When considering breast surgery, it’s important to remember that breast size is just one aspect. The majority of women are also looking for some change or improvement to the shape of their breasts. Edina Plastic Surgery offers four procedures that can significantly enhance the shape of your breasts, providing you with a range of options to achieve your desired outcome.
“In the minds of most patients, breast surgery is synonymous with breast augmentation or breast implants,” says Dr. Michael Philbin, a board-certified plastic surgeon with Edina Plastic Surgery and a Mpls. St. Paul Magazine Top Doctor. “But the truth is, breast enhancement surgery is incredibly diverse and can achieve several desirable aesthetic outcomes for patients, including improvements to the shape of the breasts. I might even go as far as to say that the overall shape of the breasts influences how youthful they appear, more so than size. This will vary from patient to patient, but never underestimate the dramatic difference that breast shape can make! At Edina Plastic Surgery, our surgeons can enhance the shape of your breasts with breast implants, a breast lift, breast reduction surgery, and/or breast fat grafting.”
Breast Augmentation Surgery (Breast Implants)
“Although breast implants can increase a breast’s volume and fullness, they make only modest changes to a breast’s overall shape,” explains Dr. Philbin. “That being said, implants do come in different shapes other than round, but those implants tend to be textured versions, which have fallen out of favor lately due to their link with a very rare type of cancer.”
“Women’s’ breasts tend to have a natural teardrop-type shape in which the majority of fullness is located at the bottom of the breast,” says Dr. Philbin. “However, the goal of many augmentation patients is to have more volume and cleavage at the top of the breast. We achieve this goal with a round saline or silicone implant by customizing the implant’s width and profile. A wider implant with a lower profile placed behind the muscle will give the appearance of more volume to the upper quadrant of the breast. As you can see, breast implants aren’t just about the cc number. When their width and profile are tailored to a patient’s unique needs, they can also enhance the shape of the breast!”
Breast Lift Surgery (Mastopexy)
Breast lift surgery, or mastopexy, is an excellent option for patients wishing to improve or correct the shape and lift of their breasts with or without an increase in breast size. It is an ideal surgery for women experiencing drooping or sagging breast tissue due to the effects of aging, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or significant weight loss.
“Breast lift surgery involves so much more than just lifting the breast to a more youthful position on the body,” explains Dr. Philbin. “The procedure can change the entire architecture of the breasts because your plastic surgeon can manipulate sagging skin, breast tissue, fat, and even the size of the areola. All of these factors come together to improve the overall shape of the breast dramatically. In addition, breast implants can be added to breast lift surgery to restore volume and fullness for a complete transformation. But keep in mind, breast implants alone will do little to lift the breast or resolve sagging skin.”
Breast Reduction Surgery (Mammoplasty)
Just as breast augmentation surgery isn’t purely about making a patient’s breasts larger, breast reduction surgery is capable of more than just making breasts smaller.
“Due to the nature of the surgery, a breast lift is always part of a breast reduction,” says Dr. Philbin. “Breast reduction, or mammoplasty surgery, is designed to reduce the size and weight of the breast. Your surgeon accomplishes this by removing excess breast glands, skin, and fat and reducing the areola’s diameter. As a result, breasts appear smaller, firmer, and more in proportion with the rest of the body. As you can imagine, the shape of the breast is always improved by breast reduction surgery as well.”
Breast Fat Grafting / Fat Transfer
Rather than using a breast implant that tries to mimic the real thing, breast fat grafting uses only natural tissue from a patient’s own body to add shape and volume to the breasts.
“Fat grafting cannot achieve the same volume increase to breasts that implants can, but it is an effective way to create modest changes to a breast’s fullness and shape, especially for patients who are averse to saline or silicone implants,” advises Dr. Philbin. “Think of fat grafting as a supplement or compliment to other procedures like breast lift or reduction. It’s a finishing touch to add just a bit of volume to the inner or upper part of the breasts or correct asymmetries or divots in the tissue to enhance the breast’s shape.”
“As you can see, breast enhancement surgery goes well beyond increasing a breast’s size with implants,” states Dr. Philbin. “It balances the unique aesthetic desires of the patient with what is appropriate to their body and goals. At Edina Plastic Surgery, we’re fortunate to be able to offer so many options to our patients to ensure they can effectively reshape their breasts and their confidence!”
Have you been considering breast enhancement surgery but are not sure which procedure may be best for you? Call (952) 592 – 6084, text (952) 925-1765, or click here to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Michael Philbin or another board-certified plastic surgeon at Edina Plastic Surgery!
