anatomy and degree of breast ptosis (sagging) dictate whether a breast lift, breast augmentation or both is the best option.
Scientific Basis for Combining Breast Lift + Augmentation
Health News Digest published an article discussing the complexities of combined breast lift and breast augmentation procedures, revealing how doctors assess sagging breasts and make breast enhancement recommendations.
Additionally, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons published a study suggesting that breast lift surgery and breast augmentation can be safely performed in a single combination procedure without an increased risk of complications.
Dr. Daniel’s Approach to Breast Enhancement
For his Eugene breast enhancement patients, Dr. Daniel uses the Regnault classification system to determine which procedure(s) are needed to provide optimal breast enhancement results.
Patients with the most severe ptosis (Grades III and IV), breast tissue is often ample and a breast lift alone is needed. However, some patients who have sagging, deflated breasts may opt for breast augmentation as well as a lift.
Learn More: How to Prepare for Breast Augmentation [Infographic]
Incisions for patients with a greater degree of sagging are usually a lollipop pattern (around the nipple and vertically along the bottom of the breast) or an inverted-T pattern (lollipop incision plus incision along the inframammary crease).
In patients who have a lesser degree of ptosis (Grade I and Grade II), a breast lift is also recommended, and may be performed with or without implants depending on the amount of natural breast tissue present.
However, patients with less breast droop typically require less extensive incisions that are placed only around each nipple (periareolar) or in a lollipop pattern. Patients who choose silicone breast implants may require an incision in the inframammary crease or along the underarm.
Finally, in patients with “pseudoptosis,” where the nipple is above the inframammary crease on each breast, breast implants alone will often correct mild sagging by increasing breast projection.
In all cases where mastopexy (breast lift) is combined with breast augmentation, it’s important to remember that the procedures can be staged to ensure safety as well as an optimum outcome.