Breast Lift Surgery vs. Breast Implants

In the last decade, breast augmentation surgery has become one of the most popular cosmetic procedures around the world. By undergoing cosmetic surgery, many women have been able to obtain their desired body shape and gain self-confidence.

Breast implants and breast lifts are two of the most common breast surgery procedures. Most people mistakenly think that these two procedures are the same and do not know their differences.

The distinction between a breast lift and a breast prosthesis will be carefully reviewed in this post.

What Is a Breast Lift?

Breast lift surgery, as its name implies, lifts and shapes the breast.

For patients who have sagging breasts, this procedure is helpful.

What Causes Sagging Breasts?

There are several factors involved in sagging breasts. These reasons include the following:

• Pregnancy
• age increasing
• Breastfeeding
• Severe weight loss
• Obesity
• Genetics

During breast lift surgery, the surgeon removes excess skin caused by sagging breasts. As a result, many wrinkles on the breast skin disappear.

But the effectiveness of breast lift surgery is not only for those who have sagging breasts; those with asymmetrical breasts can also benefit from this procedure.

What Is a Breast Implant?

Breast prosthesis surgery is a cosmetic operation that is used to augment the size of the breasts. In this operation, the surgeon cuts the bottom section of the breast and inserts the silicone implants in it. Breast implants are often quite long-lasting. However, a person’s lifestyle and the quality of the used implants might have an impact on their longevity.

What Causes Breasts to Shrink?

Breast shrinkage can be caused by many reasons, including:

• Genetics
• Cancer
• Weight Loss

The Differences Between a Breast Lift and Breast Implants

Longevity

Experts estimate that the effects of both breast lift and breast implant surgery last more than ten years. As long as the person maintains a healthy diet and does not gain or lose a lot of weight, the result of breast lift surgery is almost permanent. On the other hand, breast implants need to be changed every 10 to 15 years.

Cost

Different factors affect the cost of these two surgeries. These factors include the following:

• Physician compensation
• Operating room cost
• Hospital costs
• Cost of anesthesiologist

Considering that breast implant surgery also requires you to buy a breast implant, the price of breast implant surgery is higher than the price of breast lift.

Is It Possible to Have a Breast Prosthesis and a Breast Lift at the Same Time?

Yes, in cases where the patient’s breasts are both sagging and not of the desired size, the doctor may suggest performing these two surgeries at the same time, which is called a prosthesis. Prosthetics are less expensive to perform each of these surgeries separately and have better results.

Comparing Breast Lift Surgery Complications With Breast Prosthetic Surgery Complications

As breast lift surgery and breast implants are completely different procedures, their complications also differ.

Complications of Breast Implant Surgery

Implants’ Short Lifetime

In cases where the implant material is not good enough, the surgeon is not experienced, or the patient has a bad lifestyle after surgery, the implants may rupture after a few years and need to be replaced.

Leaking From the Implant

If the implants are damaged, their substance may leak, resulting in breast deformity or other complications. This is more common with saline implants. Silicone implants tend to be more resilient and less likely to leak.

Capsule Contraction

The scar tissue that forms around breast implants is called a capsule. The capsule is present in all breast implants and helps keep the implant in place. But when the breast implants are moved or pressed, the capsule contracts and creates discomfort. Capsule contraction is a serious complication of breast implant surgery. If a patient develops this issue, surgery is the only possible solution.

Nipple Anesthesia

After surgery, some people get nipple anesthesia. This is a typical issue following implant surgery that goes away on its own after a while.

Other Complications

The patient may experience sores, swelling, and bruising after surgery. There is also the possibility of infection at the surgical site, but its prevalence is very low.

Complications of Breast Lift Surgery

Asymmetry of the Breasts

In cases where the surgeon is not skilled enough, the breasts may be asymmetrical and force the patient to undergo another surgery.

Feeling Numb

Sensory receptors in the breast area may get damaged after a breast lift. As a result, the patient can not feel anything in the breast area. This problem may be temporary or permanent due to extensive damage to the nerves.

Other Complications

• Allergy to anesthesia
• Bleeding
• Swelling, bruising
• Breast tissue atrophy
• Accumulation of fluid under the skin

Recovery After Breast Lift Surgery and Breast Implant

After each of these surgeries, the patient needs to rest for about two weeks, and after this period, she can return to her daily activities. However, she should take postoperative care seriously for at least a year, and by following these recommendations, she can avoid potential complications.

Conclusion

Each of these surgeries has its advantages and disadvantages. As mentioned above, breast implant surgery focuses on increasing the size of the breast and does not change the sagging of the breast.

On the other hand, breast lift surgery does not affect the size of the breasts; it only removes excess skin and reshapes them.

In order to choose the most suitable surgery for you, it is necessary to talk to a specialist doctor.