If I Remove My Breast Implants, Will I Need a Breast Lift?
At the time of your breast augmentation surgery, you probably are not thinking about whether you will need to remove your implants someday. But many women do decide later in life that they want to remove their implants without replacing them, due to personal preferences or medical necessity.
It could be that they no longer like the look of large breasts, or that their lifestyle has changed after having kids or going through menopause. A small number of women experience complications like an implant rupture or leak, and elect to have the implants removed without replacing them.
In those types of scenarios, most women are curious whether a breast lift is needed after implant removal. Board-certified plastic surgeon Joshua Greenwald addresses the answer here.
There Is No Easy Answer
It can be difficult to predict how a woman’s breasts and nipples will look after removing the implants and whether breast lift is necessary. For some women, removing the implants leaves the breasts looking flat, saggy and shapeless. For other women, removing the implants leaves the breasts noticeably smaller, but not necessarily saggier.
Breast lift is generally recommended to those women whose breasts sit low on the chest or whose nipples point downward after implant removal. Breast lift restores the breasts to a more youthful position on the chest and the nipples to a higher position on the breasts.
In your case, whether you need a breast lift depends on whether your breast tissue and skin have stretched out or sagged. If it has been a long time since your breast augmentation, or if you have very large implants, it is likely you will have some breast sag after removing the implants. On the other hand, if your skin has good elasticity, you have modest-sized implants and it has not been a long time since your breast augmentation, you may not need a lift after your implants are removed.
Scheduling an in-person examination with Dr. Greenwald and discussing your goals is the best way to get answers about how to proceed. Together, you and Dr. Greenwald can decide how to approach your surgery. You can plan for a lift at the time of implant removal or you can remove your implants, let your breasts settle and your body heal, and then assess how to proceed, based on how your breasts look and your desired cosmetic result.
Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Greenwald
To learn more about breast implant removal and breast lift, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Greenwald by contacting one of our New York offices today!
Dr. Joshua Greenwald is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City who studied and trained at prestigious educational institutions including Columbia University, Emory University, and New York University School of Medicine. His keen aesthetic eye and refined surgical techniques have led him to be a top choice for cosmetic face, breast, and body procedures in NYC. His exceptional patient care has earned him the distinction of “Top Doc” by both Westchester Magazine and Castle & Connolly for over 10 years running. Dr. Greenwald is an active member of the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the American Medical Association, and the Westchester County Medical Society.