Home|Blog | Should I Have a Breast Lift With My Breast Augmentation Surgery After Having Kids?

Should I Have a Breast Lift With My Breast Augmentation Surgery After Having Kids?

May 24, 2023

4 Minute Read: 

There’s no doubt that pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding do quite a number on your breasts. These hormonal effects of pregnancy cause the breasts to increase in size and undergo major anatomical changes as they prepare for lactation and breastfeeding. 

However, once you have finished breastfeeding, your breasts will shrink — sometimes to an even smaller size than they originally were. 

To combat this, many women choose to have breast augmentation surgery after having their children. It is also important to understand that while breast augmentation can improve the size, shape and volume of your breasts, this procedure can’t correct sagging breasts, which often result from one or more pregnancies. 

Fortunately, breast lift surgery (mastopexy) can be combined with a breast augmentation to dramatically transform your breasts so that you can feel more confident and comfortable with how you look! 

Conversely, if your breasts are droopy, it is generally a poor choice (there are some exceptions) to undergo a breast augmentation without having a needed breast lift at the same time. 

What Is Breast Augmentation?

Breast augmentation surgery was the fifth most-performed cosmetic surgical procedure in 2020. When you look at the procedure’s amazing results, there’s little wondering why it’s so popular. 

Breast augmentation involves the placement of either saline or silicone breast implants on the chest in order to achieve the desired results. Because so many implant options are available — size, profile, shape, and fill material — results can be entirely customizable to help you obtain your desired outcome. In addition, there are also choices regarding placement of the implants either above or below the chest wall muscle as well as the location of the incision.

The ultimate result is larger, fuller and shapelier breasts that you can feel proud of.

What Is a Breast Lift?

Pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause a rapid increase and then a reasonably quick decrease in breast size. An anatomic disruption of tissues and structural support, along with a reduction of elasticity, frequently results in stretched, sagging skin and breast tissue. Some women are fortunate to be only mildly affected and don’t experience drooping.   

Another change is the location of the nipple-areola complexes. Instead of being situated on the most projecting point of firm, shapely breasts, they may descend the chest wall on flatter breasts with less projection. Often, they are pointing down — not out. 

These conditions frequently cause women to feel self-conscious as well as embarrassed about their appearance.

Breast lift surgery (mastopexy) tightens the breast tissues, removes excess skin, resizes the nipple-areolar complexes and elevates them to a more natural, desirable position to give your breasts a perkier, rejuvenated appearance and feel. 

What Are the Benefits of Combining a Breast Lift With a Breast Augmentation?

If, after having children, your breasts are smaller than desired but don’t droop, then a breast augmentation alone may be right for you.

If your breasts are droopy but more than ample in size for your tastes, then a mastopexy alone can give you your desired results.

However, if your breasts are droopy and smaller than you would like, then combining a breast lift and augmentation may be the best option. 

If you opt only for a breast enlargement in this situation, your breasts will still be droopy and have a less than desirable shape. 

Sometimes quite strange and unnatural.

You will likely not be very happy. Ultimately, you may then decide to pursue the needed breast lift resulting in two separate procedures rather than one and with greater overall costs. 

You could also just undergo a breast lift to address the drooping but you may be very disappointed that your breasts are now even smaller and don’t have that firm, rejuvenated look and feel. A subsequent breast augmentation can be done to correct this. However, as noted above, this means a second and separate procedure and total costs exceeding what it would have been had you done both procedures concurrently. In addition, you now have two recuperation periods rather than just one. 

The best advice here is to undergo the specific procedures that are needed and recommended in your particular situation. Trying to shortcut this can and usually does lead to disappointment, wasted time and greater expenses.

Learn More About Breast Procedures in Phoenix, AZ

If you want to learn more about the benefits of mastopexy-augmentation, you can schedule your consultation with me, Dr. Steven Turkeltaub. Simply call the Arizona Center for Breast Surgery at (480) 451-3000 or use our online contact form here. 

We look forward to helping you look and feel your very best!