Breast Reduction Vs. Breast Lift

Women experience many changes in different areas of their bodies throughout their lives. One of the most commonly affected areas is the breasts. They can lose their shape, become saggy, or change size. These shifts can lead to insecurities and even physical discomfort, but many women find that cosmetic surgery helps them to feel like their best selves. Two of the most popular procedures you can choose from are breast reductions vs. breast lifts.

These breast procedures address different issues that many women face. To put it simply, one reduces the size of breasts, while the other helps create a perkier look. If you want to know which one is right for you and will resolve your issues, you need to know the differences between breast lift and breast reduction procedures. We’ll discuss everything you need to know to decide between them.

Breast Reduction

Many people want to enhance the size of their breasts, but if you have overly large breasts, you know the difficulties that come with them. They can cause poor posture and even back pain. Enlarged breasts may limit your activities and clothing options and keep you from living the life you want. In these cases, a breast reduction surgery, also called a reduction mammaplasty, can be helpful. A breast reduction rather than a breast lift is the best choice to alleviate the issues caused by heavy breasts.

In a breast reduction procedure, plastic surgeons remove the excess skin, fat, and glandular tissue to reduce the size and weight of the breasts. In addition to re-contouring the breasts, they can also alter the nipples and areolas to correct asymmetry.

Over 100,000 breast reduction procedures are performed each year. The sheer number alone gives you an idea of how many women are suffering from the size of their breasts and need to reduce them.

If you are an adult patient dealing with the following issues from heavy breasts, you may qualify for a breast reduction procedure:

• Bad posture
• Neck, shoulder, and back pain
• Breathing and sleeping problems
• Chronic skin sensitivities between or beneath the breasts
• Limitations in physical activity
• Limitations in clothing options

In a breast reduction vs. a breast lift, you can expect a noticeable decrease in size. The plastic surgeons will adjust your areolas to your new breasts to achieve a lifted appearance. Your new, lighter breasts will free you from back pain and give you greater freedom in your activities and style choices.

Steps of Breast Reduction

1. Anesthesia

First, you will receive intravenous or general anesthesia from a qualified anesthetist. This will prevent you from feeling any discomfort during the procedure.

2. Incision

The plastic surgeon will make small incisions along your breasts to perform the procedure. The type of incision will be different based on the shape and size of your breast. The most common incisions are:

• Periareolar or donut: this incision runs around the outer edge of the areola
• Vertical or lollipop: one incision runs around the edge of the areola and another one down to the breast crease
• Anchor or inverted T: one incision runs around the edge of the areola, another down to the breast crease, and a last one along the breast fold

3. Reduction

The plastic surgeon will reduce the size of the breast by removing excess skin and repositioning the nipples. Liposuction may be used to remove fat tissue.

4. Closing up

The plastic surgeon will close the incisions using a specialized technique to reduce scarring, and the procedure is over!

5. Recover

The whole procedure will generally take around three to five hours, depending on your particular needs. You can see initial results immediately. You will need to return for a follow-up appointment to have the sutures removed. Over time, your results will get even better, and the scars will fade.

Breast Lifts

Breasts can change shape for many different reasons, and those changes can undermine women’s self-confidence. Drooping, uneven, or asymmetrical breasts can make you give up your favorite tops because you don’t like how you look anymore. Breast lift procedures, also called mastopexies, can restore your youthful beauty and your confidence.

A breast lift vs. a breast reduction aims at reshaping the breast tissues to make them look perkier and more elevated. The difference between a breast lift and a breast reduction is that plastic surgeons focus more of the outer tissues in a breast lift rather than the fat. Instead, they remove excess skin, raise the breasts, and reposition the nipples and areolas. The new proportions will yield a natural, enhanced look.

The reshaping of your breast tissues in a breast lift vs. a breast reduction will leave you with youthful-looking breasts that stand firm and high on your chest.

