Breast lift before and after galleries on a key tool used by people researching this popular cosmetic procedure. But, photos of patients before and after surgery need to be used wisely to avoid setting false and unrealistic expectations. In this article, we’ll break down the features that constitute a breast lift candidate to simplify the process of finding pictures that more accurately reflect what you can expect from this procedure.
Breast Lift Before And After: Extent of Sagging
A primary determinant of the type of lift plastic surgeons choose for an individual patient is the extent of sagging. Finding comparable before and after breast lift pictures with respect to sagging is an excellent starting point to narrowing down the vast array of photos on display online. The degree of skin sagging strongly influences major the number of incisions, and therefore scars created for a breast lift case. Very minimally sagging breasts can usually undergo a peri-areolar or crescent procedure. More moderate or extensively sagging breasts will require a vertical or anchor-pattern lift.
Here’s a case by Southlake, Texas, USA plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Bogdan with severe sagging. The result is excellent but shows the somewhat limited extent of lift possible in a case like this. Compare that to this case by Dr. Michael Law of Raleigh, North Carolina which starts with less sagging and achieves a more complete lift.
Breast Lift Pictures: Use Of Implants
When looking over pictures of patients before and after breast lift surgery, make sure to determine if an implant was used and, if so, what size. Using implants influences results in several ways. First, and most obviously, implants add size. But, implants also help “perk-up” the breasts and make them look and feel firmer and more spherical in shape compared to breast lifts without implants. Implants may even change the type of lift needed to one with lesser incisions and scarring compared to trying to achieve a similar lift without the use of implants because of the lifting effect the implants themselves provide.
The bottom line is that checking for the use of implants when perusing before and after images of patients with sagging similar to your own is important. If you aren’t open to the use of implants, you may not be able to achieve the same firmness and shape you come across in pictures of patients that did use implants. You may also need a more extensive type of lift that leaves more scarring without implants than if you are open to the use of implants as part of the procedure.
DON’T COMPARE BREASTS LIFTS THAT USED IMPLANTS TO THOSE THAT DID NOT
This breast lift before and after shows a patient with minimal sagging that achieves a moderate lift without implants. Compare that case to this patient before and after breast lift that started with similar sagging but incorporated implants into her breast lift. Note the firmer, rounder shape in the second set of breast lift pictures that can be attributed to the use of implants.
Before And Afters: Darker Skin Color
Skin color has long been known to influence scarring. This should be taken into account when looking through before and after breast lift picture sets. People with darker skin tones such as African Americans and Asians are more likely to form keloid scars, for example. The reason for this is not fully understood but pigmentation cells called melanocytes may be the culprit. Lighter skin individuals and races are statistically less likely to form permanent thick scars. If you’re looking at before and after shots with respect to scarring, keep in mind that you may be more prone to raised and heavy scarring if you have a darker natural skin tone.
Conclusion:
Looking over pictures of patients before and after surgery is made far more valuable by narrowing down the pictures to ones that compare well to you. Three main characteristics to zone in on with before and after photos are the extent of sagging, use of implants (and what size), and patient skin color. Here’s a short checklist to use when researching breast lift pictures to help you go into surgery with the most realistic possible expectations:
Breast Lift Before And After Checklist
Look For Patients With:
☐ similar degree of breast sagging
☐ implants/no implants according to your plans
☐ similar skin color