Women with the following issues will likely benefit from a breast lift:

• Sagging breasts after pregnancy due to added weight and breastfeeding
• Stretched-out breasts resulting from weight fluctuations or significant weight loss
• Drooping breasts due to genetics, natural aging, and the pull of gravity
• Downward-facing nipples
• Low nipples and areolas that hang below the breast creases
• Unusual breast shape or asymmetry

You can expect to overcome these issues with a breast lift vs. a breast reduction. This procedure allows plastic surgeons to restore the shape of your breasts and improve their fitness so you can feel better than ever about your body.

Steps of Breast Lift

1. Anesthesia

An experienced anesthetist will sedate you via general anesthesia or IV sedation.

2. Incision

After the anesthetics kick in, the plastic surgeon will make the incisions in your breasts. There are no differences between the incisions for breast lifts and breast reductions. The plastic surgeon can use any of the incisions discussed above, as well as the following:

• Crescent: a small incision that runs along the top half edge of the areola

3. Lift

The incisions allow the plastic surgeon to remove the excess skin, readjust the nipples, and lift and reshape the breasts.

4. Placing sutures

The plastic surgeon will close the incisions with sutures, and the procedure will be finished.

5. Recover

The breast lift procedure takes 2-3 hours vs. the breast reduction. Initial results are visible immediately after the surgery is completed. The plastic surgeon may leave a thin tube beneath your skin to drain the fluids. You will return for follow-up appointments to take the tube out and remove the sutures. The scars will fade over time, and you can show off your new breasts confidently in a bikini. 

Breast Reduction Vs. Breast Lift: What Are the Differences?

Breast lifts and breast reductions require the plastic surgeon to remove excess tissue and reshape the breasts for a more attractive appearance. They often achieve similar aims, but they are two separate procedures. We have touched briefly on the differences between breast lifts and breast reductions in previous sections. Now let’s dig a little deeper!

Breast Lifts Do Not Make Your Breasts Smaller

Breast lift procedures create a perkier look, and the change in appearance may make you think that they decrease the size of your breasts. However, the truth is that they only elevate your breasts and do not affect their fullness. Since they make your breasts sit higher on your chest, they can give the illusion of smaller breasts, even though you will likely wear the same cup-size bras afterward. If you desire larger or fuller breasts, you can get breast augmentation as well as a lift. Many women opt to combine breast lifts with implants to get their desired look. Breast reductions, on the other hand, actually reduce the size of your breasts by removing fat tissue.

Breast Reduction Procedures Do Not Lift the Breasts

Another difference between breast reductions and breast lifts is that reductions do not change the position of your breasts. This type of cosmetic surgery simply reduces the size of your breasts. After a breast reduction procedure, your smaller breasts will sit in the same position on your chest. The purpose of breast lifts vs. breast reductions is to raise them higher on your chest.

Breast Reduction Procedures Are Often Performed for Medical Reasons

Breast lifts are mostly cosmetic surgeries with the sole purpose of achieving certain aesthetic goals. While breast reductions may also be performed for cosmetic reasons, many women choose breast reductions to alleviate the pain caused by enlarged breasts. Large breasts can cause severe back, neck, and shoulder pain that will only worsen as time passes. They can also put pressure on your spine and ruin your posture. These are all important medical reasons for breast reduction procedures.

Breast Reduction Vs. Breast Lift: How to Decide Which One Is Right for You?

When you’re deciding whether to get a breast reduction vs. a breast lift, you always need to keep your specific goals in mind. What is the aesthetic look you want to achieve? Why do you want to make this change to your body? Do you aim to change the shape of your breasts, or is their size causing health issues? You can achieve the former with a breast lift and the latter with a breast reduction.

Depending upon your needs, you might benefit from having both procedures done. Some women combine the two for particularly perky breasts rather than deciding between a breast reduction vs. a breast lift. If you want to reduce the size of your breasts and raise them higher on your chest, this might be the right approach for you. Make sure to choose a plastic surgeon who will listen carefully to your goals and work closely with you to determine the right procedure or procedures to get your desired look.